First look: What to know about the NC State-ECU football rematch
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- N.C. State opens 2025 football season Thursday with home rematch vs. ECU.
- Quarterbacks CJ Bailey and Katin Houser headline anticipated Week 1 clash.
- ECU reinstates suspended players ahead of matchup; Lampley's status uncertain.
N.C. State football kicks off the 2025 season in less than a week with a matchup that’s been anticipated for eight months.
The Wolfpack hosts East Carolina at 7 p.m. Thursday for a chance to set a positive tone for the upcoming fall — and fully turn the page from 2024.
N.C. State lost to ECU 26-21 in the 2024 Military Bowl in Annapolis last December, after blowing a comeback and allowing an 86-yard rush in the final two minutes of play. The game was also marred by an on-field skirmish, leading to the ejection of eight players.
Head coach Dave Doeren previously said it was the most embarrassed he’s been as a coach.
“It’s an opportunity to rectify a poor performance and poor behavior against a team we respect,” Doeren said at ACC Kickoff. “That game, to me, is so much about us, not them. I wish we could’ve played them a month ago, because you want to get to that next game when you play poorly. That’s the only way to get the taste out of your mouth.”
The Pirates have limited public comments about the matchup, with ECU head coach Blake Harrell previously saying the players know the Week 1 opponent. He discussed the game again this week, noting the biggest difference will be the atmosphere.
The bowl game featured a crowd that had a relatively even split, but that won’t be the case next week. ECU has to execute the skills that win games — blocking, converting on third down, taking care of the football — and do it in a raucous stadium.
“It’s going to be a loud environment, and it should be,” Harrell said. “You’ve got two schools fairly close to each other, and a game that was the last game of the season and kicking off the first game of this season. I’m sure it’ll be a packed house.”
ECU-NC State matchup to watch: A quarterback battle
The game will not only be a rematch between the programs, but it will also be a rematch against returning quarterbacks.
Sophomore CJ Bailey returns to the backfield for the Wolfpack, while senior Katin Houser will be ECU’s QB1. They were both named to the Manning Award watchlist.
Former ECU quarterback Holton Ahlers said on a podcast he believes Houser is the better quarterback.
“The matchup, we should win that every single time with Katin Houser,” Ahlers said. “If you look at the bowl game, if you look at just the stats, CJ Bailey might’ve had the better game, but Katin managed the game better. When Katin needed to make plays, he made plays. CJ Bailey was another type in the bowl game where you didn’t know he had a good game until after the game when you look at the stats. … You’ve got to have an ‘It factor’ about you during a game. I believe Katin has that compared to CJ Bailey. I think we win that matchup.”
Last season, Houser finished with 2,006 yards with a 60.8% completion rate, threw 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine games. He also rushed for 170 yards and four scores. In the bowl game, Houser went 18 of 29 for 147 yards and two interceptions. He added 84 yards on the ground and a pair of trips to the end zone.
Meanwhile, Bailey contributed 2,413 yards with a 64.9% completion rate, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games. He also added 279 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Against the Pirates, Bailey threw 19 of 26 for 230 yards and three touchdowns.
Bailey was also named to the 2025 Maxwell Award watchlist.
According to Pro Football Focus, Houser and Bailey finished the 2024 season ranking consecutively in its quarterback rankings. Houser received a 74.1 offensive rating, while Bailey earned a 74.0 rating.
Houser led Bailey by 1.7 points in run game efficiency, earning a 63.3. Bailey, however, earned a 74.3 passing grade by PFF, which was 1.1 point higher than Houser.
Bailey enters the season after gaining muscle, additional practice and film study, and continuity with Kurt Roper serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Those factors make the QB battle more balanced, if not favorable toward the Wolfpack, than Ahlers implies.
Other possible impact players: Lampley, Smith
East Carolina lifted the offseason suspensions of JD Lampley, Preston Carr and Brock Spalding, according to Hoist the Colours, a 247Sports property covering ECU.
The three players were charged on July 20 by the Greenville Police Department of discharging a firearm within city limits. They did not participate in the start of fall camp but have returned to practice. Charges have been dropped.
“The players have been reinstated to all team activities,” Harrell said. “They’ve gone through and have completed the processes we’ve asked them to and have learned how painful some lessons can be to learn from. We’ve welcomed them back and are ready to move forward as a team.”
Lampley was an expected defensive starter before the incident. It’s unclear if he will start against N.C. State or how much preparation he’s actually undergone due to the suspension.
The defensive lineman earned preseason All-AAC Second Team honors from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. Last season, Lampley was an All-AAC Honorable Mention selection after recording 25 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He forced his first career fumble against N.C. State in the bowl game and added six pass deflections in 2024. He also sacked Bailey during the bowl game.
Wide receiver Anthony Smith is expected to take his game to a higher level. After being a conference honorable mention honoree last season, Smith was picked to the Phil Steele and Athlon Sports preseason All-AAC First Team. The receiver, who began his career at N.C. State, started all 13 games last season and caught 41 passes for 799 yards and six touchdowns. He finished the season with 12 receptions of at least 20 yards and contributed 100 receiving yards in two games.
Vegas betting line
Most U.S. sports books list the Wolfpack as an 11.5-point favorite over East Carolina, with a 59.5-point over/under. The moneyline is set at +326 for the Pirates and -432 for the Pack.
NC State vs ECU game info
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (0-0, ACC) vs East Carolina Pirates (0-0, American) Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh Date: Thursday, Aug. 28 Time: 7 p.m. TV: ACC Network Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV Series history: N.C. State leads the all-time series, 19-13. The Pack holds a 3-1 record in the last four meetings, but the programs are tied 5-5 in the past 10. N.C. State, however, is 16-7 against ECU at home.
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
