Final Predictions for NC State vs. No. 16 Notre Dame

RALEIGH — Dave Doeren and NC State will have a chance to shock the college football world and upset No. 16 Notre Dame Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Indiana. The Fighting Irish and the Wolfpack enter the game at very different stages of their respective seasons.

Notre Dame fell in its opening two games to a pair of fellow College Football Playoff contenders, Miami and Texas A&M, and is looking to win out to preserve hope for a second straight run to the national championship game. The Wolfpack also suffered a pair of losses, both in conference play, causing some uproar from the fan base after hopes of starting the season with five or six wins.

Doeren and the Pack have a chance to put together a signature win for the 2025 season, but it won't be easy. The Fighting Irish boast one of the nation's best offenses and a young, but growing defense. Can NC State go into Notre Dame Stadium and stun Marcus Freeman and the Irish?

Two-Headed Monster

The Wolfpack defense enters the game with a struggling rush defense. Through the opening six games, NC State allowed opponents to rush for 4.9 yards per carry and 144.8 yards per contest, good for 58th in the nation. The Pack dealt with a number of injuries against Campbell, including middle linebacker Sean Brown. Because it isn't an ACC conference game, Brown's status is still unclear.

The Fighting Irish have one of the best running back duos in the nation, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price both dominating through the first five games. Love and Price combined for 17 total touchdowns and 800 rushing yards in the 3-2 start for Marcus Freeman's squad.

First-year defensive coordinator DJ Eliot and Doeren will likely try to eliminate the run as much as possible and force freshman quarterback CJ Carr to beat the Pack as a passer. Unfortunately for NC State, Carr has seen much better defenses than the Wolfpack in the early stages of the season and performed admirably in those adverse situations. However, if NC State can find a way to create a turnover or two, it could have a shot. The only games Carr turned the ball over resulted in lossed for the Fighting Irish.

Is Bailey Ready?

CJ Bailey proved himself to be one of the better quarterbacks in the ACC through the first half of the season statistically, but he still believes he has another level. He struggled in the second halves, often experiencing a major statistical dip. Even so, he believes the offense is ready to pounce on a fairly young Irish defense.

"We see a lot of man (coverage), a lot of base defense. We're ready to attack them as normal as we'd attack any team. We're ready to get the running game going, ready to get the passing game going. Ready to win it," the sophomore quarterback said.

CJ Bailey was in his bag 🎯

337 yards & 4 TDs in NC State’s 56-10 win over Campbell.@PackFootball | @PackAthletics | #1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/DPxhTBSv7C
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 4, 2025

Bailey's confidence is at an all-time high after he led the Wolfpack down the field for eight straight touchdowns against the lowly Campbell Fighting Camels. In games where the opposing defense included high-level pass rushers (Duke and Virginia Tech), Bailey and the offensive line struggled. The unit didn't give its quarterback enough time to push the ball down the field like he wanted to in the Virginia Tech loss.

Notre Dame has some significant talent on the defensive line, including sophomore edge rusher Boubacar Traore. Back from injury, Traore already has 3.5 sacks on the season and is capable of wrecking the game. He'll be one of the toughest assignments of the season for junior left tackle Jacarrius Peak, who's handled the top-end talent relatively well so far. If Peak collapses, it could be a long afternoon for Bailey.

Final Predictions

Dave Doeren and the Wolfpac — 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

While the Wolfpack offense will likely be able to put some points on the board in Notre Dame Stadium, the defense will struggle against the Irish. NC State held Wake Forest's explosive running back, Demond Claiborne, in check, but has failed to do the same against far less talented players the rest of the season.

The explosive plays that have haunted Eliot's defense through the first six weeks will return, as the diminished unit will be worn down by the Fighting Irish's relentless rushing attack. NC State loses to the Irish 49-28, falling to 4-3 on the season before a bye week.

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