North Carolina State Wolfpack Football
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The NC State Wolfpack football team represents
North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
in the sport of
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
. The Wolfpack competes in the
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
(FBS) of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
(ACC). Prior to joining the ACC in 1953, the Wolfpack were a member of the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...
. As a founding member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won seven conference championships and participated in 31 bowl games, of which the team has won 17, including eight of their last 11. NC State is coached by
Dave Doeren David William Doeren (born December 3, 1971) is an American football coach who is currently the head football coach at North Carolina State University, a position he has held since the 2013 season. Doeren previously served as the head football ...
. Since 1966, the Wolfpack has played its home games at
Carter–Finley Stadium Wayne Day Family Field at Carter–Finley Stadium is home to the NC State Wolfpack football team. It was opened in 1966 and has grown to a seating capacity of 56,919 seats. History As early as the 1950s, State was looking to replace its on-camp ...
, the largest college football stadium in North Carolina. On September 16, 2010, NC State restored the tradition of having a live mascot on the field. A wolf-like
Tamaskan Dog __NOTOC__ The Northern Inuit Dog, along with its offshoot breed lines the Tamaskan dog, the British Timber dog and the Utonagan, is a breed of dog developed from a 1980s breeding project in the United Kingdom with the objective of producing a dog ...
named “Tuffy” was on the sidelines for the Cincinnati game that day in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
and Tuffy has not missed a Wolfpack football game in Carter–Finley Stadium since.


History


Early history (1892–1971)

NC State (then known as The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts) played its first football game against a team from the
Raleigh Male Academy Raleigh Academy, also Raleigh Male Academy for a period after the American Civil War, was a prominent school in Raleigh, North Carolina that lasted about 80 years until a governor's mansion (North Carolina Executive Mansion) took over its site. It ...
on March 12, 1892, in what is now
Pullen Park Pullen Park is a public park immediately west of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is located on Ashe Avenue and is adjacent to the Main and Centennial campuses of North Carolina State University, covering an area between Western Boulevard and ...
. The team's first head coach was
Perrin Busbee Perrin Busbee (February 10, 1872 – January 9, 1935) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now North Carolina State University, in 1892 again ...
, who led the team during that game. The Aggies, whose colors were blue and pink, won 12–6 in front of more than 200 spectators. The following year, the school played its first intercollegiate game: a 12–6 victory over
Tennessee College Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...
. The program's long-standing rivalry with nearby
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
began on October 12, 1894, with a 44–0 UNC victory in
Chapel Hill Chapel Hill or Chapelhill may refer to: Places Antarctica * Chapel Hill (Antarctica) Australia *Chapel Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane *Chapel Hill, South Australia, in the Mount Barker council area Canada * Chapel Hill, Ottawa, a neighbo ...
. Eight days later, the team (then called the Farmers) lost again to UNC, 16–0 in Raleigh. In 1895, under third-year coach
Bart Gatling Bartholomew Moore Gatling (April 12, 1871 – August 2, 1950) was an American college football coach and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts—now known as North Carolina State U ...
, the team finished 2–2–1 and wore red and white uniforms for the first time. Over the next five seasons the program continued to try to establish itself, achieving only one winning season during the period. The football team has also only had scholarship football players since 1933, prior to that all Wolfpack athletics consisted entirely of non-scholarship student athletes. In 1906, in a game against Randolph-Macon in Raleigh, the Farmers attempted their first
forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
, a play that had only recently become legal and at the time was still considered a "trick" play. The following season was the program's most successful yet. Under coach
Mickey Whitehurst Milton Morris "Mickey" Whitehurst (August 20, 1873 – December 1953) was an American sportsman. As a wrestler, he competed in the men's freestyle bantamweight at the 1904 Summer Olympics. Whitehurst played ice hockey for the University of Mary ...
, A&M won the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship with a 6–0–1 record. That season, the program also recorded its first ever victory over
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. The Farmers played their home games that season on campus at the New Athletic Park, which would later be known as
Riddick Stadium Riddick Stadium (opened 1907, closed 1965) was a college football stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, and home to the North Carolina State University Wolfpack football team. When the stadium was first opened, it was referred to as New Athletic Par ...
.2010 NC State Wolfpack Media Guide In addition to Pullen Park, the state fairgrounds had hosted some games prior to the opening of the new stadium. The team won a second South Atlantic championship in 1910 under coach Edward Green, finishing with a record of 4–0–2. A win over
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
in Norfolk that season was dubbed the "biggest game ever played in the South". Coach Green led team to a third conference championship in 1913, with a record of 6–1. The 1918 season, which was the school's first season with the name North Carolina State University, was cut short due to the United States' entrance into World War I and a severe flu outbreak on campus. The team's roster was depleted, its schedule reduced to four games, and practice was suspended for five weeks in October and November. A week after practice resumed, State College, as the school was then called, led by coach Tal Stafford, was defeated 128–0 by
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
in Atlanta. Tackle
John Ripple John Hollis "Gus" Ripple (October 25, 1897 – July 27, 1965) was a college football player. North Carolina A&M Ripple was a prominent tackle for the NC State Wolfpack of North Carolina A&M. One writer ranks Ripple as the fifth greatest pl ...
was named the program's first All-American. The following season, on October 23, the Farmers resumed play with North Carolina after a 14-year hiatus. The Tar Heels won the game 13–12 in Raleigh. It wasn't until 1920 that A&M defeated the rival Tar Heels for the first time. In 1921 State College began wearing red sweaters and were referred to by the local media as the Wolfpack. The program, led by coach
Harry Hartsell Harry Hartsell (June 29, 1890 – February 14, 1955) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at North Carolina State University—renamed from ...
at the time, joined the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...
that year and would win the conference title six seasons later under coach
Gus Tebell Gustave Kenneth Tebell (September 6, 1897 – May 28, 1969) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. From 1925 to 1929, he coached football at North Carolina State University, where h ...
, finishing the year with a 9–1 record. Running back
Jack McDowall John Witherspoon McDowall (June 26, 1905 – May 25, 1969), known as "Spindle Legs", was an American football, baseball, basketball player and track athlete at North Carolina State University. McDowall was recognized as an All-Southern footb ...
was the team's star player that year. The 1930 season saw the installation of field lighting at Riddick Stadium, as the Wolfpack defeated
High Point University High Point University is a private university in High Point, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university was founded as High Point College in 1924, and it became High Point University in October 1991. HPU of ...
, 37–0, in the team's first ever night game. Williams Newton took over as State's head coach in 1937, and under his tutelage the team compiled a record of 24–39–6. Under Newton, State employed a ground-oriented, hard nose attack that put pressure on the opposing interior linemen. Recruitment became difficult during at least part of his tenure as head coach due to the fact that World War II necessitated that eligible males over 18 be inducted into the U.S. military. Newton left NC State after seven seasons to accept the head football coach position at
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. In 1944, State hired former
Appalachian State Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a public university in Boone, North Carolina. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dough ...
head coach Beattie Feathers as the Wolfpack head football coach. Feathers, a former star at
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and the first NFL running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, compiled a 37–38–8 record in eight seasons, the program's most successful coaching tenure yet. In Feathers' second season, Wolfpack defensive player Howard "Touchdown" Turner returned an interception 105 yards against
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
, a record that still stands as the longest play in Wolfpack history. The 1946 season began with wins over Duke and Clemson, earning the program their first appearance in the UPI poll (19th). The next year, NC State reached their first ever bowl game, the second annual
Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
. The team lost to
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, 34–13, and finished the season at 8–3, the highest win total since finishing 9–1 in 1927. 1947 saw the Wolfpack finish 5–3–1. That season was followed by a 3–6–1 campaign in 1948, a 3–7 mark in 1949 and a 5–4–1 record in 1950. The Wolfpack's first ever nationally televised game was played in 1950. State defeated eighth-ranked
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
16–13 in College Park. The game aired on the now-defunct
Dumont Television Network The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being ...
. After a 3–7 campaign in 1951, Feathers was relieved of his duties as head coach. Horace Hendrickson was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Feathers' departure. Under Hendrickson's tutelage, the Wolfpack struggled, compiling a record of 4–16. Hendrickson was fired after two seasons due to the team's struggles. NC State joined the newly formed
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
in 1953 as a charter member, leaving the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...
after 29 years of membership. The team, which had finished 3–7 in 1952, finished 1–9 that year under head coach Hendrickson.
Earle Edwards Earle Edwards (November 10, 1908 – February 25, 1997) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at North Carolina State University from 1954 to 1970, compiling a record of 77–88–8. Edwards is the longes ...
was hired as the team's head coach before the 1954 season. Edwards had previously been an assistant at
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
under
Biggie Munn Clarence Lester "Biggie" Munn (September 11, 1908 – March 18, 1975) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was the head football coach at Albright College (1935–1936), Syracuse University (1946), and mo ...
and at
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campu ...
under Bob Higgins. Edwards' teams compiled a record of 77–88–8. Edwards is the longest tenured coach in NC State Wolfpack football history and holds the program records for games coached, wins, and losses. His teams won five
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
titles and made two
Liberty Bowl The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
appearances. Four times he was named the ACC Coach of the Year. Edwards produced eight All-Americans:
Dick Christy Richard Joseph Christy (November 24, 1935 – July 8, 1966) was a collegiate and professional football player. At St. James High School, Christy was twice named 1st Team All-Scholastic by the Philadelphia Bulletin (1952 & 1953). He also led S ...
, halfback (1957),
Roman Gabriel Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. (born August 5, 1940) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for eleven seaso ...
, quarterback (1960, 1961), Don Montgomery, defensive end (1963),
Dennis Byrd Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was an American football defensive end and defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ...
, defensive tackle (1966, 1967), Fred Combs, defensive back (1967), Gerald Warren, kicker (1967), Ron Carpenter, defensive tackle (1968), and Cary Metts, center, (1968). Though Edwards' tenure wasn't overly successful from a record standpoint, it was the most successful tenure of any head coach to that point and laid the foundation for future successes to occur. Edwards retired after seventeen seasons as the Wolfpack's head football coach. After Edwards' retirement, State promoted
Al Michaels Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944) is an American television sportscaster currently working as the play-by-play announcer for ''Thursday Night Football'' on Prime Video and in an emeritus role for NBC Sports. He has worked on netwo ...
from assistant coach to head coach. Things didn't pan out for Michaels, as the Wolfpack compiled a 3–8 record in his only year as head coach. Michaels was fired after just one season.


Lou Holtz era (1972–1975)

In 1972, State hired
Lou Holtz Louis Leo Holtz (born January 6, 1937) is an American former football player, coach, and analyst. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1969–1971), North Carolina State University (1972–1975), the New York ...
away from William & Mary as head coach. Holtz had a 33–12–3 record in four seasons at NC State. His Wolfpack teams played in four bowl games, going 2–1–1. Holtz's 1972 team finished 8–3–1, won the
Peach Bowl The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially re ...
over
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
and finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final AP poll. Holtz's 1973 team finished 9–3, won the
Liberty Bowl The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
and finished the season ranked No. 16 in the final AP poll. The 1974 team finished 9–2–1, tied
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
in the
Bluebonnet Bowl The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 ...
and finished the season ranked No. 9 in the Coaches' poll and No. 11 in the AP poll. Holtz departed the Wolfpack after four seasons to become head coach of the NFL's
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
.


Bo Rein era (1976–1979)

When Holtz moved on,
Bo Rein Robert Edward "Bo" Rein (July 20, 1945 – January 10, 1980) was an American football and baseball player and football coach. He was a two-sport athlete at Ohio State University and served as the head football coach at North Carolina State Univ ...
, the offensive coordinator at
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, became the youngest college football head coach upon his hiring by North Carolina State. Guiding the Wolfpack football team, Rein was an advocate of the coaching philosophy of
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
's
Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946–1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949–1950), and Ohio State University (1951 ...
for whom Rein played. During Rein's four years at NC State, he led the team to two bowl games, defeating Iowa State in the 1977
Peach Bowl The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially re ...
and defeating the
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in the 1978 Tangerine Bowl. In Rein's final year at NC State, his team won the Wolfpack's last ACC title to date. Despite winning the conference title, the Wolfpack were not invited to a bowl–as of the end of the 2019 season, the last bowl-eligible conference champion from a power conference to not take part in a bowl game. Among Rein's top players at NC State were
Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named an All-Ame ...
winner
Jim Ritcher James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North ...
, a
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
for the Wolfpack who later started at
guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...
on four
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
teams with the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
, and
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
Bill Cowher William Laird Cowher (born May 8, 1957) is an American sports analyst, former football player and coach. Following a six-year playing career as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL), he served as a head coach in the NFL for 15 se ...
, who later served as head coach of the NFL's
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
for 15 seasons and won
Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion f ...
. Following the 1979 season, Rein resigned as head football coach at State to accept the same position at
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
, but Rein died in a plane crash before ever coaching a game for the Tigers. Following every season, the NC State football team awards the "Bo Rein Award" to a player that makes a vital contribution in an unsung role.


Monte Kiffin era (1980–1982)

After Rein's departure, NC State hired
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, father of Ole Miss and former Florida Atlantic,
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and
USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...
head coach
Lane Kiffin Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin formerly was the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the Nati ...
, as head coach. Kiffin served three seasons at State and his teams compiled a 16–17 record. Kiffin's defensive coordinator during his three seasons at NCSU was
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
. Kiffin decided to leave NCSU after three seasons to pursue coaching opportunities in the NFL.


Tom Reed era (1983–1985)

Tom Reed Thomas or Tom Reed may refer to: Politicians and military * Thomas Buck Reed (1787–1829), senator from Mississippi * Thomas Reed (British Army officer) (1796–1883), British general * Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902), Speaker of the House of ...
was hired away from Miami (OH) to take over as head coach of the Wolfpack after Kiffin's departure. State struggled under Reed's leadership, posting three consecutive 3–8 yearly records en route to a 9–24 overall mark. Under mounting pressure from fans, alumni and the school administration, Reed resigned after the 1985 season.


Dick Sheridan era (1986–1992)

State chose
Dick Sheridan Dick Sheridan (born August 9, 1941) is a former American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Furman University from 1978 to 1985 and North Carolina State University from 1986 to 1992, compi ...
, head coach at Furman, to take over as head coach of the Wolfpack football program in late 1986. Under the tutelage of coach Sheridan, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 52–29–3. State made six bowl appearances (two wins) and finished ranked in either the AP or Coaches poll three times. Sheridan retired unexpectedly after seven seasons, citing health concerns and emotional issues.


Mike O'Cain era (1993–1999)

Mike O'Cain Mike O'Cain (born July 20, 1954) is an American football coach and former player. He was formerly the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the East Tennessee State University football team. He was the former offensive coordinator for ...
was promoted from quarterbacks coach to head coach after Sheridan's retirement. Under O'Cain, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 41–40. O'Cain's seven-year tenure saw three bowl appearances, including a win in the 1994
Peach Bowl The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially re ...
. The latter part of O'Cain's tenure saw mostly mediocre teams. His 1995 and 1996 teams finished with 3–8 records, and although the Wolfpack improved to finish 6–5, 7–5 and 6–6 the next three years, he went 0–7 against archrival
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. NCSU fired O'Cain after the 1999 season.


Chuck Amato era (2000–2006)

In 2000, longtime college football assistant and NCSU alum
Chuck Amato Charles Michael Amato (born June 26, 1946) is a former American football coach and former player. He was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Akron Zips football team. He served as the head football at North Carolina State Universi ...
was hired as State's head football coach. Although Amato had no head coaching or coordinating experience, NCSU felt that Amato's 18-year tenure as defensive line coach under
Bobby Bowden Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
at
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
, winning two national championships, would help boost recruiting, ticket sales, and program prestige. Amato accumulated an overall record of 49–37, including a record of 34–17 during the four-year period from 2000 through 2003 while
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
was the Wolfpack's starting quarterback. Amato's most successful season was in 2002 when the Wolfpack won a school-record 11 games and defeated Notre Dame in the
Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
. That team finished ranked No. 12 in the AP poll, their highest final ranking in 29 years. Amato's tenure in Raleigh crested after Rivers graduated and left for the NFL. The Wolfpack finished 5–6 in 2004, 7–5 in 2005, and 3–9 in 2006. On November 26, 2006, Amato was fired by NC State athletics director Lee Fowler after a seven–game losing streak capped off the 2006 season. Noted losses include an upset by
Akron Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
, a third straight loss to archrival
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, and a loss at home to
East Carolina East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its orig ...
. Highlights of the 2006 season include wins against
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
and
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
. In a statement, Fowler acknowledged Amato's "excitement and enthusiasm." He continued, "This enthusiasm fueled an $87 million renovation to
Carter–Finley Stadium Wayne Day Family Field at Carter–Finley Stadium is home to the NC State Wolfpack football team. It was opened in 1966 and has grown to a seating capacity of 56,919 seats. History As early as the 1950s, State was looking to replace its on-camp ...
." Nonetheless, mediocre 2005 and 2006 seasons led to the decision "to take the program in a new direction." Even with Rivers as quarterback, Amato's teams never won more than five games in conference play, and actually finished six games under .500 in ACC play.


Tom O'Brien era (2007–2012)

Tom O'Brien was hired away from
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
and named NCSU head football coach in December 2006. He inherited a team that had gone 3–9 and lost its last seven games. In his first year, after opening the season 1–5, his team pulled together and won four straight games, including a win over 18th-ranked
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and tough road wins at
East Carolina East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its orig ...
and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. Despite the slow start, his first Wolfpack squad went into the season finale with a bowl bid on the line. The 2008 season will go down as one of the best of O'Brien's tenure, as the Wolfpack became the first in
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
history to start the season 0–4 in league play and finish 4–0, with an overall record of 6–7. The bid to the Papajohns.com Bowl marked the ninth bowl invitation in the past 10 years for O'Brien. His freshman quarterback,
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
, who would go on to become a
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
winning quarterback for the NFL's
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
, became the first rookie in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference to be named first-team all-conference at his position and it marked the sixth time in his 19 years in the league that a quarterback under O'Brien's tutelage was named the All-ACC signal caller. In 2009, the Wolfpack posted wins over
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
of the
Big East The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
and a third-straight win over
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, but was decimated by injuries and finished the season 5–7. After being picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division in the preseason in 2010, the Wolfpack finished with a record of 9–4 and tied for second in the ACC, was one game away from playing for an ACC title and was the third league team picked in the bowl selections. O'Brien's squad was the first Wolfpack team to garner nine wins since 2003 posted State's first winning season in five years. With the
Champs Sports Bowl The Pop-Tarts Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at Camping World Stadium. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Citrus Bowl and the Florida Classi ...
victory over
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
, the 2010 squad tied the second highest win total in school history while finishing 9–4. In 2011, led by future
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
starting quarterback
Mike Glennon Michael Joseph Glennon (born December 12, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at NC State and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also pl ...
, the Wolfpack had an 8–5 record. On November 25, 2012, O'Brien received notice from NC State that he had been dismissed effective immediately despite navigating the team to a 7–5 regular-season record. Athletic director Debbie Yow cited several reasons. She was concerned over lagging season-ticket sales, as well as his approach to recruiting. O'Brien's recruiting classes were frequently in the bottom half of the nation, and Yow wanted a coach who could bring top 25-type talent to Raleigh. NCSU was obligated to pay $1.2 million of non-state funds to O'Brien, as his contract ran through the 2015 season. However, NCSU ended up only having to pay O'Brien $200,000 after the buyout was renegotiated so he could become an assistant at
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.


Dave Doeren era (2013–present)

On December 1, 2012, Debbie Yow announced that
Northern Illinois Northern Illinois is a region generally covering the northern third of the U.S. state of Illinois. The region is by far the most populous of Illinois with nearly 9.7 million residents as of 2010. Economics Northern Illinois is dominated by t ...
head coach
Dave Doeren David William Doeren (born December 3, 1971) is an American football coach who is currently the head football coach at North Carolina State University, a position he has held since the 2013 season. Doeren previously served as the head football ...
would be the new head coach of the Wolfpack. His initial signed contract paid $1.8 million annually. In Doeren's first season at the helm, the Wolfpack compiled a record of 3–9 and failed to win an ACC game. In his second season, they improved to 8–5 (one of the fastest turnarounds in school history), and won the 2014 St. Petersburg Bowl. They also posted a decisive 35–7 win against archrival
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Doeren accomplished all this with the 3rd youngest team in the nation. The next year, Doeren's team finished 7–6, losing the 2015 Belk Bowl. The team was led by quarterback
Jacoby Brissett Jacoby Jajuan Brissett (born December 11, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Following a college football stint with Florida, he played at NC State and was selected in the t ...
, who was eventually selected by the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the
2016 NFL Draft The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft beg ...
. For the 2016 season, the Wolfpack again finished 7–6. NC State began the season with a victory over William & Mary. After losing the following week to
East Carolina East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its orig ...
, State won three straight, defeating
Old Dominion Old Dominion most commonly refers to: *The Old Dominion, a nickname for the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia ** Colony of Virginia *Old Dominion University, a public university in Norfolk, Virginia **Old Dominion Monarchs, the athletic teams represe ...
, Wake Forest and Notre Dame (in a game infamously played during
Hurricane Matthew Hurricane Matthew was an extremely powerful Atlantic hurricane which caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, as well as widespread devastation in the southeastern United States. The deadliest Atlantic hurricane sinc ...
). NC State would then lose four games in a row, first in a heartbreaker against No. 3 Clemson, then to No. 7
Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...
, and finally to
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
and No. 19
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
. The Wolfpack would close the season with a win over Syracuse Orange football, Syracuse, a loss to
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, a victory in the regular season finale against archrival
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
and a win over Vanderbilt Commodores football, Vanderbilt in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. On Thursday, October 5, 2017, at 8:00 pm, NC State played Louisville where quarterbacks Ryan Finley (NCSU) and Lamar Jackson (LOU) faced off in front of a national TV audience on ESPN, ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime. Ryan Finley threw the football for 367 yards and Lamar Jackson threw the football for 354 yards. NC State won its first ACC divisional match-up against Louisville, with a final score of 39–25. On February 24, 2022, Doeren and NC State agreed to terms on a raise and contract extension that would keep the coach in Raleigh through 2026.


Conference affiliations

NC State has been both independent and affiliated with multiple conferences. * Independent (1892–1897) * Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1898–1906) * South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1907–1921) *
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...
(1922–1952) *
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
(1953–present)


Championships


Conference championships

NC State has won 11 conference championships in three different conferences. † Co-champion
‡ On-field record was 4–3, but adjusted to 5–2 due to South Carolina's use of an ineligible player, resulting in an ACC co-championship


Head coaches

There have been 33 head coaches at NC State.


Bowl games

NC State has participated in 35 bowl games as of the conclusion of the 2022 season.


Final poll rankings

NC State rankings in final AP and Coaches polls.


Facilities


Riddick Stadium

From 1891 until 1907, the school's first teams played on the open fields that surrounded campus, either at Pullen Park, at the old North Carolina State Fairgrounds or on the farm tracts on the "other" side of the railroad tracks. In 1907, faculty members, alumni and students began collecting money to enclose a large tract of land behind the Main Building that would become the home of the football and baseball teams. The Aggies played their first game there against Randolph Macon, recording a 20–0 win. Wooden grandstands slowly rose on the site, and it was named Riddick Stadium, Riddick Field in 1912, after popular professor W.C. Riddick, who is remembered as the father of athletics at the school. The stadium did not age gracefully. At its height, it only had 14,000 permanent seats and never held more than 23,000 seats total.


Carter–Finley Stadium

Although Riddick Stadium was considered obsolete as early as the 1950s, it wasn't until 1966 that Riddick was replaced with a much more modern stadium. It was named Carter Stadium in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. In 1979, it became
Carter–Finley Stadium Wayne Day Family Field at Carter–Finley Stadium is home to the NC State Wolfpack football team. It was opened in 1966 and has grown to a seating capacity of 56,919 seats. History As early as the 1950s, State was looking to replace its on-camp ...
, named after Albert E. Finley, another major philanthropist and contributor to the university. The stadium's seating capacity is 56,919. Carter-Finley has been the home to some of the school's most decorated athletes: Gerald Warren,
Dennis Byrd Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was an American football defensive end and defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ...
, the Buckey twins (Don and Dave), ACC-career rushing leader Ted Brown (American football), Ted Brown, Joe McIntosh, Erik Kramer, Jamie Barnette, Torry Holt, ACC-passing leader
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
, NFL No. 1 pick Mario Williams, and
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...
. On October 8, 2016, NC State celebrated its 50th season at Carter–Finley Stadium with a dramatic 10–3 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the driving rain in the middle of
Hurricane Matthew Hurricane Matthew was an extremely powerful Atlantic hurricane which caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, as well as widespread devastation in the southeastern United States. The deadliest Atlantic hurricane sinc ...
. NC State boasted a 2–0 record against the Fighting Irish, winning both of their meetings up to that time by a combined score of 38–9. In both games, Notre Dame had yet to score a touchdown against the Wolfpack.


Mascot

Since the 1960s, the Wolfpack has been represented at athletic events by its mascots, Mr. and Ms. Wuf. In print, the 'Strutting Wolf' is used and is known by the name 'Tuffy.' In September 2010, a purebred
Tamaskan Dog __NOTOC__ The Northern Inuit Dog, along with its offshoot breed lines the Tamaskan dog, the British Timber dog and the Utonagan, is a breed of dog developed from a 1980s breeding project in the United Kingdom with the objective of producing a dog ...
became the new live mascot.Tuffy's mascot tryout at game pleases N.C. State officials
September 2010
NC State to use Tamaskan Dog for Mascot
September 2010
The Cutest Live College Mascots
September 2010
Tuffy Tamaskan
September 2010

October 2010


Rivalries


North Carolina

North Carolina leads 68–38–6 through the 2022 season. Since the formation of the ACC in 1953, North Carolina leads the series 37–33, and NC State holds a 14–9 series advantage since 2000, including winning 11 out of the last 16 games against UNC-Chapel Hill. While being members of separate divisions in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the two teams are designated as cross-over rivals, and thus play each other every year. The two teams will next play during the 2023 season in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
.


Wake Forest

NC State leads 68–42–6 through the 2022 season. Both NC State and Wake Forest are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and thus play each other every year. The game holds the distinction as the longest continuous rivalry between 2 ACC schools, and after the 2020 season became the second longest active streak in the nation. NC State and Wake Forest have played consecutively every year since 1910. The two teams will next play during the 2023 season in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem.


Clemson

Clemson leads 60–29–1 through the 2022 season. Both NC State and Clemson are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and thus play each other every year. The two teams played during the 2022 season in Clemson, South Carolina, Clemson, where Clemson defeated the Wolfpack 30–20. The two teams will next play during the 2023 season in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
.


East Carolina

NC State leads 19–13 with the last game played in 2022. The NC State and East Carolina rivalry dates back to the first meeting between the two schools in 1970, when they began playing on an annual basis which lasted until 1987. The two teams will next play during the 2025 season in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. East Carolina is the only "Group of 5" program that has defeated current NCSU Coach Dave Doeren. His record is currently 3–2 in the series.


Individual Achievements and awards


National award winners

* Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award :
Dick Sheridan Dick Sheridan (born August 9, 1941) is a former American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Furman University from 1978 to 1985 and North Carolina State University from 1986 to 1992, compi ...
– (1986) * Lou Groza Award :Marc Primanti – (1996) :Chris Dunn – (2022) *
Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named an All-Ame ...
:
Jim Ritcher James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North ...
– (1979) * Touchdown Club of Columbus, Jack Tatum Trophy :David Amerson – (2011) * Ted Hendricks Award :Bradley Chubb – (2017) * Bronko Nagurski Trophy :Bradley Chubb – (2017) * Rimington Trophy :Garrett Bradbury – (2018)


List of All-Americans

All records per NC State Athletics. *
John Ripple John Hollis "Gus" Ripple (October 25, 1897 – July 27, 1965) was a college football player. North Carolina A&M Ripple was a prominent tackle for the NC State Wolfpack of North Carolina A&M. One writer ranks Ripple as the fifth greatest pl ...
, Tackle (gridiron football position), T (1918 College Football All-America Team, 1918) * Mack Stout (1930) * Steve Sabol, Center (gridiron football), C (1935 College Football All-America Team, 1935) * Ty Coon, Tackle (gridiron football position), T (1938, 1939 College Football All-America Team, 1939) * Elmer Costa, Tackle (gridiron football position), T (1949, 1950) *
Dick Christy Richard Joseph Christy (November 24, 1935 – July 8, 1966) was a collegiate and professional football player. At St. James High School, Christy was twice named 1st Team All-Scholastic by the Philadelphia Bulletin (1952 & 1953). He also led S ...
, Halfback (American football), HB (1957 College Football All-America Team, 1957) *
Roman Gabriel Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. (born August 5, 1940) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for eleven seaso ...
, Quarterback, QB (1960 College Football All-America Team, 1960, 1961 College Football All-America Team, 1961) * Don Montgomery, Defensive End, DE (1963) * Dennis Byrd, Defensive Tackle, DT (1966 College Football All-America Team, 1966, 1967 College Football All-America Team, 1967) * Fred Combs, Defensive Back, DB (1967 College Football All-America Team, 1967) * Gerald Warren, Placekicker, K (1967, 1968) * Ron Carpenter, Defensive Tackle, DT (1968 College Football All-America Team, 1968) * Carey Metts, Center (gridiron football), C (1968) * Bill Yoest, Guard (gridiron football), G (1973 College Football All-America Team, 1973) * Stan Fritts, Fullback (gridiron football), FB (1974 College Football All-America Team, 1974) * Don Buckey, Wide receiver, SE (1975 College Football All-America Team, 1975) * Johnny Evans (American football), Johnny Evans, Punter (football), P (1977 College Football All-America Team, 1977) * Ted Brown (American football), Ted Brown, Running Back, RB (1978 College Football All-America Team, 1978) *
Jim Ritcher James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North ...
, Center (gridiron football), C (1978 College Football All-America Team, 1978, 1979 College Football All-America Team, 1979†) * Vaughan Johnson, Linebacker, LB (1983 College Football All-America Team, 1983) * Nasrallah Worthen, Wide Receiver, WR (1986, 1988) * Jesse Campbell (American football), Jesse Campbell, Strong Safety, SS (1989 College Football All-America Team, 1989, 1990) * Mike Reid, Strong Safety, SS (1992 College Football All-America Team, 1992) * Sebastian Savage, Cornerback, CB (1992) * Steve Videtich, Placekicker, K (1994) * Marc Primanti, Placekicker, K (1996 College Football All-America Team, 1996) * Torry Holt, Wide Receiver, WR (1998 College Football All-America Team, 1998) * Lloyd Harrison, Cornerback, CB (1998, 1999) * Koren Robinson, Wide Receiver, WR (2000) * Levar Fisher, Linebacker, LB (2000 College Football All-America Team, 2000) * Terrence Holt, Free Safety, FS (2002 College Football All-America Team, 2002) * Mario Williams, Defensive End, DE (2005 College Football All-America Team, 2005) * Nate Irving, Linebacker, LB (2010 College Football All-America Team, 2010) * David Amerson, Cornerback, CB (2011 College Football All-America Team, 2011) * Joe Thuney, Tackle (gridiron football position), T (2015 College Football All-America Team, 2015) * Nyheim Hines, Running Back, RB/All-Purpose (2017) * Bradley Chubb, Defensive End, DE (2017 College Football All-America Team, 2017†) * Garrett Bradbury, Center (gridiron football), C (2018 College Football All-America Team, 2018) * Terrone Prescod, Guard (gridiron football), G (2018 College Football All-America Team, 2018) * Alim McNeill, Alim McNeil, Defensive tackle, DT (2020 College Football All-America Team, 2020) * Ikem Ekwonu, Tackle (gridiron football position), T (2021 College Football All-America Team, 2021†) * Chris Dunn, Placekicker, K (2022 College Football All-America Team, 2022) Years in Bold indicate Consensus 1st team All-American † List of unanimous All-Americans in college football, Unanimous All-American


First-Team Walter Camp All-Americans

* Dennis Byrd, Defensive end, DE (1967 College Football All-America Team, 1967) * Bill Yoest, Guard (gridiron football), G (1973 College Football All-America Team, 1973) *
Jim Ritcher James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North ...
, Center (gridiron football), C (1979 College Football All-America Team, 1979) * David Amerson, Cornerback, CB (2011 College Football All-America Team, 2011) * Bradley Chubb, Defensive end, DE (2017 College Football All-America Team, 2017) * Garrett Bradbury, Center (gridiron football), C (2018 College Football All-America Team, 2018) * Ikem Ekwonu, OT (2021 College Football All-America Team, 2021) * Chris Dunn, K (2022 College Football All-America Team, 2022)


Retired numbers


Honored jerseys

Those jersey numbers remain available. Future players wearing these numbers will have a patch recognizing former players.


Atlantic Coast Conference awards

† ''co-winner''


Wolfpack in the NFL draft

;Number 1 overall picks * 1962 –
Roman Gabriel Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. (born August 5, 1940) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for eleven seaso ...
– QB –
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
in the 1962 AFL Draft (signed with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL.) * 2006 – Mario Williams – DE – Houston Texans


Hall of Fame inductees


College Football Hall of Fame

Six former NC State players and four former head coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as of 2022.


Pro Football Hall of Fame


Canadian Football Hall of Fame


Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of September 11, 2022.


References


External links

* {{Atlantic Coast Conference football navbox NC State Wolfpack football, American football teams established in 1892 1892 establishments in North Carolina