NC State, Virginia Are Kicking Off 2026 Seasons Saturday Afternoon In Charlottesville
A season ago NC State, Virginia played in North Carolina’s state capital on Saturday September 6, 2025 and NC State won 35-31 as the two teams scheduled it as a non- conference game when Cian Slone, who dropped into pass coverage and picked off Virginia's final pass in the end zone.
This season 2026 season NC State, Virginia are kicking off the season against each other on Saturday August 29, 2026 in North Carolina’s state capital Quarterback CJ Bailey accounted for the Pack's first-half touchdowns, rushing for a 30-yard score on a QB draw in the open quarter and then in the second, dropping a beautiful pass over the outstretched fingers of the safety and into the hands of Noah Rogers for a 27-yard touchdown.
Despite the offensive fireworks, the Pack's defense couldn't get off the field in the first half. Virginia ran 45 plays, extending multiple drives by converting an astonishing 10-of-13 on third down.
The Pack's first possession on offense resulted in an 8-play, 75-yard drive capped by Hollywood Smother's 14-yard score, making it 24-21 in favor of the Cavaliers.NC State outscored Virginia 21-7 in the second half en route to another thrilling win at sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium.
Following NC State’s 35-31 win over Virginia Head Coach Dave Doeren shared his thoughts on then NC State running back Hollywood Smothers who now is Texas running for Texas following transferring in 2026 by saying He wants the football," If you don't give it to him, he's not going to complain. He's going to block. He's going to run routes. He doesn't care. He just wants to win."
Hollywood Smothers response?
I want the ball, so that's what I'll be telling them,"
"My offensive coordinator trusts me, the team trusts me to run the ball."
According to Jeff Gravely article https://gopack.com/news/2025/9/7/football-second-half-response-leads-to-win-over-virginia
While NC State won 35-31 Virginia meanwhile took the loss 35-31 Chandler Morris who is quarterback tried to hit tailback J’Mari Taylor on a wheel route, and defensive end Cian Slone picked off the pass in the end zone.
Following Virginia’s 35-31 loss to NC State Head Coach Tony Elliott shared his thoughts by saying “Super proud of the guys,Thought they battled their tails off, thought we grew up a little bit as a football team. But still, no moral victories. Non-conference or not, we came down here to win and we came up short … We’re gonna own it, we’re gonna get better, and we gotta go 1-0 next week.”
According to https://virginiasports.com/news/2025/09/6/cavaliers-edged-by-nc-state-35-31
The game is going to be televised on either ESPN/ ACC Network with Wes Durham, Max Browne, Madison Fitzpatrick commentating!
Wes Durham is a play-by-play commentator for ESPN and ACC Network, ESPN’s network devoted to Atlantic Coast Conference sports. Durham, a highly respected and accomplished broadcaster who has been around college sports and the ACC his entire life, calls college football and basketball games on ESPN platforms in addition to contributing to ACCN studio shows.
One of the original hires when ACC Network launched in 2019, Durham previously co-hosted the Packer and Durham morning show alongside Mark Packer – a program they started in 2018 as ACC This Morning on SiriusXM ACC Radio. After three years on ACCN, Durham shifted to a play-by-play-centric role for the network.
In 2023, Durham was named the play-by-play voice for ACC Primetime Football, where he calls weekly high-profile ACC games with Tom Luginbill and Dana Boyle. During the men’s college basketball season, Durham is also one of the network’s lead game-callers.
Durham’s name has been synonymous with the ACC for years. He was the radio voice for Georgia Tech from 1995-2013 before joining Fox Sports South/Raycom Sports to handle play-by-play duties for ACC football, basketball and baseball games. Durham’s family also has a special history in the conference. His father, Woody, was the legendary “Voice of the Tar Heels” for 40 years.
Since 2020, Durham has contributed to ESPN’s coverage of the PGA Championship as a play-by-play commentator on Featured Group streams on ESPN+
In addition to working in the ACC, Durham had stints early in his career as the radio announcer of athletic teams at Marshall, Radford and Vanderbilt.
Beyond his ESPN roles, Durham has been the radio play-by-play voice for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons since 2004.
A native of Cary, N.C., Durham graduated from Elon University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications.
Durham learned about broadcasting while working at Elon’s WSOE student radio, where he called 150 football and basketball games in four years as an undergraduate.
Durham was inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2015, while Elon’s School of Communications honored him as its Distinguished Alumnus in April 2013. An 11-time winner of the Georgia Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association (NSMA), Durham is a longtime member of the NSMA board and in 2022 he became president of the board.
Max Browne joined ESPN as a college football analyst for ACC Network in 2025. A former quarterback and captain at both USC and Pitt, Browne’s broadcasting career includes roles with The CW, Pac-12 Network, Stadium and USC. He also hosts his own self-titled football-themed Max Browne Show on YouTube.
A standout quarterback from Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash., Browne was named Gatorade National Football Player of the Year in 2012, earned Washington State Gatorade Player of the Year honors twice and was USA Today’s High School Offensive Player of the Year. He set Washington prep records for most passing yards (12,953) and completions (882), totaling 146 touchdown passes across his high school career.
Browne holds degrees in business, communications and marketing, and is active in athlete mental health advocacy through “The Hidden Opponent” with his wife, Victoria Garrick-Browne – a fellow USC alum, former Trojans volleyball player and successful podcaster. The couple lives in Santa Monica.
Madison Fitzpatrick joined ESPN as a volleyball analyst and sideline reporter in 2023 after a standout career at Florida State University. A former captain of the Seminoles’ beach volleyball team, Fitzpatrick was a two-time NCAA national championship runner-up and earned multiple academic and athletic honors while completing her master’s degree in journalism.
Since joining ESPN, Fitzpatrick has covered indoor and beach volleyball as a sideline reporter, including the NCAA Championships, while also hosting on ACC Network. In 2026, Fitzpatrick expanded her role to college football, working the sideline for ACC Network Primetime Football games.
In her free time, Madison is a foodie and travel enthusiast who loves to write, explore new places, workout, play beach volleyball and spend time with friends and family.
According to https://espnpressroom.com/bio/wes-durham/
https://espnpressroom.com/bio/max-browne/
https://espnpressroom.com/bio/madison-fitzpatrick/