Louisville Visits NC State Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network

Louisville looks to rebound from a loss to Wake Forest when it travels to Raleigh to face NC State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with coverage on the ACC Network.

Louisville visits NC State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Week 5 ACC matchup airs on the ACC Network, with radio coverage on the Louisville Radio Network (93.9 FM and 970 AM). Qualified subscribers can stream the game at espn.com/watch.

Both teams enter with one loss in ACC play. The programs' most recent meeting in Raleigh came in 2023, when Louisville held on for a 13-10 victory.

The Cardinals arrive off a 30-27 home defeat to Wake Forest in Week 4. In that game, Louisville finished with more penalty yards (90) than rushing yards (75), surrendered nine plays of 10 or more yards, and missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, one of which was blocked.

The issues extended beyond a single week. Through the first month of the season, the Cardinals have repeatedly given up big plays on defense, have yet to establish a consistent running game, and have drawn penalties on both sides of the ball in each outing. Coach Jeff Brohm has said the team has worked to clean up the penalties, but they have continued to appear.

NC State is still searching for its first win over a Power Four conference opponent. The Wolfpack beat Richmond 73-0 in Week 2 and Appalachian State 41-31 in Week 4, but opened the season with a 34-8 road loss to Virginia, a game in which all eight points came in the third quarter and the offense totaled 168 yards. NC State then fell 35-31 to Vanderbilt when quarterback CJ Bailey fumbled the ball away in the end zone in the closing seconds while trying to run out the clock. The Wolfpack have committed seven turnovers this season, five of them against the Commodores and Cavaliers.

Field goals could factor into a tight game, and both teams have productive kickers. Louisville's Carson Hilbert made his first five field goals of the season, including a career-best 54-yarder against Wake Forest, before missing from 42 yards later in that game; he has missed one extra point and ranks second on the team with 34 points. Teammate Nick Keller, holder of the school record with a 57-yard field goal, made his season debut against the Demon Deacons and had a kick that could have matched the record blocked. NC State's Kanoah Vinesett has converted his first four field goals, with a season long of 45 yards against Richmond, and is 19-for-19 on extra points.

Louisville players to watch include running back Isaac Brown, who has been managing a knee injury and was held to 33 rushing yards against Wake Forest; safety Blake Ruffin, who steps into the starting STAR role after Antonio Watts was lost for the season and recorded five tackles in his first start since 2023; and wide receiver Tre Richardson, a Vanderbilt transfer who has lined up at both receiver and running back and produced 85 yards on five catches plus eight yards on two carries last week.

For NC State, Bailey has completed 67.3 percent of his passes (74 of 110) for 893 yards and six touchdowns this season, including 253 passing yards and two scores against Appalachian State. Linebacker Popo Aguirre, a Miami transfer, leads the Wolfpack in tackles and set a career high with 10 against the Mountaineers. Running back Jayden "Duke" Scott ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in that win, his third career 100-yard rushing game, and his 6.1 yards per carry ranks eighth in the ACC.