NC State finally gets a home crowd this season, and the Wolfpack's first look at Carter-Finley comes against an FCS opponent they've beaten nearly every time they've played.
Bush’s Picks
RICHNCSU
RICHNCSU
OverUnder
Best BetNC State
NC State is the overwhelming favorite here, and the price reflects a Power 4 program hosting a Patriot League opponent it's beaten 18 times in 20 tries. Bailey's return as a proven, multi-year starter is the biggest reason to trust the Wolfpack even with a retooled skill group. This is about as close to a lock as the moneyline market gets in September.
Richmond
+7-5 record last season under Huesman
+Returning starter QB Ashten Snelsire
+Experienced coach with 59-41 record
−Massive step up in competition level
−18-1-1 all-time deficit in this series
−Road trip against Power 4 roster
NC State
+CJ Bailey returns as proven multi-year starter
+Won 4 of last 5 to finish 2025
+Coaching stability with Doeren back for 14th year
−Lost key pass-catchers and OL to the portal
−First home game after Brazil opener and a bye
−Middle-of-pack ACC projection heading into 2026
CJ Bailey is back under center for a third season in Raleigh, which alone puts NC State ahead of most of the ACC at the quarterback spot. The Wolfpack won 4 of their last 5 games to close out 2025, capped by a 31-7 Gasparilla Bowl win over Memphis that pushed their final record to 8-5. But the roster looks different than the one that finished strong — NC State lost receivers Terrell Anderson (USC) and Noah Rogers (Alabama), left tackle Peak (South Carolina) and linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. (Michigan State) in the portal, so Friday's opener doubles as a look at how much continuity actually carries over.
Richmond isn't walking in as a total pushover, either. The Spiders went 7-5 last season under 10th-year coach Russ Huesman, who's 59-41 at Richmond, and they bring back quarterback Ashten Snelsire and linebacker Carter Glassmyer as the foundation of a Patriot League team that knows how to win games. The class gap between an ACC roster and a Patriot League one is still real, though, and the market treats this one like the mismatch it looks like on paper.
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RICH Richmond
NCSU NC State
This also marks NC State's actual home debut of the year — the Wolfpack opened the season across the ocean in Brazil, then took a bye before circling back to Raleigh. Friday serves as the tune-up before the calendar gets serious, with Louisville and Wake Forest arriving in back-to-back home dates in early October. All-time, NC State is 18-1-1 against Richmond in a series dating to 1895, so history isn't exactly setting up an upset.
Richmond Spiders
NC State Wolfpack
Aug 29?@ Virginia—
Recent form.
None of that means the drama's totally absent. First road trips against Power 4 competition can expose a Patriot League roster fast, and if Richmond's offensive line can't hold up, this could get ugly early. On the other side, NC State's staff has to balance building rhythm with an eye on the schedule that follows — nobody wants a starter banged up in a game that's decided by halftime.
Richmond Spiders
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
NC State Wolfpack
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Whatever else happens, this is Doeren's chance to get his new-look group up to speed with the lights on and zero excuse not to look sharp before ACC play starts for real.
