R ALEIGH — The biggest week of the 2025 football season has arrived in the Triangle, as NC State (6-5, 3-4 ACC) is ready to host its archrival, North Carolina (4-7, 2-5 ACC), on Saturday under the bright lights of a raucous Carter-Finley Stadium.

Against the weaker offenses that it’s faced (Virginia Tech, Florida State, East Carolina), the Pack defense didn’t allow many trips into the red zone and had a lot of success the few times those teams got there. UNC has to cash in red zone opportunities when they arise.

NC State is 8-4 in the series under head coach Dave Doeren and has won four in a row. It could win its fifth straight on Saturday.

It has not been the season that the North Carolina Tar Heels scripted, as the team is entering the season finale with a 4-7 record, having already been eliminat

The heated UNC-NC State rivalry never carries much weight nationally. It's purely regional, and that's why we love it.

It's UNC football at N.C. State in a Tobacco Road rivalry game. Here are some things to watch and a prediction for Tar Heels vs. Wolfpack.

The sophomore has been the most reliable target for Lopez throughout the 2025 season. While he didn't get much action for the Tar Heels as a freshman, the Charlotte native opted to stick around for another season and has proven himself as the top dog in the Tar Heel receiver corps, despite the struggles at the quarterback position.