Unpredictable Starts Reshape NC State's Early ACC Path
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Chaos has ensued within college football in the first four weeks of the season, not surprising in the slightest. From nail-biters in Dublin, upsets galore and field storms across the country.
It’s hard to predict. That’s why outlooks on teams before the season can change frequently once play begins. For the ACC, its outlook has undergone a significant shift within the first couple of weeks of the season.
Clemson went from a top-10-ranked team to unranked in a matter of weeks. No. 7 Florida State is on the opposite side of that spectrum, unranked to a top-10 team. No one knows how teams will perform once the ball is snapped; that’s the beauty of college football.
With it, the outlook on NC State’s upcoming opponents has slightly changed in those weeks, and with the Wolfpack sitting at 3-0 on the season, the vibes are high in Raleigh surrounding the future of the 2025 season.
Wolfpack’s next four games
Duke Blue Devils (1-2)
The Blue Devils haven’t had the start of the season that head coach Manny Diaz and the program set out to accomplish. 1-2 with back-to-back going into ACC play isn’t ideal. Duke lost to No. 9 Illinois in week two and, in week three, fell to Tulane on the road.
Duke signed quarterback Darian Mensah to a two-year, $8 million NIL deal to transfer to the school this past offseason. His previous school – Tulane, of course. His homecoming was stopped short due to Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff having four rushing touchdowns, setting a school record.
Mensah, throughout three games, is 80-for-119 for 1,036 yards and eight touchdowns with two picks – he ranks No. 3 in the country in passing yards. Adequate numbers, but the real Achilles heel of the Blue Devils has been turning the ball over. Duke is tied for 126th in the country in turnover margin at -6.
Virginia Tech Hokies (0-3)
On Sunday, Virginia Tech Fired head coach Brent Pry as a result of a winless start to the season. The Hokies fell to No. 13 South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Old Dominion – being only one of 11 teams still winless in the FBS.
Pry went 16-24 at the helm, and in the past two games, the team has given up 1,017 yards, leading to getting outscored 89-46.
Fans hoped quarterback Kyron Drones could return to his 2023 form, where he threw for 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions. So far, he’s 58-for-103 for 621 yards, throwing four touchdowns with three interceptions and on the ground, he’s added 127 yards in the three games.
Leadership transition underway for Virginia Tech football
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) September 14, 2025
➡️ https://t.co/GK26iQUjN1 pic.twitter.com/CpdZS4VZs0
Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery will become the interim head coach, and fans will have to see if he can get the team back on track. NC State is set to host the Hokies on Sept. 7, but before that, Virginia Tech faces off against Wofford.
Campbell Fighting Camels (0-3)
There isn’t much to say on this matchup, with Campbell being an FCS school. The Fighting Camels battled against East Carolina in week two, losing 56-3. NC State beat East Carolina in week one, 24-17.
Finish.#FightAsONE | #RollHumps 🐪🏈 pic.twitter.com/WdsVHa17bS
— Campbell Football (@GoCamelsFB) September 13, 2025
It’s hard to give a full outlook on how the Wolfpack will match up against Campbell, but if the results the Fighting Camels had against East Carolina are any indication, it should be a fun game for fans in Raleigh.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-2)
In terms of the competition the Fighting Irish have faced, it’s disappointing for fans in South Bend, but facing two top 20 programs in No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami, respectively at the time, isn’t the easiest task for any team.
The offense for Notre Dame seemingly figured it out against the Aggies, with CJ Carr at the helm, totaling 440 yards of offense. The defense is the unit that has struggled this season for Notre Dame, ranking 108th in the country, giving up 413.5 yards a game.
It’s certainly no easy task to march into South Bend and steal a game from the Fighting Irish; it took everything from Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed to upset Notre Dame on the road.
For NC State, everything will need to click to pull off a win in South Bend on Oct. 11, a tall task. The recent slow starts from the Wolfpack may be hard to overcome in an environment like Notre Dame Stadium.
Relive the final-drive MADNESS in South Bend as Texas A&M knocked off Notre Dame in a top-25 showdown! @AggieFootball pic.twitter.com/VVE2wwUnlM
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 14, 2025
Regardless, the overall outlook on this game has shifted slightly with the 0-2 start Notre Dame has sustained to begin the season.
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Daniel Rios graduated from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. His deep passion for sports has taken him to positions at ESPN and Cronkite News. Currently, he serves as the Assistant Beat Writer for the North Carolina State Wolfpack On SI.
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