NC State Welcomes Duke After Goebbel’s First Win

Published November 2, 2026. NC State enters its upcoming home game against Duke after interim coach Todd Goebbel secured his first victory, a 31-10 defeat of Cal. The Wolfpack have had a turbulent season, including the dismissal of head coach Dave Doeren, defensive coordinator DJ Eliot and general manager Andy Vaughn following a loss to Stanford. After the Cal game, Goebbel thanked Doeren and his family for their support of him, his family, the staff and the players.

Duke arrives in Raleigh with a 6-2 record and wins over Virginia and Boston College by a combined 63-18. The Blue Devils’ coach, Manny Diaz, is 4-0 against NC State. Duke won the ACC title last season, and its defense is allowing 14.2 points per game, ninth-best in the FBS.

Goebbel described Duke as a disciplined team that performs well across offense, defense and special teams. He singled out its disruptive defensive front, linebackers and secondary. NC State quarterback CJ Bailey and the offense will face that unit as they seek to end the Wolfpack’s three-game losing streak against Duke.

Running back Duke Scott is back on NC State’s depth chart after sitting out the previous three games. Goebbel said Scott had worked hard to return and could contribute as both a runner and a leader. Duke’s Nate Sheppard, meanwhile, has accumulated 972 yards on the ground and scored 18 touchdowns as a runner, the most in the ACC. Goebbel praised Sheppard’s patience and ability to keep moving through contact, and said NC State would need to tackle him collectively.

NC State is seeking its first home win over Duke since 2020.