RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — NC State is ready for some football.
The Wolfpack kick off their 2024 season Thursday night against the Western Carolina Catamounts of the FCS’ Southern Conference. The game was slated to start at 7 p.m., but lightning in the area forced a delay, with the first whistle now set for 7:32 p.m.
With a new quarterback in Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall and the loss of top linebacker Payton Wilson to the NFL, it will be a new-look team for the Wolfpack. But the expectations remain high, as NC State is ranked No. 24 in the AP Top 25 to start the season.
Thursday night’s game will mark the fifth time NC State opens their football season against the Catamounts. Their last matchup was the season opener in 2019, when the Wolfpack won 41-0. NC State has a 7-0 all-time record against WCU, all games that have been played in Raleigh.
Next week, the Wolfpack will travel to Charlotte to face No. 15 Tennessee at Bank of America Stadium in what will be one of NC State’s biggest tests of the season.