Wake Forest Faces NC State in ACC Week 6 Football Clash

Wake Forest and NC State meet in an ACC football matchup on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, with both teams seeking conference momentum. The Demon Deacons enter at 4-1 while the Wolfpack are 3-2 after recent offensive surges.

The game kicked off at 12:00 p.m. ET and was televised on The CW, according to Goal. Wake Forest arrived after a 57-3 victory over Stanford, while NC State entered following a 31-28 win over Louisville.

According to Goal, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey produced a career-high 373 passing yards and two touchdowns against Louisville. The Wolfpack also received 92 receiving yards from JoJo Trader, 69 rushing yards from Davion Gause, and a decisive fourth-quarter field goal from Kanoah Vinesett.

247sports.com reported that NC State had won three home games this season and was attempting to extend its strong record at Carter-Finley Stadium. The outlet also noted injuries affecting the Wolfpack, including the absence of running back Duke Scott and offensive lineman Spike Sowells for the season.

Wake Forest's offense has been led by quarterback Gio Lopez, a UNC transfer who has emerged as one of the ACC's top performers, according to 247sports.com. The quarterback has helped the Demon Deacons average 36.6 points per game, while Goal reported he accounted for five touchdowns against Stanford.

According to Goal, Lopez completed 20 of 27 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns against Stanford while adding 88 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Wake Forest's only loss this season came against Miami, with victories also recorded against Louisville and Purdue.

247sports.com reported that Wake Forest wide receiver Carlos Hernandez has been a major contributor, while the team has also relied on running backs Ty Clark III and Deuce Lawrence. The Demon Deacons entered the game with an offense averaging 42 points per game in three wins over power-conference opponents, according to sports.yahoo.com.

Sports.yahoo.com reported that NC State's offense had averaged 44 points per game since its season-opening loss to Virginia. The outlet also highlighted Bailey's 10 total touchdowns and the Wolfpack passing attack's strength against a Wake Forest defense that had struggled against the pass.

The matchup was expected to feature two productive offenses. Sports.yahoo.com reported that four consecutive NC State games had reached at least 59 points, while all five Wake Forest games had produced totals in the 50s or higher.