NC State vs. Virginia Week 0 ACC matchup

North Carolina State and Virginia will open their 2026 football seasons against each other in an early Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, August 29. The Week 0 game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia, and will be broadcast on ESPN.

The contest marks a rare early-season conference game for both programs. It was originally slated to be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but was relocated after the event's organizer canceled the international game. The matchup brings together two teams coming off successful bowl victories to conclude the 2025 campaign.

Virginia enters the season opener as a slight favorite, with sportsbooks listing the Cavaliers as 4.5-point favorites. The team is looking to build on a breakthrough 2025 season in which it posted an 11-3 overall record and a 7-1 mark in ACC play. The Cavaliers won the ACC regular-season championship, advanced to the conference title game, and capped the year with a 13-7 victory over Missouri in the Gator Bowl.

NC State finished the 2025 season with an 8-5 record, including a 4-4 conference mark. The Wolfpack gained momentum by winning their final three games, highlighted...