The big picture

North Carolina Tar Heels are 5–4 in College Football (NCAA) 2026, averaging 27.1 points for and 22.8 against.

NC State Wolfpack are 4–5 in College Football (NCAA) 2026, averaging 28.9 points for and 27.6 against.

Form

North Carolina Tar Heels have won three of their last five and most recently beat UConn Huskies 38–21.

NC State Wolfpack have won two of their last five and most recently lost to Duke Blue Devils 3–41.

Head to head

These sides have met 13 times on our records since 2013: North Carolina Tar Heels 4, NC State Wolfpack 9.

Last time out (2025, Week 14), NC State Wolfpack won 42–19 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

NC State Wolfpack have won the last five against North Carolina Tar Heels.

Biggest margin between these two: North Carolina Tar Heels by 31 points in 2019 (41–10).

Players to watch

For North Carolina Tar Heels, watch Cedric Gray (9 def total tackles a game, 1 def sack in 2023) and Kevin Hester Jr. (6 def total tackles a game in 2023).

For NC State Wolfpack, watch Jayland Parker (7 def total tackles a game in 2024) and DK Kaufman (7 def total tackles a game in 2024).

At Kenan Stadium

North Carolina Tar Heels have won 8 of their last 19 at Kenan Stadium.

What the numbers say

On the numbers this is too close to split.