Louisville Cardinals 28 · NC State Wolfpack 31
2026-10-03 · Carter-Finley Stadium
Carter-Finley Stadium · 2026-10-03
The final score was Louisville Cardinals 28 · NC State Wolfpack 31. The breakdown below uses this game’s figures, separate from season averages.
Louisville Cardinals
NC State WolfpackThe scoring path
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Cardinals | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
| NC State Wolfpack | 3 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 31 |
| Measure | Louisville Cardinals | NC State Wolfpack |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 22 | 26 |
| Total yards | 485 | 493 |
| Passing yards | 254 | 373 |
| Rushing yards | 231 | 120 |
| Third-down conversions | 4-9 | 9-17 |
| Giveaways | 3 | 1 |
| Possession time | 22:40 | 37:20 |
Third-down conversion is shown as its own measure. It is not a substitute for overall play success rate. A dash means the source did not supply that field.
The Lab’s result test
NC State Wolfpack won by 3 points. Q1 supplied the largest scoring swing in the winner’s favor, a +3-points period. The chart shows the result’s path; the box score helps explain what created it.
Louisville Cardinals produced 485 total yards; NC State Wolfpack produced 493. Yardage describes how much ground was gained, not whether the most valuable drives were finished.
NC State Wolfpack committed 1 giveaways against the opponent’s 3. That possession advantage gave the winner fewer mistakes to overcome.
The next test is repeatability. Separate staying on schedule from long gains, then examine field position and drive finishing. A large yardage total can coexist with missed scoring chances; a short field can make a modest drive valuable.
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