NC/ACC Week Six CFB Previews & Schedules:
Wake-State, UNC-Pitt, Duke-Tech Lead Way
As App, ECU, Mars Hill Aim To Keep Building
(DG’s Weekly CFB YouTube Show = Below)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Oct. 6, 2026)
The 2026 college football season continues Tuesday through Saturday with a compelling Week Six schedule that includes all seven North Carolina-based Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in action, including a head-to-head clash between Wake Forest and NC State in Raleigh.
The most prominent games nationally include #2 Georgia (5-0) taking on #6 Alabama (5-0) in Tuscaloosa in a prime-time Saturday night national television window (7:30 p.m., ABC), another Southeastern Conference showdown between #1 Texas (4-0) and long-time archrival Oklahoma (2-2) in Dallas on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m., ABC), and a high-profile Big Ten clash pairing #7 Indiana (5-0) and undefeated Nebraska (5-0) in an early game (noon, FOX).
Meanwhile, from the wide-ranging schedule (please see at bottom) involving teams from the Bold North State, below are more details from this week’s “Three To See” in-state selections, plus brief notes on a handful of other compelling Week Six matchups.
NC/ACC “Three To See,” Game One
Wake Forest (4-1) at NC State (3-2), Sat., noon (The CW)
Although NC State has had the better of this rivalry historically by a significant margin, it’s been much closer to a toss-up lately.
For example, under 14th-year head coach Dave Doeren, the Wolfpack is just 7-6 in head-to-head games against the Demon Deacons, although that record improves to 4-2 when the game is played at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, where it will be once again on Saturday afternoon.
Doeren also came out on top in his only previous head-to-head matchup against second-year Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert, as the Pack went to Winston-Salem last year and beat the Deacs 34-24.
Wake Forest is the slight favorite — even on the road — this time, mainly because the Deacons have proven to be very capable on both sides of the ball this season, whereas NC State’s defense has been giving up an average of 6.2 yards per play, the second-worst number in the ACC so far this year.
The CW often gets the dregs of the ACC schedule for its TV tilts, but this time the network will enjoy two teams with winning records that are led by dynamic quarterbacks and wide receivers.
For Wake Forest, the key figures include UNC transfer Gio Lopez at quarterback and senior wide receiver Carlos Hernandez, who followed Dickert from Washington State to Winston-Salem at the end of the 2024 season.
Reunited with his former South Alabama offensive coordinator Rob Ezell, Lopez clearly has rediscovered his running game, his ability to audible at the line of scrimmage, and his confidence, and he now ranks eighth nationally in total offense (314 yards per game). His favorite target, Hernandez, ranks eighth in the nation and second in the ACC with 121 receiving yards per game, and he’s also a dangerous punt returner.
NC State (a four-point underdog) will counter with its third-year starting quarterback, CJ Bailey, who appears to have shaken off his brutal opener against Virginia and his final-seconds flub at Vanderbilt to regenerate some of the optimism that had surrounded the Wolfpack’s 2026 season throughout the summer months.
The Pack is now averaging about 37 points per game, same as Wake Forest, with Bailey — after his slow start — building some impressive chemistry with Miami wide receiver transfer Jojo Trader and speedy returning wideout Keenan Jackson, among others.
Quick advice: buckle up for an evenly matched, wild-and-wooly shootout in this one, whether you’re watching on TV or in the stands at Carter-Finley Stadium.
NC/ACC “Three To See,” Game Two North Carolina (2-2) at #24 Pittsburgh (5-0), Sat., noon (ESPN) This contest became infinitely more interesting — and, theoretically, much more evenly matched — when Pitt’s star sophomore quarterback, Mason Heintschel, went down last Friday, during Pitt’s narrow victory over previously undefeated Virginia Tech, with a serious knee injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Heintschel’s backup, Holden Geriner, is a fifth-year graduate student who was a prep star in Georgia back in 2021 but also a guy who failed to nail down even a QB2 role during his three seasons at Auburn and — last year — his single campaign at Texas State.
Forced into action at Virginia Tech, Geriner led two second-half touchdown drives against the Hokies, including one on his well-thrown 29-yard touchdown pass, as Pitt secured the 35-33 victory in Blacksburg, after Tech missed a 36-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Both Geriner and his new backup, 6-foot-6 true freshman Corey Dailey, qualify as both traditional pocket passers and as extremely inexperienced college quarterbacks, and one thing UNC coach Bill Belichick has done very well at times in his often-controversial tenure in Chapel Hill is take advantage of opponents with limited QB play.
In fact, that single factor was central to each of his three previous Power Four victories with the Tar Heels — over Syracuse and Stanford last year, and over TCU to begin this season, with all three contests being relatively low-scoring affairs.
Carolina ranks fifth in the ACC in scoring defense, at about 19 points per game, and the Tar Heels have had a wide variety of players step up on that side of the ball, including local product Xavier Lewis at tackle, Penn State transfer Jaylen Harvey at end, Syracuse transfer Derek McDonald at middle linebacker, and returnee Greg Smith at safety.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi (a long-time defensive guru) likely will hope to dominate this game with his defense, which is yielding only 13 points per game. End Isaiah Neal, senior linebackers Braylon Lovelace and Alex Sanford Jr. (a Purdue transfer), sophomore safety Josh Guerrier and sophomore cornerback Shawn Lee Jr. have been among the Panthers’ defensive standouts.
It will be up to the Tar Heels’ shaky offensive line to give guys like quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., wide receiver Jordan Shipp, tight end Jelani Thurman and Carolina’s solid rotation of tailbacks a chance to shine … and perhaps even make a run at upsetting the 5-0 Panthers (a four-point favorite) on their home field.
NC/ACC “Three To See,” Game Three
#23 Duke (4-0) at Georgia Tech (1-3), Sat., 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Although Georgia Tech is considered the underdog in this one this time, even on its home field, the Yellow Jackets have won five in a row in this rivalry, and their record against the Blue Devils since Steve Spurrier left Durham in 1989 is a truly dominant 28-7.
Also, both of these teams were off last week, meaning that Duke has been able to bask in the glory of its 4-0 start — and maybe even find extra motivation from a lack of respect in the polls — whereas Georgia Tech must be absolutely fuming internally after its ugly 1-3 start. That included a 34-27 defeat two weeks ago at Stanford, a team that had been picked to finish dead-last in the ACC and one that has been absolutely embarrassed by Miami, Duke and Wake Forest in its other three ACC contests this season.
Duke probably should expect the proverbial hornets nest in Atlanta, where fifth-year head coach Brent Key — a proud, no-nonsense personality and a former Tech offensive lineman — has never posted a losing record and has never had a team play this poorly to open the season.
The Yellow Jackets still have to take road trips to Virginia Tech, Pitt, Clemson and archrival Georgia, so at 1-3 they desperately need to turn these home games into victories.
While it’s true that Duke has the nation’s leading rusher and a potential All-American in sophomore running back Nate Sheppard, it’s also true that none of the Blue Devils’ victims in their 4-0 start has a winning record right now.
Tech is dead-last in the ACC in rushing defense, at 189 yards per game, so you can bet that the Jackets will stack the line of scrimmage against Sheppard and try to force sixth-year San Jose State transfer Walker Eget to try to beat them with downfield throws.
Meanwhile, after the loss of star coordinator Buster Faulkner to Florida in the offseason, Tech hasn’t been especially good at either throwing or running the ball consistently this season, although Michigan transfer Justice Haynes is #2 in the ACC in rushing, at nearly 100 yards per game.
Duke’s defense has been brilliant for coach Manny Diaz so far, yielding only 11 points per game, and its #1 goal will be to stop Haynes, just as Tech’s #1 goal will be to stop Sheppard.
Even though the records here may suggest otherwise, other factors project a close game in Atlanta, with the Devils (a seven-point favorite) needing to match the Jackets’ desperation to get the win on the road.
Quick-Hitters Involving Other NC Teams
Old Dominion (1-4) at App State (3-1), 1 p.m. (ESPN+) — The App State offense clearly has been energized by Purdue quarterback transfer Malachi Singleton, and that unit may get a stiff challenge from ODU, which has played very good defense this season. Where the Mountaineers need to see immediate improvement is on defense, and this game may be that group’s chance to dominate, because ODU’s offense ranks dead-last among 138 FBS teams.
Rice (1-4) at East Carolina (2-2), 4 p.m. (ESPN+) — This is the first of eight straight American Conference games for ECU, which looks as if it might have one of the best defenses in that league again this year. The spotlight against the Owls will be mainly on the Pirates’ offense, which took a huge step forward two weeks ago against NC Central, after Miami transfer Emory Williams was elevated above Mitch Griffis as the team’s starting quarterback. Rice is considered a bottom-tier team in the American this season, but it will be interesting to see Williams operate against an FBS opponent rather than NC Central, which competes at the FCS level.
FCS: Western Carolina (3-3) at #18 Mercer (4-2), 3 p.m. (ESPN+) — Coach Kerwin Bell and the Catamounts absolutely pounded #8 Tennessee Tech in Cullowhee last week, 44-20. Now they go on the road and get a shot at a Mercer squad that’s also ranked in the FCS Top 25.
D2: #20 Mars Hill (5-0) at Emory & Henry (2-4), 1 p.m. (FloCollege) — Coach Kevin Barnette and the Lions are the only South Atlantic Conference team that still has an unblemished record, and now they’re up to #20 in the Division Two coaches’ poll.
NOTE: For the national edition of our Week Six college football preview, including analysis on the highest-profile games, please click HERE.
NC Football Bowl Subdivision (Seven Teams)
(Games Saturday Unless Otherwise Indicated)
North Carolina (2-2) at #25 Pittsburgh (5-0), noon (ESPN)
Wake Forest (4-1) at NC State (3-2), noon (The CW)
Old Dominion (1-4) at Appalachian State (3-1), 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
#23 Duke (4-0) at Georgia Tech (1-3), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Charlotte (0-5) at North Texas (3-2), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Rice (1-4) at East Carolina (2-2), 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
Open Week: none
Atlantic Coast Conference (17 Teams)
Florida State (3-2) at Louisville (2-3), 7 p.m. (ESPN) — Friday
North Carolina (2-2) at #25 Pittsburgh (5-0), noon (ESPN)
Wake Forest (4-1) at NC State (3-2), noon (The CW)
Stanford (2-3) at #3 Notre Dame (5-0), 3:30 p.m. (NBC)
#23 Duke (4-0) at Georgia Tech (1-3), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Virginia Tech (4-1) at California (2-3), 3:30 p.m. (ACCN)
Syracuse (2-2) at Virginia (3-2), 7:30 p.m. (ACCN)
Open Week: Boston College (2-3), Clemson (3-2), #4 Miami (5-0), #24 SMU (4-1)
NC Football Championship Subdivision (Seven Teams)
New Hampshire (2-4) at North Carolina A&T (1-5), noon (FloCollege)
William & Mary (2-4) at NC Central (2-4), 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Wofford (3-3) at Elon (4-2), 2 p.m. (FloCollege)
Western Carolina (3-3) at #18 Mercer (4-2), 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
Eastern Illinois (1-4) at Gardner-Webb (2-4), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Davidson (2-4) at Presbyterian (2-3), 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Open Week: #20 Campbell (5-1)
NC Division Two (13 Teams)
Chowań (2-3) at #15 North Greenville (5-0), noon (CCDN)
Bowie State (2-3) at Winston-Salem State (0-5), 1 p.m. (CIAA)
Lincoln-PA (1-4) at Elizabeth City State (0-5), 1 p.m. (CIAA)
Livingstone (2-4) at Virginia State (5-1), 1 p.m. (CIAA)
Shaw (4-2) at Johnson C Smith (4-1), 1 p.m. (CIAA)
Erskine (2-3) at UNC Pembroke (4-2), 1 p.m. (CCDN)
#20 Mars Hill (5-0) at Emory & Henry (2-4), 1 p.m. (FloCollege)
Tusculum (3-3) at Wingate (2-4), 3 p.m. (FloCollege)
Newberry (3-2) at Catawba (3-3), 6 p.m. (FloCollege)
Lenoir-Rhyne (2-4) at UVa-Wise (1-5), 6 p.m. (FloCollege)
Open Week: Barton (1-5), Fayetteville State (3-3)
NC Division Three (Five Teams)
Brevard (4-0) at Southern Virginia (1-3), 1 p.m. (FloCollege)
North Carolina Wesleyan (2-2) at Belhaven (1-3), 1 p.m. (FloCollege)
Methodist (1-3) at LaGrange (3-1), 1 p.m. (FloCollege)
Bridgewater-VA (0-4) at Guilford (1-3), 1 p.m. (FloCollege)
Greensboro (2-2) at Huntingdon (2-2), 2 p.m. (FloCollege)
Open Week: none
