NC State football is set to face an exciting slate of opponents in the 2023 season. This year, the ACC is scrapping divisions, taking old Atlantic division foes off the schedule and adding former Coastal teams that the Pack hasn’t faced in years. The red-and-white will now only have three annual opponents — North Carolina, Clemson and Duke. Additionally, this year’s schedule features several additional regional opponents.

UConn

The Wolfpack will open the season at UConn in a rematch of last season’s 41-10 lopsided victory. When it faced the Huskies last year, the red-and-white found plenty of success through the air, amassing 323 passing yards.

Notre Dame

The schedule ramps up quickly for the Pack when it hosts the Fighting Irish in its home opener. Led by former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman, expectations are high in South Bend, Indiana this year. After winning six of its last seven games in 2022, the Fighting Irish have the potential to be one of the top teams in the country this season. Pulling off the upset will require the Wolfpack to play up to its maximum potential. 

The key matchup to watch will be Notre Dame’s offensive line versus NC State’s defensive line. The Fighting Irish field consistently strong lines, however, Notre Dame is replacing both of its starting guards from last season. Taking advantage of the inexperience in the interior of the line will be critical to the upset.

Virginia Military Institute 

After a tough test, the red-and-white will remain at home for a much easier matchup against VMI. Coming off of a one-win season, the Keydets won’t provide much of a challenge. This game is the perfect opportunity for the Pack to allow younger players to gain valuable in-game experience, especially in the second half. 

Virginia

To start ACC-play, the Pack will make the short trip to Charlottesville, Virginia to take on a rebuilding Cavaliers team. Virginia slumped to a 3-7 finish last season — its worst since 2016. The matchup includes a homecoming for NC State’s graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who started for the Cavaliers throughout the previous three seasons. Given the major talent gap between the two teams, NC State has a strong chance at running the Cavaliers out of their own stadium. 

Louisville

Two of the ACC’s most intriguing squads will match up under the lights at Carter-Finley Stadium in another Friday night showdown. The Cardinals signed a new head coach and 28 transfer players this offseason, injecting plenty of talent into the team. Most notably, with a new quarterback and receivers, the Cardinals offense will look quite different from last season. If the new additions mesh quickly, Louisville could be one of the top squads in the ACC and certainly a tough opponent for the Pack.  

Marshall

In a trap game, the Wolfpack will face off against Marshall, a dangerous foe. Last season, the Thundering Herd pulled off a massive upset over Notre Dame, while also closing the season on a five-game winning streak. Marshall’s strength is its defense, featuring three players named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team.

Duke

Before reaching its bye week, the red-and-white will renew its in-state rivalry with Duke. Despite being picked to finish last in the Coastal division, the Blue Devils stunned many by finishing 9-4 last season. 

Several key players, including quarterback Riley Leonard, are returning and making Duke a dangerous team to face. The Pack matches up well with the Blue Devils and can utilize a strong secondary to slow down Leonard. 

Clemson

In its biggest annual game, the Wolfpack will have a shot at the reigning ACC champions. Clemson’s revamped offense will depend on new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and quarterback Cade Klubnik, who started just one game last year. To aid Riley and Klubnik, one of the nation’s top running backs Will Shipley returns and will be the centerpiece of the offense.

The Clemson defense remains the backbone of the team. Up front, the Tigers have several potential NFL prospects that could overwhelm almost any offensive line. With questions on the interior of the Pack’s offensive line, this could be Clemson’s biggest advantage in the matchup. Winning the game will be tough, but if the red-and-white can pull it off, it would indisputably be its biggest win of the year. 

Miami

The Pack will follow up one big game with another. Despite going 5-7 last season, Miami is one of the more high-profile teams in the ACC. With a fresh start this year, the Hurricanes could be due for a bounce back year. 

Miami’s best player is safety Kam Kinchens, the ACC’s interception leader last season. Kinchens will certainly make it difficult for NC State to move the ball downfield, but the more veteran Wolfpack squad should still have a strong chance at victory. 

Wake Forest

NC State almost always has trouble in Winston-Salem, evidenced by the fact that the Pack has dropped every road game against Wake Forest since 2015. However, the Demon Deacons are replacing quarterback Sam Hartman and lost receiver Donavon Greene for the year to injury. In a year of uncertainty for Wake Forest, the Wolfpack has a prime opportunity to earn a rivalry win.

Virginia Tech

While Virginia Tech is often one of the tougher places to play, the Wolfpack should have no problem disposing of the Hokies this year. Coming off of a 3-8 season, Virginia Tech is in the middle of a long rebuild. 

One notable newcomer is transfer receiver Ali Jennings, a standout player hailing from Old Dominion. Despite this new addition, the talent differential between the Hokies and the Pack is wide and NC State could cruise to victory. 

North Carolina 

To close out the year, NC State will look to extend its winning streak over its biggest rival to three games. While the Tar Heels have the ACC’s preseason player of the year in Drake Maye, the rest of the roster is riddled with uncertainty.

Defensively last season, the Tar Heels were the worst unit in the conference, giving up over 30 points per game. Expect fireworks early and often from both sides; both teams should be able to score easily in a game that could go down to the wire like it did in the previous two matchups.