NC State ran over Richmond. How can the Wolfpack do the same at Vanderbilt?
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Nashville is calling, and it’s time for N.C. State to pick up.
The Wolfpack heads to Vanderbilt this week for its second nonconference game, where it seeks its first win of the season over a Power Four opponent.
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N.C. State is coming off a 73-0 win over FCS-level Richmond that featured a historic offensive output. The Pack racked up 734 total yards and 428 rushing yards, both program records. The Wolfpack scored 10 touchdowns, the second most in program history, and set a record for rushing TDs (8). Seven players found the end zone in the blowout victory.
“When you win the line of scrimmage, everything on offense works,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said. “The quarterback has more time. Running backs have bigger holes. Wide outs and tight ends have more time to get open. You’re just going to score a lot more points when you dominate up front. We were able to do that today.”
Running back Duke Scott said the team wanted to make sure it didn’t put on tape the same kind of performance it did in Charlottesville, that provided motivation and a chip on their shoulder.
Friday wasn’t the Wolfpack’s best, though, and the team is not satisfied. It celebrated the win, but planned to move onto Vanderbilt quickly.
“Our goal is the ACC Championship,” Scott said. “Our goal is to keep stacking days. This is not our peak. This is not our final point. We need to just keep stacking days and keep the same intensity that we’ve had all practice coming through the bye week and coming into this game. I think we will. It’s my job as a leader to make sure that doesn’t change. I’m feeling very confident in us.”
After falling to Virginia in Week 0 and hosting Richmond on Friday, some fans have said this upcoming week is the real test to determine whether the team learned from the UVA loss.
But is it really? Vanderbilt started the season 2-0 … barely. The Commodores beat Austin Peay, 28-9, in Week 1, and Delaware, 35-26, on Saturday. Their performances against the Governors (FCS) and the Blue Hens (G5) did not inspire much confidence.
In fact, Vandy trailed in both home matchups. The Commodores, who had an 88-yard PAT return, trailed Austin Peay 6-5 midway through the first quarter. Vanderbilt responded for the win, and the two teams called the game early after a lightning delay was initiated with two minutes remaining in the fourth.
They trailed Delaware, 17-14, at halftime after the Blue Hens scored a field goal and two touchdowns. The Commodores were scoreless in the second quarter. Once again, Vandy responded in the second half, though Delaware made a fourth-period push to prevent the Commodores from getting comfortable.
Stepping into Diego Pavia’s position was never going to be easy.
It’s unclear what Vanderbilt’s quarterback situation will be after starter Blaze Berlowitz struggled in both starts. Berlowitz, a senior QB, has only thrown for 178 yards with a 56% completion rate through two games. He went 3 for 9 against Delaware, and he is without a passing touchdown.
Freshman Jared Curtis entered Saturday’s game and threw for 270 yards and one score. He netted 1 rushing yard and two touchdowns. They both fumbled the football against Delaware, with Berlowitz unable to retain possession on his error.
The duo combined for 73 rushing yards in the first two contests, though Curtis’ numbers are slightly skewed based on the sacks he took this weekend.
The Wolfpack will have to prepare for both quarterbacks with uncertainty around who it might see and when.
N.C. State looked much improved this week in nearly every area. Vanderbilt’s defense, however, was aggressive albeit inconsistent.
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The Commodores already have 11 sacks for a loss of 85 yards and 15 quarterback hurries. They added a pair of interceptions in this weekend’s victory.
Vanderbilt ranks No. 27 in run defense, allowing only 80 yards per game.
The Commodores are ranked fourth in third down conversion defense, as well. It held its first two opponents to a combined 16% conversion rate.
Those numbers say a few things. First, quarterback CJ Bailey will look to have a similar performance on Saturday to the one he had against Richmond. He looked poised, decisive and accurate. His receivers created space and got open. N.C. State will need precision in the pass game and solid pass protection to limit Vanderbilt’s turnover opportunities.
Additionally, N.C. State will want, and need, another strong effort in the run game. It may not put up 400 rushing yards, but it can’t be held under 100 yards like Week 0, either. A dynamic and dimensional offense can take advantage of the inconsistencies the Commodores have put on film.
Finally, N.C. State has a 52.2% third down conversion rate. It moved the chains on 80% of its third down opportunities against the Spiders, and 30.7% against Virginia. Similar to the rushing attack, the Wolfpack doesn’t need wild numbers. It just needs to maintain manageable down and distances to stay on the field.
Tim Beck serves as the Vanderbilt offensive coordinator, but, no, he’s not the same Tim Beck who used to coach at N.C. State and Coastal Carolina.
Vanderbilt’s Beck coached Diego Pavia and helped guide the Commodores in 2024 to their first winning season in more than a decade. Coastal Carolina’s Beck now works at South Florida, also as the offensive coordinator.
Through two games this season, Vanderbilt is averaging 367 yards per game and 31.5 points per game.
N.C. State seeks its first regular season road win over an SEC opponent since beating South Carolina, 38-21, in 1991.
It hasn’t beaten an SEC team since 2016, also against Vanderbilt, in the Independence Bowl. The roster featured Ryan Finley, Bradley Chubb, Jaylen Samuels and Nyheim Hines. At the time, it was the first win over an SEC opponent since 1999.
The Wolfpack beat South Carolina in 1999, but it was a home game. That same year, the program beat Texas on the road. The Longhorns, however, were still in the Big 12 and more than 20 years from joining the SEC.
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (1-1) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-0)
Where: First Bank Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Date: Sept. 19
Time: 12:45 p.m.
TV: SEC Network
Stream: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV
Betting line: N.C. State opened as a 4.5-point underdog, according to most major U.S. sportsbooks. ESPN analytics give Vanderbilt a 69% chance of winning.
Series history: Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 2-1, but N.C. State won the most-recent matchup a decade ago. The Wolfpack beat the Commodores, 41-17, in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 26, 2016. The Pack is 0-2 in Nashville, though its last true regular road game against Vanderbilt took place on Nov. 9, 1946. Vandy won 7-0.
This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline “NC State ran over Richmond. How can the Wolfpack do the same at Vanderbilt?.”
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