Several members of the Inside Pack Sports staff predict the winner of the NC State-North Carolina matchup.
James Henderson (IPS Publisher)
State 28, Carolina 13
Pack gets to seven wins with Hollywood Smothers popping a couple big ones.
Bryant Carson (IPS Publisher)
Carolina 28, State 24
There's an awful lot of reasons to pick the Pack in this game, and logically, I should too.
However, it's because UNC winning this one makes so little logical sense that it seems like the perfect time to pick it. UNC hasn't beaten State since '20 and there's been some strange circumstances in several of those games. NC State fans as well as the local media have spent the better part of the last year taking shots and enjoying the mess over there around the Heels football program.
All that would combine to make this just a miserable loss and way to end the season for everyone around NC State – all of which might give the Heels a little something extra to play for on Saturday night.
Phillip Danford (IPS Writer)
State 21, Carolina 17
UNC hasn’t had a good year but I don’t think this is a team lying down. The Wolfpack will need to play well and, frankly, I think this will be a tight game. The defense needs to be sure in their tackling and force the UNC offense to sustain drives without mistakes. The NC State offense will need Kurt Roper to have a good game plan to help reveal the many disguises used by the Tarheel defense. Bailey will need to trust his eyes and the receivers to win more versus man coverage. The Wolfpack is the better team but the roller coaster that is the 2025 season probably won’t have a calm ending.
Rob McLamb (IPS Writer)
State 69, Carolina 69
Everyone gets screwed one way or another as the Wolfpack wins the rivalry game once again.
Runa Cooper (IPS Sponsor)
State 28, Carolina 21
Much more talent on offense, and the defense is coming off its best performance of the year. Playing at home in a night game against public enemy #1… but can we really beat them again and again? At some point are they just due a win? Hope not!
PJ Williams (IPS Football Recruiting Analyst)
State 31, Carolina 13
NC State cashes in on multiple turnovers by Gio Lopez – including one in the first quarter – to control the game flow from the jump in front of a juiced home crowd. Hollywood Smothers houses one from 50+ yards, and State scores on special teams. Dave Doeren sends Bill Belichick back to Chapel Hill with his 8th loss, a feat topped only by Larry Fedora (twice) and John Bunting (three times) in the last 25 years.
Sam Locklear (IPS Intern)
State 34, Carolina 24
Get the win streak over UNC to five in a row!
Nate Craver (IPS Writer)
State 35, Carolina 10
Why not? At home. At night. Should be a fun one.
BP Cox (IPS Photographer)
State 42, Carolina 27
Three Keys to Victory
1. #GTHC
2. #GTHC
3. #GTHC
