Keys to NC State's Upset Bid Against No. 16 Notre Dame

NC State has a chance to get the statement win for the 2025 season Saturday, as the Wolfpack is set to take on No. 16 Notre Dame on the road in South Bend, Indiana. The 3-2 Fighting Irish enter the game with hopes of finishing the season on a 10-game win streak after losing the first two, maintaining a chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Dave Doeren and the Pack have a chance to ruin those hopes and dreams with a road win. Throughout the week, Doeren's squad expressed great confidence in one another and downplayed the matchup.

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host Tucker Sennett tries to figure out what must go right for the Wolfpack to have a chance to walk out of Notre Dame Stadium with one of the most unexpected wins in the Doeren era.

Watch the Episode Here

Doeren spoke about the massive game after NC State's practice Thursday afternoon. Find out what he thinks the Wolfpack needs to do to have a chance with a transcript of that availability right here:

Final thoughts on Notre Dame after the week of preparation

"A really good football team. What you expect. Physical, really good tailbacks, big tight ends, big offensive line. The receiver we played against at Virginia, who is there now, is a big body that can run and catch the football and he's a physical blocker. Defensively, very similar. Their box has a big rotation on the D-line; a lot of guys get to play. Same thing at linebacker. They've got depth and speed, and they're good players."

"It's one of those physical football games, and you don't beat anybody like them if you can't stop the run. We've got to do a great job, not just in tackling, but in being sound in our gaps, how we're fitting things, how we're leveraging, getting off blocks. And then when you get to them, you've got to tackle these guys and wrap up. They're going to run through people. That's what good backs do. It's going to be a fun game. It's going to be a great challenge and the guys are excited to play."

Oct 4, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren with his team prepare to run out prior to the first half of the game against Campbell Fighting Camels at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

On trying to get a statement win over a ranked opponent

"When you're playing a team that everyone says you can't beat, there's something to that internally as a competitor. It's one of my favorite things to do, prove people wrong, you know? I think that's something I've lived by my whole life. It's something that our team carries with them, but we also know it's something you have to earn on the road."

"A lot of teams have been in South Bend and come away unhappy, and to win a football game there, you've got to do all the little things right. I mean, it's just the details of the game. The guys understand it, and we're living proof of that. There are two losses on our record because we didn't do the little things enough in those games. And so hopefully, those lessons have sunk in.'

Want more NC State football content during the 2025 season? Follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss daily episodes of the NC State Insider Podcast. Want to reach out with questions about the Wolfpack? Send an email to wolfpackonsi@gmail.com to potentially be featured on mailbag stories in the future.

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