| NC State Wolfpack football | |||
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| First season | 1892 | ||
| Head coach | Tom O'Brien | ||
| 4th year, 25–25 (.500) | |||
| Home stadium | Carter–Finley Stadium | ||
| Stadium capacity | 57,583[1] | ||
| Stadium surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina | ||
| Conference | ACC | ||
| Division | Atlantic | ||
| All-time record | 543–531–55 (.505) | ||
| Postseason bowl record | 14–11–1 | ||
| Claimed national titles | 0 | ||
| Conference titles | 11 (7 ACC, 1 Southern) | ||
| Heisman winners | 0 | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 6 | ||
| Current uniform | |||
| Colors | Red and White | ||
| Fight song | NC State Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Mr. Wuf | ||
| Marching band | The Power Sound of the South | ||
| Rivals | North Carolina East Carolina Wake Forest Duke Clemson South Carolina |
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| Website | GoPack.com | ||
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in the sport of American football. The Wolfpack competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Prior to joining the ACC in 1953, the Wolfpack were a member of the Southern Conference. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won seven conference championships and participated in 25 bowl games, of which the team has won thirteen.
Since 1966 the Wolfpack has played its home games in Carter-Finley Stadium. On September 16, 2010 NC State restored the tradition of having a live mascot on the field as a wolf-like Tamaskan Dog named "Tuffy" was on the sidelines for the Cincinnati game in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2]
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NC State (then known as The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts) played its first football game against a team from the Raleigh Male Academy on March 12, 1892 in what is now Pullen Park. The Aggies, whose colors were pink and blue, won 12-6 in front of more than 200 spectators. The following year, the school played its first intercollegiate game: a 12-6 victory over Tennessee College.[3] The program's long-standing rivalry with nearby University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began on October 12, 1894 with a 44-0 UNC victory in Chapel Hill. Eight days later, the team (then called the Farmers) lost again to UNC, 16-0 in Raleigh.[4] In 1895, under third-year coach Bart Gatling, the team wore red and white uniforms for the first time.[3] Over the next five seasons the program continued to try to establish itself, achieving only one winning season during the period. The football team has also only had scholarship football players since 1933, prior to that all Wolfpack athletics consisted entirely of non-scholarship student athletes.
In 1906, in a game against Randolph-Macon in Raleigh, the Farmers attempted their first forward pass, a play that had only recently become legal and at the time was still considered a "trick" play.[3] The following season was the program's most successful yet. Under coach Mickey Whitehurst, A&M won the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship with a 6-0-1 record. That season, the program also recorded its first ever victory over the University of Virginia.[5] The Farmers played their home games that season on campus at the New Athletic Park, which would later be known as Riddick Stadium.[6] In addition to Pullen Park, the state fairgrounds had hosted some games prior to the opening of the new stadium.[6]
The team won a second South Atlantic championship in 1910 under coach Edward Green, finishing with a record of 4-0-2. A win over Virginia Tech in Norfolk that season was dubbed the "biggest game ever played in the South". Coach Green led team to a third conference championship in 1913, with a record of 6-1.[6]
The 1918 season was cut short due to the United States' entrance into World War I and a severe flu outbreak on campus. The team's roster was depleted, its schedule reduced to four games, and practice was suspended for five weeks in October and November. A week after practice resumed, State College, as the school was then called, led by coach Tal Stafford, was defeated 128-0 by Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Tackle John Ripple was named the program's first All-American. The following season, on October 23, the Farmers resumed play with North Carolina after a 14-year hiatus. The Tar Heels won the game 13-12 in Raleigh. It wasn't until 1920 that A&M defeated the rival Tar Heels for the first time.[6]
In 1921 State College began wearing red sweaters and were referred to by the local media as the Wolfpack. The program joined the Southern Conference that year and would win the conference title six seasons later under coach Gus Tebell. The 1930 season saw the installation of field lighting at Riddick Stadium, as the Wolfpack defeated High Point University, 37-0, in the team's first ever night game.[6]
In 1945 State hired Beattie Feathers as head coach. Feathers, a former star at Tennessee and the first NFL running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, compiled a 37-38-8 record in eight seasons, the program's most successful coaching tenure yet. In Feathers' second season, Wolfpack defensive player Howard "Touchdown" Turner returned an interception 105 yards against Duke, a record that still stands as the longest play in Wolfpack history. The 1946 season began with wins over Duke and Clemson, earning the program their first appearance in the UPI poll (19th). 1947 saw the Wolfpack reach their first ever bowl game, the second annual Gator Bowl. The team lost to Oklahoma, 34-13, and finished the season at 8-3, the highest win total since finishing 9-1 in 1927. The Wolfpack's first ever nationally televised game was played in 1950. State defeated eight-ranked Maryland 16-13 in College Park.[6]
NC State joined the newly formed Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953 as a charter member. The team finished 1-9 that year under head coach Doc Newton.[6]
Earle Edwards was hired as the team's head coach before the 1954 season. Edwards had previously been an assistant at Michigan State under Biggie Munn and at Penn State under Bob Higgins.[7]
From 1891 until 1907, the school's first teams played on the open fields that surrounded campus, either at Pullen Park, at the old North Carolina State Fairgrounds or on the farm tracts on the "other" side of the railroad tracks. In 1907, faculty members, alumni and students began collecting money to enclose a large tract of land behind the Main Building that would become the home of the football and baseball teams. The Aggies played their first game there against Randolph Macon, recording a 20-0 win. Wooden grandstands slowly rose on the site, and it was named Riddick Field in 1912, after popular professor W.C. Riddick, who is remembered as the father of athletics at the school.[8]
Carter-Finley Stadium is the current home to the football team. It was opened in 1966 and now has a seating capacity of 57,583 seats.
The stadium replaced the obsolete on-campus Riddick Stadium and was originally named Carter Stadium, in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. The name of Albert E. Finley, another major contributor to the University, was added in 1978.
Carter-Finley has been the home to some of the school’s most decorated athletes: Jim Donnan, Gerald Warren, Dennis Byrd, the Buckey twins (Don and Dave), ACC-career rushing leader Ted Brown, Joe McIntosh, Erik Kramer, Jamie Barnette, Torry Holt, ACC-passing leader Philip Rivers, NFL No. 1 pick Mario Williams, and Russell Wilson.[8]
Since the 1960s the Wolfpack has been represented at athletic events by its mascots, Mr. and Ms. Wuf. In print, the 'Strutting Wolf' is used and is known by the name 'Tuffy.' In September 2010, a purebred Tamaskan Dog became the new "Tuffy" Live Mascot.[9][10][11][12][13]
| Rival | First Meeting | Series Leader | Series Record |
| Clemson Tigers | 1899 | Clemson | 27–51–1 |
| Duke Blue Devils | 1924 | Duke | 36–40–5 |
| East Carolina Pirates | 1970 | NC State | 16–11–0 |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | 1894 | North Carolina | 32–63–6 |
| South Carolina Gamecocks | 1900 | South Carolina | 26–27–4 |
| Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 1895 | NC State | 62–36–6 |
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| Year | Conference | Head Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
| 1907 | South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Mickey Whitehurst | 6–0–1 | 5–0–0 |
| 1910 | South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Eddie Green | 4–0–2 | 2–0–2 |
| 1913 | South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Eddie Green | 6–1–0 | 3–0–0 |
| 1927 | Southern Conference | Gus Tebell | 9–1–0 | 4–0–0 |
| 1957 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 7–1–2 | 5–0–1 |
| 1963 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 8–3–0 | 6–1–0 |
| 1964 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 5–5–0 | 5–2–0 |
| 1965 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 6–4–0 | 5–2–0 |
| 1968 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Earle Edwards | 6–4–0 | 6–1–0 |
| 1973 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Lou Holtz | 9–3–0 | 6–0–0 |
| 1979 | Atlantic Coast Conference | Bo Rein | 7–4–0 | 5–1–0 |
| 11 Conference Championships | ||||
| Year | Record | Final AP Poll Rank | Final Coaches Poll Rank |
| 1946 | 8–3–0 | 18 | — |
| 1947 | 5–3–1 | 17 | — |
| 1957 | 7–1–2 | 15 | 20 |
| 1967 | 9–2–0 | — | 17 |
| 1972 | 8–3–1 | 17 | — |
| 1973 | 9–3–0 | 16 | — |
| 1974 | 9–2–1 | 11 | 9 |
| 1977 | 8–4–0 | — | 19 |
| 1978 | 9–3–0 | 18 | 19 |
| 1988 | 8–3–1 | — | 17 |
| 1991 | 9–3–0 | 24 | 25 |
| 1992 | 9–3–1 | 17 | 15 |
| 1994 | 9–3–0 | 17 | 17 |
| 2002 | 11–3–0 | 12 | 11 |
| 2010 | 9-4–0 | 25 | 25 |
| 15 Years | 12 Final Appearances | 11 Final Appearances | |
| Conference champions† | Conference co-champions‡ | Division co-champions♦ | Bowl game berth^ | Shared standing T |
| Season | Head coach | Conference | Season results | Bowl result | Final poll | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final standings | Wins | Losses | Ties | Associated Press | USA Today Coaches' | ||||||
| Conference | Division | ||||||||||
| NC State Wolfpack | |||||||||||
| 1986 | Dick Sheridan | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 8 | 3 | 1 | L Peach Bowl vs. Virginia Tech, 24–25 | — | — | ||
| 1987 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 8 | 3 | 1 | W Peach Bowl vs. Iowa, 28–23 | — | — | |||
| 1989 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 7 | 5 | — | L Copper Bowl vs. Arizona, 10–17 | — | — | |||
| 1990 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 7 | 5 | — | W All–American Bowl vs. Southern Miss, 31–27 | — | — | |||
| 1991 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 9 | 3 | — | L Peach Bowl vs. East Carolina, 34–37 | — | — | |||
| 1992 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 9 | 3 | 1 | L Gator Bowl vs. Florida, 10–27 | — | — | |||
| 1993 | Mike O'Cain | Atlantic Coast Conference | 5th | — | 7 | 5 | — | L Hall of Fame Bowl vs. Michigan, 7–42 | — | — | |
| 1994 | Atlantic Coast Conference | 2nd | — | 9 | 3 | — | W Peach Bowl vs. Mississippi State, 28–24 | 17 | 17 | ||
| 1995 | Atlantic Coast Conference | 7th | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–6th | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–6th | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–4th | — | 7 | 5 | — | L Micron PC Bowl vs. Miami (FL), 23–46 | — | — | ||
| 1999 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–5th | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000 | Chuck Amato | Atlantic Coast Conference | 5th | — | 8 | 4 | — | W MicronPC.com Bowl vs. Minnesota, 38–30 | — | — | |
| 2001 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–4th | — | 7 | 5 | — | L Tangerine Bowl vs. Pittsburgh, 19–34 | — | — | ||
| 2002 | Atlantic Coast Conference | 4th | — | 11 | 3 | — | W Gator Bowl vs. Notre Dame, 28–6 | 12 | 11 | ||
| 2003 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–4th | — | 8 | 5 | — | W Tangerine Bowl vs. Kansas, 56–26 | — | — | ||
| 2004 | Atlantic Coast Conference | T–8th | — | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | T–4th | 7 | 5 | — | W Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. South Florida, 14–0 | — | — | ||
| 2006 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 6th | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | Tom O'Brien | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | T–5th | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | T–3rd | 6 | 7 | — | L PapaJohns.com Bowl vs. Rutgers, 23–29 | — | — | ||
| 2009 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 5th | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | T–2nd | 9 | 4 | — | W Champs Sports Bowl vs. West Virginia, 23–7 | 25 | 25 | ||
| 2011 | Atlantic Coast Conference | — | 4th | 8 | 5 | — | W Belk Bowl vs. Louisville, 31–24 | — | — | ||
| Total | 537 | 525 | 54 | (only includes regular season games) | |||||||
| 14 | 11 | 1 | (only includes bowl games; 26 appearances) | ||||||||
| 551 | 536 | 55 | (all games) | ||||||||
All records per NC State Athletics.[18]
| Years | Head Coach | ACC Record | Overall Record | Percentage |
| 1892, 1896–97 | Perrin Busbee | — | 3–2–0 | .600 |
| 1893–95 | Bart Gatling | — | 3–4–1 | .437 |
| 1898–99 | W.C. Riddick | — | 1–3–2 | .333 |
| 1900–01 | John McKee | — | 1–6–0 | .143 |
| 1902–03 | Arthur Devlin | — | 7–8–2 | .471 |
| 1904 | W.S. Kienholz | — | 3–1–2 | .667 |
| 1905 | George Whitney | — | 4–1–1 | .750 |
| 1906 | Willie Heston | — | 3–1–4 | .625 |
| 1907–08 | Mickey Whitehurst | — | 12–1–1 | .893 |
| 1909–13 | Eddie Green | — | 25–8–2 | .743 |
| 1914–15 | Jack Hegarty | — | 5–6–2 | .461 |
| 1916 | Brit Patterson | — | 2–5–0 | .286 |
| 1917, 1921–23 | Harry Hartsell | — | 16–18–4 | .474 |
| 1918 | Tal Stafford | — | 1–3–0 | .250 |
| 1919–20 | Bill Fetzer | — | 14–5–0 | .737 |
| 1924 | Buck Shaw | — | 2–6–2 | .300 |
| 1925–29 | Gus Tebell | — | 21–25–2 | .479 |
| 1930 | John Van Liew | — | 2–8–0 | .200 |
| 1931–33 | Clipper Smith | — | 10–12–5 | .463 |
| 1934–36 | Heartley Anderson | — | 11–17–1 | .396 |
| 1937–43 | Doc Newton | — | 24–39–6 | .391 |
| 1944–51 | Beattie Feathers | — | 37–38–3 | .494 |
| 1952–53 | Horace Hendrickson | 0–3–0 | 4–16–0 | .200 |
| 1954–70 | Earle Edwards | 55–45–5 | 77–88–8 | .468 |
| 1971 | Al Michaels | 2–5–0 | 3–8–0 | .273 |
| 1972–75 | Lou Holtz | 16–5–2 | 33–12–3 | .719 |
| 1976–79 | Bo Rein | 15–8–0 | 27–18–1 | .619 |
| 1980–82 | Monte Kiffin | 8–10–0 | 16–17–0 | .485 |
| 1983–85 | Tom Reed | 4–17–0 | 9–24–0 | .273 |
| 1986–92 | Dick Sheridan | 31–18–1 | 52–29–3 | .637 |
| 1993–99 | Mike O'Cain | 26–30–0 | 41–40–0 | .506 |
| 2000–06 | Chuck Amato | 25–31–0 | 49–37–0 | .570 |
| 2007–present | Tom O'Brien | 14–18–0 | 25–25–0 | .500 |
| 33 Head Coaches | 196–190–8 | 543–531–55 | .505 | |
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