NC State

1-1

ACC · Dave Doeren, year 14 (96-71) · Carter-Finley Stadium · 58,000 · 56,919 avg in 2026

The nationunrankedAP / Coaches
The model#47 CFB ZeitgeistSP+ #73 (-0.7) · FPI #58
The marketVanderbilt by 3at Vanderbilt · our model 44% NC State · a number, not a pick

LastW 73–0 vs Richmond · Fri Sep 11 · Will Wilson 25 pass yds, 1 TD, 62 rush yds

Nextat Vanderbilt · Sat Sep 19 · 12:45 pm ET · FirstBank Stadium · Vanderbilt by 3 · series 1-2 · Game preview

Updated Tue Sep 15 · through week 2

Key stats — 2026 — FBS rank
Points/game
40.5
Pts allowed/game
17.0
Total yards/gm#47 / 138 · 66th pct
451.0
Rush yards/gm#21 / 138 · 85th pct
252.0
Pass yards/gm#95 / 138 · 32nd pct
199.0
Yards allowed/gmT-#35 / 138 · 75th pct
261.5
Rush yds allowed/gm#92 / 138 · 34th pct
146.0
SacksT-#80 / 138 · 33rd pct
3
InterceptionsT-#63 / 115 · 23rd pct
1
3rd-down conv#25 / 138 · 82nd pct
52.2%
All 85 stats
Offense / Defense
Total yards
Team
902451.0/gm7.52/play#47 / 138 · 66th pct#32 / 69 · 54th pct#8 / 17 · 56th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
523261.5/gm4.47/playT-#35 / 138 · 75th pctT-#31 / 69 · 55th pct#6 / 17 · 68th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Rush yards
Team
504252.0/gm4.20/play#21 / 138 · 85th pct#13 / 69 · 82nd pct#2 / 17 · 91st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
292146.0/gm2.50/play#92 / 138 · 34th pct#59 / 69 · 15th pct#13 / 17 · 26th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Rush carries
Team
6934.5/gmT-#84 / 138 · 38th pct#44 / 69 · 37th pct#11 / 17 · 38th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
7939.5/gmT-#109 / 138 · 21st pctT-#63 / 69 · 9th pct#15 / 17 · 15th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Rush TDs
Team
94.5/gmT-#4 / 138 · 96th pctT-#3 / 69 · 95th pct#1 / 17 · 97th pct#12 / 13 · 15th pct
Opp
21.0/gmT-#53 / 138 · 50th pctT-#34 / 69 · 36th pctT-#9 / 17 · 44th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Net pass yards
Team
398199.0/gm3.32/play#95 / 138 · 32nd pct#57 / 69 · 18th pct#13 / 17 · 26th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
231115.5/gm1.97/playT-#7 / 138 · 95th pctT-#6 / 69 · 91st pct#1 / 17 · 97th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Pass attempts
Team
5125.5/gmT-#98 / 138 · 29th pct#56 / 69 · 20th pct#14 / 17 · 21st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
3819.0/gm#6 / 138 · 96th pct#4 / 69 · 95th pct#2 / 17 · 91st pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Completions
Team
3316.5/gmT-#92 / 138 · 32nd pctT-#55 / 69 · 20th pct#14 / 17 · 21st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
178.5/gm#2 / 138 · 99th pct#2 / 69 · 98th pct#1 / 17 · 97th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Pass TDs
Team
21.0/gmT-#94 / 138 · 25th pctT-#54 / 69 · 19th pctT-#11 / 17 · 29th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
21.0/gmT-#45 / 138 · 57th pctT-#29 / 69 · 46th pctT-#6 / 17 · 59th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Passer rating
Team
139.3139.3#67 / 115 · 42nd pct#42 / 59 · 30th pct#7 / 14 · 54th pct#6 / 13 · 62nd pct
Opp
107.9107.9#25 / 91 · 73rd pct#18 / 41 · 57th pct#5 / 10 · 55th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Interceptions thrown
Team
10.5/gmT-#52 / 138 · 49th pctT-#25 / 69 · 53rd pctT-#7 / 17 · 53rd pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
10.5/gmT-#24 / 138 · 64th pctT-#11 / 69 · 64th pctT-#4 / 17 · 53rd pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Sacks (def)
Team
31.5/gmT-#80 / 138 · 33rd pctT-#49 / 69 · 22nd pctT-#10 / 17 · 32nd pct#11 / 11 · 9th pct
Opp
42.0/gmT-#74 / 138 · 37th pctT-#42 / 69 · 30th pctT-#10 / 17 · 35th pct#1 / 11 · 100th pct
Tackles for loss
Team
94.5/gmT-#94 / 138 · 29th pctT-#52 / 69 · 22nd pctT-#9 / 17 · 44th pct#11 / 11 · 9th pct
Opp
94.5/gmT-#55 / 138 · 57th pctT-#36 / 69 · 45th pctT-#8 / 17 · 53rd pct#1 / 11 · 100th pct
First downs
Team
4120.5/gmT-#80 / 138 · 41st pctT-#48 / 69 · 30th pct#12 / 17 · 32nd pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
2512.5/gmT-#20 / 138 · 85th pctT-#18 / 69 · 72nd pct#5 / 17 · 74th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
3rd-down conv
Team
126.0/gmT-#53 / 138 · 59th pctT-#29 / 69 · 54th pctT-#5 / 17 · 59th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
52.5/gmT-#8 / 138 · 93rd pctT-#7 / 69 · 89th pct#2 / 17 · 91st pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
3rd-down att
Team
2311.5/gmT-#91 / 138 · 30th pctT-#43 / 69 · 34th pct#14 / 17 · 21st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
2713.5/gmT-#54 / 138 · 59th pctT-#28 / 69 · 58th pctT-#5 / 17 · 71st pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
4th-down conv
Team
00.0/gmT-#114 / 138 · 9th pctT-#52 / 69 · 13th pctT-#11 / 17 · 21st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
42.0/gmT-#121 / 138 · 9th pctT-#63 / 69 · 7th pctT-#16 / 17 · 6th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
4th-down att
Team
10.5/gmT-#119 / 138 · 9th pctT-#55 / 69 · 14th pctT-#12 / 17 · 21st pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
52.5/gmT-#98 / 138 · 25th pctT-#54 / 69 · 20th pctT-#13 / 17 · 24th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct
Time of possession
Team
59:4029:50/gm#88 / 138 · 37th pct#46 / 69 · 34th pct#10 / 17 · 44th pct#13 / 13 · 8th pct
Opp
60:2030:10/gm#79 / 138 · 43rd pct#46 / 69 · 34th pct#10 / 17 · 44th pct#1 / 13 · 100th pct

FBS rankings · 2026 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs

Player stats — 2026 season
Quarterbacks
Player#GCmp/AttPctYdsY/ATDINTRateZPRQBRAdj ANY/ASack%
+0.47 EPA/play11225 / 4062.53659.111142.465.8
+0.64 EPA/play1028 / 1172.733310127.980.1
Receivers
Player#GRecYdsAvgTDLong
+0.96 EPA/play82612921.5054
+0.85 EPA/play2257114.2032
+1.12 EPA/play19257114.2143

2026 stat leaders · NC State

through 2 games

Raul Aguirre Jr. leads NC State with 21 tackles through 2 games.

1. Raul Aguirre Jr. LB 21 tackles
2. Keenan Jackson WR 129 receiving yards
3. Jayden Scott RB 148 rushing yards
4. CJ Bailey QB 365 passing yards
5. King Mack S 9 tackles
How They Play · 2025

NC State fields a strong explosive, big-play offense behind a leaky, gives up the big play defense.

Offense
79th pct EPA/play
Tempo
92nd pct explosiveness
Defense
33rd pct EPA allowed
Defensive shape
8th pct at limiting explosive plays

Percentile vs all FBS, based on this season's per-game production. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.

The Savant Card · NC State · 2025

NC State reads strongest in explosive plays (top 8%) and epa / play (top 21%); the crux lives in explosive plays allowed, where NC State sits at the 7th percentile.

offense · strengths lead

EPA / play +0.24
79th
Success Rate +0.42
48th
Explosive Plays +1.39
92nd
Rushing EPA +0.15
67th

defense · higher bar = harder to play against

EPA Allowed +0.18
33rd
Success Rate Allowed +0.40
64th
Explosive Plays Allowed +1.39
8th
Passing EPA Allowed +0.27
43rd

hidden math · special situations

Passing EPA +0.34
71st
Rushing EPA Allowed +0.11
38th
Elite · 90+Strong · 70+Average · 40-70Concern · 10-40Bottom · <10
Sources · CFBD tier-2 advanced stats · per-game production · 13 games this season · percentiles vs. up to 136 FBS peers

Home-field advantage · NC State · 2018–present · FBS opponents

NC State is worth +6.7 points more at home than on the road.

Top tenth of FBS, 91st percentile of 133 programs

76% at home, 42% away against FBS opponents since 2018 (37–12 home, 17–23 away). Interval ±3.6.

95% intervalmodel 2.3 · books ~3Weakest home edge in FBSStrongest

Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge — per-team modelling was tested and did not survive scrutiny (why) — and the books use about 3. Against the closing line, NC State has beaten the number by 6.4 points more at home than away over 73 games — outside the ±6.2 that many games can resolve. This is one of the few buildings where the results say something the flat number does not.

Carter-Finley Stadium seats 58,000 and has averaged 98% full (56,820, 28 games reported). Visitors get here easily: a median 253 miles trip since 2018, the 16th-shortest of 135 FBS venues. Whatever the band above is picking up, it isn't the flight. 18% of the 2026 roster (22 of 122 located players) grew up inside 100 miles of the stadium.

Edge = half the gap between average home margin and average road margin, FBS opponents only, non-neutral games since 2018; the interval is 95%. Market line: closing spread, seasons with lines on file. Trip length is straight-line miles from the visiting team's campus to the venue, measured across all 56 home games since 2018.

Home37–12Away17–23Edge+6.7 ±3.6Visitor trip253 mi

More in this tab

Tendency driftHow this coordinator's calls have drifted since arriving.

Season by season

How NC State’s current staff calls plays, year over year

Offense: Kurt Roper (2025–2026)
1st-down pass rate
2025: 39% → 2026: 31% · 7-pt range · #120 of 184 · a typical amount
Red-zone pass rate
2025: 43% → 2026: 8% · 35-pt range · #1 of 182 · more than most
Defense: co-Charlton Warren / D. J. Eliot (2025–2026)
1st-down pass rate
2025: 39% → 2026: 31% · 7-pt range · #143 of 203 · a typical amount
Red-zone pass rate
2025: 43% → 2026: 8% · 35-pt range · #5 of 200 · more than most
RatingsWhere the public rating systems put this team.

Model Consensus

Where the Models Rank NC State

CFB Zeitgeist

#47

+3.5

SP+

#73

-0.7

FPI

#58

+2.4

Elo

#63

1509

The national models put NC State between 58th and 73rd nationally — CFB Zeitgeist is higher on them than any of these models, at 47th.

National rank of 138 FBS teams · 2026 season. SP+/FPI/SRS published; Elo & CFB Zeitgeist ranked by rating.

Comparable teamsPrograms built like this one — tier, prestige band, kind of fanbase, roster size. Not a stat match.

Most similar programs · NC State

Reads like

Matched on how the programs are built — tier, prestige band, kind of fanbase, conference, voice and roster size — not on this season's stats. A calibration, not a prediction.

ConditionsThe weather and altitude visitors have to deal with.
Venue texture

68°F average kickoff temp; 5% of games had measurable precipitation; 6 mph average wind.

Based on 82 home games with weather data.

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