Also oursNFL Schedulethis site, for the NFLThe CFB Kingodds and projections — a paid site
CFB Schedule college football
CFBNFL
Wk 9 · 2026

California Golden Bears at NC State Wolfpack — Sat, Oct 31

Sat, Oct 31 · Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

Weather

No forecast yet. This one is 19 days away and has no kickoff time yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
at
TBDET
no line posted yet
Ratings differential NCSU by 7.3

What is at stake

A ACC game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

California: -3.4#82
Efficiency margin
NC State: +1.5#64
California: 29.3
Offense (pts/100)
NC State: 33.7
California: 23.7
Defense (pts/100)
NC State: 23.1
California: 71.2
Pace (plays/g)
NC State: 71.0
California: 5.58
Yards / play
NC State: 6.00
California: 5.60
Yards / play allowed
NC State: 6.06
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

California: 26.7
Points / game
NC State: 33.0
California: 25.5
Points allowed
NC State: 27.7
California: 397
Yards / game
NC State: 426
California: 368
Yards allowed
NC State: 364
California: 192
Pass yds allowed
NC State: 230
California: 175
Rush yds allowed
NC State: 134
California: 1.33
Turnovers / game
NC State: 1.50
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

California form

W 25-20vs VTL 31-39at UNLVL 10-24vs CLEMW 49-7vs WAGW 21-18at SYR
2026 season

NC State form

L 14-38vs WAKEW 31-28vs LOUW 41-31vs APPL 31-35at VANW 73-0vs RICH
2026 season

California this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread2-4 · 33% (6 games)
Over / under2-4 · 33% (6 games)

NC State this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread2-4 · 33% (6 games)
Over / under4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 4

OpponentCaliforniaNC State
Syracuse
ACC
at W 21-18 previewvs Wk 11 · scheduled preview
Wake Forest
ACC
vs Wk 7 · scheduled previewvs L 14-38 preview
Virginia
ACC
at Wk 11 · scheduled previewat L 8-34 preview
Stanford
ACC
vs Wk 12 · scheduled previewat Wk 8 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, NC State leads 1–0 · NC State won the last one
1 meeting in 2006–2026 · average margin 1.0 points toward NC State
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20242024-10-19NC State 24 — 23 Californiaat CALNC State

California leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJaron-Keawe Sagapolutele QB #3107/164, 1180 YDS, 8 TD, 5 INT
Jackson Brousseau QB #1129/48, 299 YDS, 2 TD
RushingAdam Mohammed RB #2473 CAR, 336 YDS, 3 TD
Ashten Emory RB #2028 CAR, 103 YDS, 2 TD
Tyree Sams WR #813 CAR, 28 YDS
ReceivingIan Strong WR #923 REC, 299 YDS, 1 TD
Chase Hendricks WR #732 REC, 267 YDS, 2 TD
Adam Mohammed RB #2417 REC, 168 YDS, 1 TD
Mason Mini TE #8512 REC, 152 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesKingston Lopa DB #229
AJ Tuitele LB #927
Tristan Jernigan LB #3225
SacksAJ Tuitele LB #93
Daniel Harris DB #72
Nate Burrell DL #981
InterceptionsKingston Lopa DB #25
Aiden Manutai DB #141
Isaiah Crosby DB #231

NC State leaders 2026 regular season

PassingCJ Bailey QB #1198/150, 1266 YDS, 8 TD, 4 INT
Will Wilson QB #108/11, 33 YDS, 1 TD
RushingJayden Scott RB #162 CAR, 358 YDS, 4 TD
Davion Gause RB #746 CAR, 188 YDS, 1 TD
Will Wilson QB #1035 CAR, 166 YDS, 6 TD
ReceivingKeenan Jackson WR #822 REC, 339 YDS, 5 TD
Preston Douglas TE #1919 REC, 241 YDS, 1 TD
Joshisa Trader WR #216 REC, 221 YDS
Davion Gause RB #710 REC, 117 YDS
Defense
TacklesPopo Aguirre LB #042
Brian Nelson II CB #724
Ronnie Royal III S #218
SacksElijah Satchell LB #582
Harvey Dyson III LB #51.5
Chase Bond DE #921
InterceptionsJackson Vick CB #221
Brody Barnhardt S #291
Jaren Sensabaugh CB #141
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.