NC State Loses Major Future Opportunity Against SEC

Wolfpack football won't be playing Georgia anymore in a future series, per an announcement from the Georgia Athletic Department.

Nov 18, 2017; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina State Wolfpack helmet lays on the sidelines during the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

RALEIGH — Future schedules often become a popular topic of conversation during bowl season and the offseasons of the college football calendar. With changes coming to the SEC schedule, forcing those programs to play nine conference games now, many schools in that conference pulled out of home-and-home series against other power conference opponents.

NC State became the latest victim of an SEC school backing out, as the Wolfpack was slated to play the Georgia Bulldogs in 2033 and 2034 before the schools "agreed" to cancel the series Wednesday morning.

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What the cancellation means for NC State

Mar 29, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan before the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Georgia's cancellation of the matchup against NC State marks the second SEC opponent to cancel a series with the Wolfpack in the last two years. Florida called off a home-and-home with the Pack scheduled for 2026 and 2032 back in October 2024. It can easily be attributed to the SEC's shift to nine conference games.

NC State's matchups with the Bulldogs were slated for Sept. 17, 2033, in Athens, Georgia, with a return date at Carter-Finley Stadium set for Sept. 16, 2034. The Bulldogs also cancelled their series with fellow ACC school Louisville. It is a major loss of opportunity for the Wolfpack to prove itself against one of the top teams in the country and for potential TV revenue-sharing financial benefits.

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack fans celebrate during the second half of the game against North Carolina Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Wolfpack does still have an SEC matchup on the books for next season against a rising program that likely didn't look to be as competitive when the games were originally scheduled. NC State is scheduled to make a trip to Nashville to face the Vanderbilt Commodores after their historic 2025 season.

South Carolina and NC State also have a home-and-home slated for 2030 and 2031, but given the rapid changes around the SEC with scheduling, it's hard to tell if those games will actually be played. Earlier in the season, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren explained that he preferred to play non-conference games in areas where the program has a recruiting base. Georgia and South Carolina both made sense in that regard.

Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on against Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

There are also questions about future matchups against Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish have begun to explore potential options away from their deal with the ACC following the meltdown from not making the 2025-26 College Football Playoff over Miami.

While losing the SEC matchups is unfortunate, NC State is finding unique and innovative ways to gain eyeballs and differentiate itself from the rest of the ACC. The Wolfpack is set to take part in the first-ever college football game in South America in 2026, with the matchup against Virginia set to be played in Rio de Janeiro in August.

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