NC State Renews Rivalry with Wake Forest

Raleigh, N.C.- The (3-2) NC State Wolfpack and (4-1) Wake Forest Demon Deacons renew their in-state rivalry this weekend on Saturday at noon. This pivotal ACC matchup could come down to completion of downs, physicality, fewest mistakes, turnovers, and time of possession. Wake Forest enters the game with momentum after a dominant 57–3 win over Stanford, while NC State has done the same, with two straight wins. NC State will try to use its fan base at Carter-Finley Stadium to build momentum, secure home-field advantage, and set the tone.

CJ Bailey is coming off a career-best 373 passing yards against Louisville. His ability to stretch the field, use his legs, and make accurate throws will be under the microscope against a Wake Forest team that has scored consistently this season, and a shootout could be on the horizon.

The Wolfpack have allowed opponents to erase double-digit leads in each of their last two wins, especially in the fourth quarter; they need to be disciplined for all four quarters and finish strong to secure the win. NC State has struggled with giveaways, yet they also gave up takeaways in key moments; taking care of every possession could make or break the game. Wake Forest has moved and protected the ball well; their offense is pretty well balanced, which means the defense needs to execute, stay disciplined, force turnovers, and make good tackles to ensure a victory on Saturday.