It did not take long for East Carolina andthe ACC's NC State Wolf Pack to find extra fuel for their matchup. The two teams closed out the 2024 season in the Military Bowl, where ECU pulled out a 26-21 win and tempers flared into a postgame brawl. Less than a year later, they meet again on North Carolina soil, and the tension is impossible to ignore.
East Carolina Pirates
The Pirates finished 8-5 in 2024, with their bowl win over the Wolfpack serving as a highlight. Quarterback Katin Houser, a transfer who took over midway through the season, went 5-2 as the starter. He threw 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while also showing mobility, including 84 rushing yards against NC State. With a full offseason to settle in, Houser is expected to bring more efficiency to the offense.
Wideout Yannick Smith returns as a proven weapon, having caught three touchdowns last season, while running back depth provides balance. The Pirates’ offense averaged over 30 points per game in their final six contests, a sign of growth late in the year.
The defense had its ups and downs in 2024 but delivered in the bowl win, holding NC State to just 21 points. They’ll need similar discipline again, though suspensions to multiple players, including defensive lineman P. Carr and J. Lampley, mean new faces will be tested right away.
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NC State Wolf Pack
The Wolfpack ended 2024 at 6-7, with their bowl loss and the aftermath leaving a bitter taste. But there is optimism heading into 2025, as second-year quarterback CJ Bailey begins the season as the clear starter. Thrust into action as a freshman, Bailey showed flashes of leadership and has had time to mature into the role.
NC State also enters with fresh looks on both sides of the ball under new coordinators. That adds some unpredictability to how they’ll line up against ECU, but the Wolfpack expect to be faster and sharper in execution. The defense, always a staple under Dave Doeren, aims to rebound after giving up more than 30 points in four of its final six games last fall.
A rivalry with edges
These teams have met 33 times, with NC State holding a 19-14 series lead. But the most recent memory is East Carolina celebrating a bowl win at the Wolfpack’s expense. Now back in Raleigh, the rematch carries an edge that goes beyond the standings.
For ECU, it is a chance to prove last year’s victory was no fluke. For NC State, it is about payback and restoring pride on their home field.
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