They’re only about 30 minutes away from each other, but Duke and NC State rarely meet on the gridiron. Saturday the two will play for the first time in seven years when the Blue Devils travel to Carter Finley Stadium to take on the Wolfpack.
Both squads enter the contest looking to build on wins from the previous week.
Game Notes:
- Kickoff between the Blue Devils and Wolfpack is set for 3:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on RSN.
- Since 1924, the two teams have faced off 82 times on the gridiron, playing every year except once during World War II (1944) until 2003, when ACC expansion caused a break in the series.
- NC State and Duke have not met in Carter-Finley Stadium under Dave Doeren. The only time he has coached against Duke was a road game in 2013 – his first year at the helm of the program.
- Duke has won the last two meetings between the two teams: a 49-28 win in Raleigh in 2009 and a 38-20 win at Durham in 2013.
- Duke jumped into the win column last Saturday with a 38-24 victory at Syracuse.
- The Wolfpack look to extend their 2-game win streak after a 38-21 win over UVA last week.
- NC State returns home for the first time in over a month. The Wolfpack has played just one home game this season – vs. Wake Forest on Sept. 19.
- Saturday’s game will mark the first on opposite sidelines for brothers Zac and Kurt Roper. Zac Roper serves as Duke’s Baxter Family Deputy Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QBs while older brother Kurt is an Assistant Coach/RBs at N.C. State. The brothers worked together at Ole Miss (2001-04) and Duke (2008-13) under current Blue Devil head coach David Cutcliffe .