Dave Doeren Shares the Formula for an NC State Upset at Notre Dame

RALEIGH — Staring at a big '16' next to Notre Dame's name could've easily intimidated the NC State Wolfpack throughout the week before the matchup. The Fighting Irish bounced back from a 0-2 start after losses to Miami and Texas A&M with three straight wins and look the part of a College Football Playoff contender.

Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren has been on the right and wrong side of upsets many times, including NC State's loss to Virginia Tech just three weeks ago. While his players expressed general confidence in their ability to overcome the adversity Notre Dame presents, Doeren provided more of a formula for what could be a shocking upset.

Doeren's Plan of Attack

After Thursday's practice, the coach stood in front of a group of media members with an air of calm around him. Without giving anything major away, Doeren shared the bullet points for what needs to happen if his Wolfpack is going to stun the Fighting Irish.

"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," Doeren said. "And then when you get to them, you've got to tackle these guys and wrap up. I mean, they're going to run through people. That's what good backs do."

As he indicated, Notre Dame's two-headed rushing attack of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price is the key to winning the football game for the Wolfpack. NC State will likely try to turn freshman quarterback CJ Carr into a passer as much as possible. Carr has proven to be more capable than some might've expected heading into the season.

The Turnover Margin

Kenny Soares Jr. and Tra Thoma — Oct 4, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack defensive end Tra Thomas (4) and linebacker Jr. Kenny Soares (33) celebrate a tackle during the first half of the game against Campbell Fighting Camels at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Winning the turnover margin is important for any team in any game, but underdogs looking to stun a home crowd can completely take over a game with timely turnovers. Doeren knows this and believes it's only a matter of time before his defense starts making more plays on the ball in 2025.

"First thing I put on the board is we're undefeated with a winning turnover margin. For a long time, like, a long time. It's been a lot of football games where that's a true statement. It's over 95% of the games I've coached since I've been here," Doeren said.

Entering the Notre Dame matchup, the Wolfpack has intercepted opposing quarterbacks just three times, two of which came in the Wake Forest win. NC State sits at minus-four in the turnover margin, while Notre Dame is plus-five. Carr threw two interceptions early in the season but has been more than reliable since. Doeren and defensive coordinator DJ Eliot will have to scheme up some ways to force the freshman quarterback into mistakes if NC State wants a chance to walk out of Notre Dame Stadium with a ranked win.

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