<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NC State</a> will kick off its week 3 showdown with VMI at 2 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon. The Wolfpack is looking to get back into the win column after dropping its home opener to Notre Dame. 



Coming into the matchup, both teams are 1-1, and NC State is favored by 40.5 points. 



A couple of quick injury notes:



*** Wolfpack safety <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jakeen-harris-53978/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jakeen Harris</a> is out for the season due to a torn pectoral muscle. <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/sean-brown-105344/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sean Brown</a> or <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/bishop-fitzgerald-162593/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bishop Fitzgerald</a> will start in his place, but both will likely play a lot. 



*** Safety <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/rakeim-ashford-98072/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rakeim Ashford</a> is day-to-day and, if he does not play this week, is on track to play against UVA week 4. 



Stay tuned for pregame updates in the two hours leading up to kickoff. 



<h2 id="h-nc-state-football-s-pregame-update-blog-vmi">NC State football’s pregame update blog: VMI</h2>



1:39 



The Wolfpack just wrapped up pregame warmups. Based on the stadium clock, it looks like the game will kick off around 2:05 p.m..



1:32



UPDATE: Ashford will not play against VMI. It also sounds like White, who was banged up during the week, will not suit up Saturday.. 



1:28



Aydan White and Rakeim Ashford are not warming up with the rest of the defensive backs right now. With White potentially out, that would mean freshman Brandon Cisse or junior college transfer Rente Hinton would likely start. 



1:06



NC State’s specialists just took the field. The Carter-Finley Stadium student section is about half full, and the recruits have arrived on the field. 



Some of the recruits who are here today:



*** Four-star ’26 athlete <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/kendre-harrison-156450/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kendre Harrison</a> 



*** Three-star tight end commit <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/gus-ritchey-150935/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gus Ritchey</a>



*** Three-star safety commit <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/brody-barnhardt-15179/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brody Barnhardt</a>



*** ’26 linebacker  <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/anthony-davis-153292/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthony Davis</a>



*** ’26 wide receiver <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/jordon-gidron-164343/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jordan Gidron</a>



*** Three-star ’25 linebacker <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/justin-rowe-178087/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Justin Rowe</a>



*** ’25 running back <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/devon-thomas-175318/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">De’Von Thomas</a>



12:40 



The Pack, other than the specialists, is headed back into the locker room. Kicker <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/brayden-narveson-13555/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brayden Narveson</a> is practicing 50-yard field goals and just hit one with plenty of distance to spare.



12:32



The Wolfpack’s students are starting to arrive. Today’s game is a sell out. 



12:15



NC State has arrived for initial pregame warmups. A couple of the first players on the field— wide receiver <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/bradley-rozner-11805/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bradly Rozner</a> and safety <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/bishop-fitzgerald-162593/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bishop Fitzgerald</a>. 



12:10



TheWolfpacker.com has arrived at Carter-Finley Stadium.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">📍 Carter-Finley Stadium Checking in for today’s 2pm kickoff between NC State and VMI. Both teams are 1-1 going into the contest. The Wolfpack is favored by more than 40 points. <a href="https://t.co/aT237gEo7q">pic.twitter.com/aT237gEo7q</a>— Ethan McDowell (@ethanmmcdowell) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethanmmcdowell/status/1703078447772270738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Earlier this week



Here’s some pregame reading before the Pack kicks off Saturday. 



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/pack-priorities-nc-states-keys-to-game-vmi/">Pack priorities: NC State’s keys to the game vs. VMI</a>



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/nc-state-football-scouting-report-vmi/">NC State football scouting report: VMI</a>



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/nc-state-football-game-predictions-vmi/">NC State football game predictions: VMI</a>



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/howard-turner-nc-state-vmi/">Tim Peeler: Multi-sport athlete ‘Touchdown’ Turner starred the last time the Pack played VMI</a>



<a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/the-wolfpacker-show-nc-state-vmi/">The Wolfpacker Show: NC State vs. VMI preview</a>

Payton Wilson

The Wolfpacker Football

The Wolfpacker

NC State vs. VMI live pregame update blog

team image

Atlantic Coast Conference

NC State

Organization Logo

The Wolves’ Den

News

Lobby

The State of Basketball

Forums

News Feed

Roster

Schedule

Transfer Portal Ranking

Transfer Portal

NC State Draft History

[site-team] Draft History

Football

Search

Commitments

Transfers

Team Rankings

Player Rankings

Industry Comparison

Offers

Visits

Recruiting Prediction Machine

FB Recruiting

Basketball

BB Recruiting

About

Staff

The Wolfpacker On3+ Subscription

[site-name] On3+ Subscription

Contact

Podcasts and Shows

Team Store

Women's Basketball

Softball

Baseball

Message Boards

Transfer Portal {{ hot }}

Transfer Portal Player Rankings

MegaBoard

Rivals300

Alabama

Arizona State

Arizona

Arkansas

Auburn

Baylor

Boston College

California

Removed

Clemson

Colorado

Duke

Florida

Florida State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Kentucky

Lettermen Row

Lettermen Lounge

Louisville

Maryland

Miami

Michigan State

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi State

Missouri

Nebraska

North Carolina

Northwestern

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Ole Miss

The Main Board

Oregon

Oregon State

Penn State

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Rutgers

South Carolina

Stanford

Syracuse

Tennessee

Texas A&M

Texas

Texas Tech

UCLA

Utah

Vanderbilt

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Washington

Washington State

West Virginia

Wisconsin

BamaOnLine

BOL Round Table

Inside Texas

IT Members Only

DawgsHQ

Dawg Walk

Scoop Duck

Recruiting & Sports

AuburnSports

The Corner

WeAreSC

GarryP's Trojan Huddle

The Wolverine

The Fort

The Lions Den

GatorsOnline

Swamp Talk

Alabama A&M

Alabama State

Albany

Alcorn State

Abilene Christian

Appalachian State

Akron

Army

Austin Peay

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas-Little Rock

Arkansas State

Air Force

Ball State

American

Wofford

Winthrop

Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Wisconsin-Green Bay

Wichita State

Western Carolina

Volleyball

Gymnastics

Men's Lacrosse

Women's Lacrosse

Men's Soccer

Women's Soccer

Women's Track

Men's Golf

Women's Golf

Men's Hockey

Women's Hockey

Men's Swimming

Women's Swimming

Wrestling

Men's Tennis

Women's Tennis

Annual $1

Annual Premium

Annual $1 

Monthly

Annual

Unlimited Access to This and All Articles.

Article (On3 Plus Rivals)

Forum (On3 Plus Rivals)

Intro

Join

College scoop, experts, and community - all in one.

Winback

The latest on Pack's portal pursuit

Intel

How Jimmy V's influence helped Terry Gannon

'Why not?'

Bailey among best in CFB going into '26

Top 100

What Wade is looking for from team at Pitt

Extra gear

Projecting the Pack's two-deep

Depth chart: offense

Top transfer commits

Jordan Seaton

Goes scorched earth on Ole Miss

Dabo Swinney

New details emerge

Bediako ruling

Expected to stay at 12 teams

College Football Playoff

Texas announces surgery for QB

Arch Manning health