The Louisville Cardinals are gearing up for their first true road game of the 2026 season against the NC State Wolfpack on October 3 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Wolfpack, under head coach Dave Doeren, finished the previous season with an 8-5 record, showing improvement from a sub-.500 performance in 2024. Quarterback C.J. Bailey is a key player, having completed 68.8% of his passes for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025. However, NC State faces challenges as they lost their top four receivers and running back Daylan Smothers to the transfer portal. The offensive line is also a concern, having allowed 1.85 sacks per game. Defensively, NC State struggled significantly, ranking 109th in yards allowed and losing 12 of their 19 leading tacklers. Despite these challenges, the Wolfpack's returning players, including cornerbacks Brian Nelson II and Jackson Vick, will need to step up. Overall, while NC State has potential offensive playmakers, their defense is expected to rank in the bottom half of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as they prepare to host Louisville.