NC State football to be on national television four times to start year
NC State football fans now know the start times for most of the games in the first month of the season. Four of the five contests will be nationally televised.
That includes the home opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 9, which will be a noon kickoff on ABC. The Fighting Irish will be making its return to Raleigh and just a second overall appearance at Carter-Finley Stadium. In 2016, the two teams played a memorable game of glorified slip-and-slide during the peak effects of Hurricane Matthew. A blocked punt return for a score was the difference in a 10-3 NC State win.
The start time for the season opener against Connecticut on Thursday, Aug. 31 will be a 7:30 kickoff and televised by CBS Sports Network.
The likely lone contest among the first five not to receive a national audience is Sept. 16 against VMI, also in Carter-Finley Stadium. A start time for that game has also not yet been revealed.
On Friday, Sept. 22, NC State will travel to Virginia for the ACC opener for both teams. Kickoff in Charlottesville’s Scott Stadium will be 7:30 p.m., and the game will be seen on ESPN.
That contest will mark the return of former Virginia record-setting quarterback Brennan Armstrong. He transferred to join the NC State football program before spring practices. Former Virginia coaches Robert Anae (offensive coordinator) and Garett Tujague are also now with the Wolfpack.
A week later, NC State returns to Friday night but this time at home at Carter-Finley Stadium. The start against Louisville moves up 30 minutes from the Virginia kickoff to 7:00, but that game will also be seen on ESPN.
This season will mark the first time that the old Atlantic Division rivals will play each other in a division less ACC.
Last year during the regular season, NC State football was on one of ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 five times. Additionally, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl contest against Maryland was also televised by ESPN. The remainder of the games were either seen on RSN (three) or ACC Network (four).
The Wolfpack is looking to build off an 8-5 season in 2022, which included a 4-4 mark in the ACC. NC State football coach Dave Doeren will be entering his 11th season with the Pack, and he is five wins away from both reaching 100 for his career and tying the record for most victories in Wolfpack program history.
