NC State Cancels Road Football Game at Texas Tech

NC State has canceled its scheduled road football game at Texas Tech on September 18, 2027.

According to Texas Tech’s official release, NC State notified the program in recent weeks that it would utilize a buyout clause in the home-and-home agreement due to changes in ACC scheduling.

N.C. State officials notified Texas Tech in recent weeks that due to a change in ACC scheduling, it would utilize a buyout clause in the home-and-home agreement with the two schools to cancel the Wolfpack’s scheduled trip to Lubbock on Sept. 18, 2027. The two schools previously faced each other in Raleigh during the 2022 season to open the two-game series. (Link)

The two programs previously met in Raleigh in 2022 to open the series, with NC State defeating Texas Tech 27-14.

This move stems from the ACC’s decision to shift from an eight-game conference schedule to a nine-game slate, while also requiring each team to play at least one Power 4 non-conference opponent.

Because the ACC now has 17 teams, one school each year will still play eight conference games, but must schedule two Power 4 non-conference opponents that season to maintain balance.

The transition won’t be fully implemented across the league until 2027, but the ripple effects are already being felt.

Some programs, including NC State, had future schedules with four non-conference games already in place. Under the new format, one of those games had to be removed.

In NC State’s case, two of its 2027 non-conference games were against Power 4 opponents: Texas Tech and Kansas State. One of those matchups was always likely to be cut, and it ultimately ended up being the trip to Lubbock.

NC State Future Non-Conference Schedule

2026
09/12 – Richmond
09/19 – at Vanderbilt (P4)
09/26 – Appalachian State

2027
09/11 – North Carolina A&T
09/25 – Kansas State (P4)
10/02 – Louisiana Tech

2028
09/02 – at East Carolina
09/16 – Vanderbilt (P4)
09/23 – Campbell
09/30 – at Appalachian State

2029
09/01 – Troy
09/08 – at USF
10/06 – Notre Dame (P4)

2030
09/07 – Charlotte

2031
09/06 – at Charlotte
11/22 – at Notre Dame (P4)

2032
09/18 – at Kansas State (P4)

2035
11/10 – Notre Dame (P4)

2037
10/03 – at Notre Dame (P4)