The latest weekend brought some dramatic finishes and a few statement performances across North Carolina college football. Duke stayed unbeaten, ECU picked up its first win of the season and…
Cayden Daniels of the Vanderbilt Commodores recovers a fumble in the end zone during the second half against NC State at FirstBank Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The latest weekend brought some dramatic finishes and a few statement performances across North Carolina college football. Duke stayed unbeaten, ECU picked up its first win of the season and App State remained perfect after a weather-delayed thriller against Charlotte, while UNC, NC State and Wake Forest each came up short.
North Carolina led Clemson 17-3 early, but the Tigers rallied for a 28-20 victory Saturday in Clemson in the ACC opener for both teams. Clemson outscored the Tar Heels 22-3 in the second half and went on a 25-3 run over the final 38 minutes, dropping UNC to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in ACC play while Clemson improved to 2-1 and 1-0. The Tar Heels had 208 rushing yards in the game, with Benjamin Hall accounting for 126. UNC’s next game is Saturday, Oct. 3, at home against No. 3 Notre Dame, with kickoff time still to be announced.
Duke opened ACC play with a 35-7 win over Stanford on Saturday, improving to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference while the Cardinal fell to 1-2 and 0-2. Nate Sheppard accounted for three touchdowns as Duke won its fifth consecutive ACC opener and extended its overall winning streak to seven games. The Blue Devils return home Saturday, Sept. 26, to face William & Mary at 3:30 p.m.
NC State suffered a painful 35-31 loss to Vanderbilt Saturday in Nashville, falling to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC while the Commodores improved to 3-0. The Wolfpack led 31-28 with a minute remaining and appeared to have a chance to run out the clock after Brody Barnhardt intercepted a Vanderbilt pass at the NC State 2-yard line, but the Commodores forced a fumble and recovered it for the winning touchdown with one second left. NC State returns home Saturday, Sept. 26, to host Appalachian State at 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte: Charlotte’s comeback bid at Appalachian State came up short, with the Mountaineers holding on for a 26-21 victory in a game delayed more than three hours by lightning. App State improved to 3-0 and took a 5-0 all-time record against Charlotte, while Malachi Singleton threw for a career-high 331 yards and two touchdowns for the Mountaineers. Charlotte pulled within five points on a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:58 remaining, but App State recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock. App State’s next game is Saturday, Sept. 26, at NC State, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The 49ers are scheduled to return home Saturday, Sept. 26, against Louisiana, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.
East Carolina earned its first victory of the season with a 20-17 road win at Old Dominion, improving to 1-2 while the Monarchs also fell to 1-2. The Pirates gave up 17 points in the second quarter but shut out Old Dominion after halftime, forcing two turnovers along the way, including a 67-yard pick-six by Ayden Duncanson. Noah Perez kicked three field goals, including the 24-yarder that put ECU ahead 20-17 with 9:39 remaining. The Pirates return home Saturday, Sept. 26, to host N.C. Central at 4 p.m.
Wake Forest dropped its ACC opener to No. 5 Miami 33-20 Friday night in Winston-Salem, falling to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play while the Hurricanes improved to 3-0 and 2-0. The Demon Deacons rallied in the second half after trailing 24-7 at halftime, with Gio Lopez throwing for 312 yards and Jack Foley catching five passes for 118 yards, but Miami scored a safety in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring. Wake Forest travels to No. 16 Louisville Saturday, Sept. 26, for a noon kickoff.
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