Wolfpack to Open Revised 2020 Football Schedule At Virginia Tech
Last week, the NC State football team found out who it will play this season as part of the ACC's revised 10-plus-1 football schedule.
Thursday, the Wolfpack learned when and in what order those games will be played, COVID-19 permitting.
Assuming everything goes as planned -- and there's still no guarantee that will happen -- coach Dave Doeren's team will kick off 2020 against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The Wolfpack will play its home opener a week later against Wake Forest on Sept. 19.
The schedule also includes a Friday night home game, against Miami on Nov. 6. State has also retained its previously scheduled date against Liberty as its one nonconference game.
Instead of finishing the season with its traditional rivalry game against North Carolina, State will now renew its rivalry with the Tar Heels on Oct. 24. The final game is now against Georgia Tech.
There are two open dates, Sept. 26 and Oct. 31 that can also be used to reschedule games, if necessary.
All this is contingent, of course, on the trend of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's who and when the Wolfpack will play:
Sept. 12 at Virginia Tech
Sept. 19 vs. Wake Forest
Sept. 26 OPEN
Oct. 3 at Pittsburgh
Oct. 10 at Virginia
Oct. 17 vs. Duke
Oct. 24 at UNC
Oct. 31 OPEN
Nov. 6 vs. Miami (Friday night)
Nov. 14 vs. Florida State
Nov. 21 vs. Liberty
Nov. 28 at Syracuse
Dec. 5 vs. Georgia Tech
Opening night was originally set for Thursday night Sept. 3 at Louisville, but was moved back a day to avoid a conflict with the rescheduled Kentucky Derby before being replaced by an entirely new schedule.
Reworked because of the coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the sports world since mid-March, the 2020 schedule features games against 10 ACC opponents, all of which will count in the conference standings, as well as a "plus one" nonconference matchups.
The league's two-division system has been scrapped for this season. Teams with the two best winning percentages will advance to the ACC Championship game on either Dec. 12 or 19 in Charlotte. Notre Dame, which will play a full league schedule, is eligible for the title.
This will mark the first time since playing Georgia Tech on Sept. 7, 1996 that State starts a season with a conference game. It will also be the first time since 2013 that the Wolfpack plays in-state conference rivals North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke all in the same season.
Missing from the schedule for the first time since 1970 is a Textile Bowl date against Clemson.
State is looking to bounce back from last season's injury-plagued 4-8 disappointment that ended with six straight losses. The team and Doeren's newly restructured staff returned to the field for its first official practice of preseason camp on Tuesday.
Click here for the link to the entire 2020 ACC football schedule.
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