First look: NC State hosts Campbell after gut-wrenching loss to Virginia Tech

After starting the season with three consecutive wins, N.C. State has lost two in a row — both in gut wrenching fashion — and now it has a must-win game on its hands.

Campbell comes to Raleigh on Saturday to end what was supposed to be the Wolfpack’s easy stretch. The Camels have lost two one-possession games and are statistically decent among FCS teams, but anything less than a blowout would be a major problem, especially considering the frustrated and disgruntled fanbase.

“We really gotta keep our heads up, maintain the good energy that we have within the facility, and just come back stronger,” N.C. State tight end Justin Joly said Saturday night. “I know people are so tired of hearing that. I know I’m tired of hearing it, too, because we just gotta win games. That’s what people expect us to do. We just gotta get back on track. Get this film over with [on] Sunday and get ready for Campbell next Saturday.”

The Camels are averaging 26.4 points, which ranks No. 52 in FCS, and 360.4 yards per game. They are also converting on 66.7% of their fourth-down opportunities and scoring on 90.5% of their trips to the red zone.

Campbell ranks next-to-last in the Coastal Athletic Association in passing defense. The Camels average 331 passing yards allowed per game. Their run game defense, however, is far better. The team is holding opponents to an average of 120.4 yards per game, which is good for No. 2 in the CAA and No. 24 in FCS.

East Carolina was Campbell’s only other FBS opponent. The Pirates, out of the American Conference, defeated the Camels, 56-3. ECU held Campbell to 151 total yards, including four rushing, and lost two fumbles.

This will be the first meeting between the two programs, despite being less than an hour apart, and N.C. State needs nothing less than to make a statement — preferably with a shutout.

“There’s seven more games that we get to play. I say that, we get to play,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said, emphasizing the privilege. “We get to live our lives one day at a time. We have an opportunity to stand up and fight, and that’s what this program has always done. That’s what we’ll do; put our best foot forward. My job is to help them get back, and I’ll do my best to do that. We care a lot about these young men, and they care a lot about this program, so we’re not going to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves.”

Player to watch: Wide receiver Randall King

Campbell brings one of the top receivers in the CAA to Carter-Finley Stadium this weekend. Wide receiver Randall King has exploded for the Camels this season, recording 333 receiving yards on 28 catches. The sophomore from Rocky Mount is averaging nearly 12 yards per reception and 83.3 yards per contest. His total yardage and game average ranks No. 3 in the CAA this year.

The Camels defeated Bryant, 50-48, in double overtime two weeks ago. King contributed four touchdowns, tying a single-game program record, two coming in the fourth quarter and one in the overtime period. It was his second consecutive 100-yard game this season.

One of his scoring plays was a 77-yard bomb from quarterback Kamden Sixkiller, to tie the game. His efforts gave the Camels their first overtime win since 2019 and first 50-point game since 2023. King won CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Week after the performance.

King, however, did not play in the Camels’ 42-35 loss to Western Carolina on Saturday. If he’s available for the matchup in Raleigh, King is a receiver the defense will need to hone in on.

NC State needs corrections quickly

When looking at the box score, some of the defensive numbers seem OK. The team held Virginia Tech to 23 points and lost by two. Except the Hokies made mistakes of their own, including 55 yards of penalties and having to settle for field goals, that kept N.C. State in the game.

Advanced analytics tell a much different story.

The Wolfpack finished the game with its worst grade of the season in receiving (62.0), run blocking (47.3), run defense (58.2), tackling (47.3) and pass rush (59.7), according to Pro Football Focus.

N.C. State’s run blocking grade was 7.6 points lower than its previous season low against Duke. The tackling came in at 6.7 points lower than the Wake Forest game, and the pass rush grade was 5.7 points under the Virginia game.

The Wolfpack finished with 14 missed tackles. Linebacker Sean Brown finished with the lowest overall defensive grade (45.7), while three other players finished with sub-30 tackling grades.

At the middle linebacker spot, Caden Fordham led the team with 15 total tackles but missed three. Defensive end Cian Slone added five tackles with two misses. Safeties JJ Johnson and Ronnie Royal combined for five missed tackles, as well.

Center Jalen Grant led the offense with a 61.2 run blocking grade. In the four previous games, the Wolfpack had at least three players above that threshold.

Tight ends coach Gavin Locklear said before the Virginia Tech game, “Any time you’re playing somebody, you’re playing yourself first. That’s really what it comes down to. It comes down to being able to execute your scheme. Comes down to playing with your fundamentals. It comes down to taking your game plan and executing it at the highest level.”

That remains true going into Week 6, and N.C. State has a lot to fix, because a loss to Campbell would be disastrous.

Vegas betting odds

N.C. State opened as a 42.5-point favorite on Fan Duel. The over/under is set at 61.5 points. Most other U.S. sports books do not have wagers listed for the game, according to Vegas Insider.

NC State vs Campbell game info

Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (3-2) vs. Campbell Camels (1-4)

Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh

Date: Oct. 4

Time: 2 p.m.

TV: N/A

Stream: ESPN+

Series history: This is the teams’ first meeting.

This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 5:30 AM.

Jadyn Watson-Fisher

The News & Observer