Three teams throughout the Atlantic Coast Conference will begin their 2024 seasons on Thursday night. The trio of North Carolina, NC State and Wake Forest will all feature non-conference opponents, including home games for the Wolfpack and the Demon Deacons. The Tar Heels travel to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for a Power 4 showdown against Minnesota.
Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m. ET
Western Carolina at #24 NC State
Series: NC State leads series, 7-0
Last meeting: NC State, 41-0 (2019)
ACCN: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
School Radio Feed: NC State
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 160 / SiriusXM 201
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 963
NC State will begin its 2024 campaign at Carter-Finley Stadium on Thursday evening as the 24th-ranked Wolfpack will welcome FCS foe Western Carolina to Raleigh. Under head coach Dave Doeren, NC State is 8-0 in season openers at home and 10-1 overall in lid-lifters. Three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year, Grayson McCall, will be the Wolfpack quarterback to begin the season. The Coastal Carolina transfer has logged more than 10,000 career passing yards and 88 touchdowns, while also adding 18 rushing touchdowns and more than 1,100 yards on the ground. Western Carolina posted a 7-4 record throughout the 2023 season, including a 5-3 mark in SoCon play and FCS top 25 wins over No. 7/8 Samford and No. 20/24 Chattanooga.
Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m. ET
North Carolina A&T at Wake Forest
Series: Wake Forest leads series, 1-0
Last meeting: Wake Forest, 42-3 (2004)
ACCNX: Matt Schick (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst)
School Radio Feed: Wake Forest
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 85 / SiriusXM 194 / SiriusXM 382
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 956 / SiriusXM 972
Wake Forest will host in-state foe North Carolina A&T on Thursday night. The Demon Deacons have a favorable stretch of games to begin the season and will not have to leave the state of North Carolina until October 19 when they travel to battle UConn. After having a seven-year streak of bowl eligibility snapped in 2023, the Demon Deacons will look to get back to their winning ways under head coach Dave Clawson. The Demon Deacons are in the winningest stretch of football in their program’s history with the 35 wins from the 2019-23 seasons ranking fifth in program history over a five-year span. Since the start of the 2016 season, the Deacs have the third-most wins in the ACC not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Despite a 1-10 record in 2023, North Carolina A&T has appeared in the Celebration Bowl four times since 2015, winning all four contests.
Thursday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m. ET
North Carolina at Minnesota
Series: North Carolina leads series, 1-0
Last meeting: North Carolina, 31-13 (2023)
Fox: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Allison Williams (sideline)
School Radio Feed: North Carolina
SiriusXM Radio: SiriusXM 84 / SiriusXM 132 / SiriusXM 193
SiriusXM App: SiriusXM 84 / SiriusXM 955
North Carolina looks to repeat its 2023 showing against Minnesota after winning 31-13 in Chapel Hill one year ago. North Carolina is also looking to repeat the non-conference results it produced in 2023, going a perfect 4-0 while also starting the season with a 6-0 mark. Mack Brown begins the season as the second-winningest coach in FBS football, trailing LSU’s Brian Kelly by just one victory. Last season, the Golden Gophers went 6-7, winning the Quick Lane Bowl to improve to a perfect 5-0 in bowl games under head coach P.J. Fleck.
Per Release