NC State football nonconference game contracts, pay for 2026 season – The Fayetteville Observer

N.C. State football will break even with its 2026 nonconference schedule and receive money for its opening game of the season. 
According to documents obtained by the Fayetteville Observer/USA TODAY Network through a public records request, N.C. State is only paying one of its three nonconference opponents in the 2026 season. The Wolfpack will payout $400,000 and receive $400,000, breaking even with its out-of-league games this year. 
The ACC is transitioning to a nine-game league schedule in 2026, with N.C. State being one of 12 teams in the 17-squad conference to participate before full implementation in 2027.
With the Wolfpack going to nine conference games, N.C. State is limited to three nonconference games moving forward as part of the ACC’s scheduling shift. The Wolfpack hosts Richmond and Appalachian State, and travels to Vanderbilt for its marquee matchup on the nonconference slate. 
N.C. State opens the season against Virginia on Aug. 29 in Charlottesville. The ACC matchup was originally scheduled to take place in Brazil before both programs decided to keep the game in America. The Wolfpack is set to receive $1.5 million because of the cancellation of the Rio de Janeiro event. 
During ACC media days in Charlotte, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said there was “serious doubt about whether the city and the area involved would be able to pull this game off” between the Wolfpack and Cavaliers. 
Here’s a breakdown of N.C. State’s three nonconference matchups and the game contracts for each of them in the 2026 season. 
The Mountaineers have hosted several Power Four programs at Kidd Brewer Stadium, better known as “The Rock,” in Boone across the years. N.C. State was set to be the latest team to make the trek to the mountains in 2025, but that matchup was postponed to 2028 after changes to the ACC schedule requirements. The original contract was signed in 2021 and updated in 2025. 
The Wolfpack will welcome App State to Raleigh on Saturday, Sept. 26. It previously paid the Mountaineers $300,000 to reschedule the first meeting in the series. Given the constant shift in scheduling among Power Four programs, the game could ultimately be canceled. If it is, there’s a $2.5-million cancellation penalty. 
The Wolfpack will host Richmond in its home opener on Friday, Sept. 11 (7 p.m., ESPNU), at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Spiders were originally set to play N.C. State on Saturday, Sept. 12, before the game was moved due to TV purposes. According to game contract details, Richmond will receive $400,000 to play in Raleigh. 
For the first time since 2012, N.C. State will play Vanderbilt in Nashville. The Commodores will pay the Wolfpack $400,00 for playing the game in Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 19 (12:45 p.m., SEC Network). According to the contract, which was signed in 2015, Vandy will return the favor by visiting Raleigh in 2028. Both games are scheduled for mid-September.
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to[email protected].

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