ACC, ESPN announce 3 more NC State football game times for 2026 campaign

NC State’s offseason workout program is underway and the program is less than 100 days away from opening the season against Virginia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But before the Dave Doeren’s squad reaches that historic game, the Wolfpack found out three more game times Wednesday afternoon.

The ACC, in partnership with ESPN, released a batch of non-conference and select league kickoff times heading into the heart of summer.

NC State, which will have an open date for the traditional Week 1 after returning from the international game, is set to begin its home schedule against FCS foe Richmond on Sept. 11 for a Friday night kickoff at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. The Pack is 18-1-1 against the Spiders in the all-time series between the two programs, which dates back to 1895.

Additionally, the Wolfpack’s lone road non-conference game at Vanderbilt will feature a 12:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. local time kickoff on the SEC Network. This meeting, which is the fourth in program history and first since the 2016 Independence Bowl victory, is the first leg of a home-and-home between the two squads that the Commodores are set to return during the 2028 season.

Rounding out the latest batch of game times is NC State’s first road trip to Stanford in program history. The Cardinal and Wolfpack will square off under the lights in a Friday night showdown at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. local time on Oct. 23 coming off NC State’s second and final open date of the campaign.

NC State’s 2026 schedule

Date	Opponent	S
Aug. 29	vs. Virginia (Rio de Janeiro)	3:30 p.m./ESPN
Sept. 11	vs. Richmond	7 p.m./ESPNU
Sept. 19	at Vanderbilt	12:45 p.m./SECN
Sept. 26	vs. App State	TBD
Oct. 3	vs. Louisville	TBD
Oct. 10	vs. Wake Forest	TBD
Oct. 23	at Stanford	10:45 p.m./ESPN
Oct. 31	vs. Cal	TBD
Nov. 7	vs. Duke	TBD
Nov. 14	vs. Syracuse	TBD
Nov. 21	at Florida State	TBD
Nov. 28	at UNC	TBD