Sports · American Football · 3 hrs ago
NC State fires Dave Doeren after loss to Stanford
NC State fired Dave Doeren after he coached the Wolfpack for 14 seasons.
The move came after a 31-28 loss at Stanford left the team with a 3-4 record and a 1-3 mark in ACC play.
Doeren leaves as the winningest coach in school history, but he never led NC State to an ACC championship game.
Todd Goebbel will coach the team for now; he is a running backs coach and special teams coordinator who has been on the staff since 2019.
The school says its national search starts immediately as it looks for a permanent replacement.
Names discussed as possible candidates include former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers and UNLV coach Dan Mullen.
Rivers has no college coaching experience, but he coaches high school football and his son Gunner is committed to NC State for 2027.
NC State has parted ways with head coach Dave Doeren after 14 seasons, the school announced Saturday.
The decision came a day after the Wolfpack lost 31-28 at Stanford.
NC State was 3-4 in the 2026 season.
Doeren led the team to 11 bowl appearances, but never more than nine wins in a season or an appearance in the ACC championship game.
The sources give different career records for Doeren: CBS Sports reports 98-73, while ESPN reports 95-70.
- Who
- NC State and head coach Dave Doeren.
- What
- NC State parted ways with Doeren after 14 seasons.
- When
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, a day after the team’s loss at Stanford.
- Where
- NC State; the team’s latest game was at Stanford.
- Why
- The move followed a 3-4 start and a 31-28 loss to Stanford. The school did not state a specific reason.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Doeren took over as head coach of the Wolfpack.
NC State lost 31-28 at Stanford.
NC State announced it had parted ways with Doeren.
- Tenure
- 14 seasons
- 2026 record
- 3-4
- Latest result
- Lost 31-28 at Stanford
- Bowl appearances
- 11 in 14 seasons
- Career record
- CBS Sports: 98-73; ESPN: 95-70
- Interim coach
- Running backs coach Todd Goebbel
5 sources
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What people are saying
I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride,
I appreciate his leadership during his 14-year tenure and the passion he brought to this role.