This Saturday, Oct. 11, Notre Dame will face off against North Carolina State for the fifth time, after their first meeting in the 2003 Gator Bowl. The competition between the two has been extremely split with the Wolfpack winning the first two showdowns and the Irish winning the most recent two matchups; however, both teams will be hungry to extend their lead on the series to 3-2.
The rivalry between the two began on Jan. 1, 2003, with an aggressive 28-6 NC State victory. For the Wolfpack, quarterback Philip Rivers threw 23 of 37 for 228 yards, plus two touchdowns, all while the Notre Dame defense left much to be desired as they were unable to get defensive stops, giving up 21 points in the second quarter alone. Running back T.A. McLendon was responsible for rushing for two touchdowns. Defensively, the Wolfpack was led by safety Rod Johnson who picked off three passes, completely shutting down the Irish offense and confidence. On Notre Dame’s side of the line, this was their first season under head coach Tyrone Willingham, which unfortunately started a string of tough losses for the Irish, until he was let go in 2004. During this game, Notre Dame would have more interceptions (three) than scoring plays (two field goals).
The second time these teams faced off was on Oct. 8, 2016, when the players were faced with constant downpour and heavy winds in Raleigh, which were direct results of Hurricane Matthew. Going into the fourth quarter, the teams were tied 3-3; however, the Wolfpack special teams overpowered the strong Irish wall, scoring the only touchdown the entire game on a blocked punt. In an attempt to pin the Wolfpack back, the Irish planned to punt deep; however, NC State tight end Pharoah McKever spoiled their plan by blocking the kick, which was returned 16 yards by safety Dexter Wright. The final score of the second matchup was 10-3, with NC State taking their second win. This was also Notre Dame’s first scoreless first half since the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.
In 2017, the Irish saw lots of changes to their team and coaching staff, which may be a large component of why the tides shifted to favor Notre Dame. They saw the loss of many transfer players but picked up Freddy Canteen from Michigan, Cameron Smith from Arizona State, and Alohi Gilman from Navy. The Irish also refurbished their coaching staff following the 4-8 2016 season, picking up Mike Elko as their defensive coordinator. When the two sides faced off in South Bend on Oct. 28, 2017, the Wolfpack opened the score early as defensive end James Smith-Williams blocked a Notre Dame punt and linebacker Germaine Pratt fell on top of it in the end zone to gain the 7-0 early lead. Immediately after, the Irish answered with a 60-yard, two play touchdown drive, tying the score at 7-7. Similarly to the beginning of the game, within the first 12 seconds of the second quarter, receiver Kelvin Harmon caught a 15-yard throw from quarterback Ryan Finley, pushing the Wolfpack to 14-7, which would also be the last score of the game for NC State. Notre Dame answered with four touchdowns from quarterback Brandon Wimbush, receiver Kevin Stepherson, defensive back Julian Love (scored off an interception), and running back Josh Adams, pushing the final score of the game to 35-14.
Their most recent matchup was Sept. 9, 2023, which was a display of pure aggression from both sides, ultimately ending in a 45-24 Irish win. Despite the Wolfpack defense having a very strong start forcing Notre Dame into two quick three-and-outs, the Irish made a 54-yard field goal to light up the scoreboard first. An almost two hour weather delay would ensure, but Audric Estime ran for an 80-yard rushing touchdown on the first play following resumption. Although extremely close to scoring yet again, NC State Aydan White garnered a sack, forcing Notre Dame to kick a field goal, which Spencer Shrader missed from 56 yards. To continue their momentum, NC State kicker Brayden Narveson made it a one-score game by making a 49 yard field goal; however, the Irish were quick to respond with a touchdown that would push the score to 24-10. The fourth quarter saw lots of Notre Dame success as tight end Davis Sherwood caught a 10-yard pass from quarterback Sam Hartman to push the lead to 31-17, Estime had a seven-yard touchdown to make it 38-17, and tight end Holden Staes caught a 35-yard pass again from Hartman, to run the final score to 45-24.
Since history shows an evenness on both sides of the line, this matchup will carry an unpredictable energy. Both programs have seen their share of triumphs and struggles this year, and against one another, with games often decided by power and defensive prowess. The Irish recognize that NC State’s dynamic quarterback CJ Bailey will challenge the Notre Dame defense, meanwhile, the Wolfpack is aware of the potential of the explosive Irish running game. Saturday’s game begins at 3:30 p.m. in Notre Dame Stadium and will be a test of resilience and adaptability.
