# NC State Fires Dave Doeren After 31-28 Loss at Stanford The Wolfpack ended its 14-season run with the winningest coach in program history, named Todd Goebbel interim coach and opened a national search for a successor. By The Signal Edition | Sports / College Football Published: 2026-10-24T22:36:00Z Updated: 2026-10-24T22:36:00Z Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/nc-state-fires-dave-doeren-103l7rd Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/de16b733fb8fcd862741c1d2c048d312.jpg (Dave Doeren speaks at an NC State football press conference while wearing a red Wolfpack shirt and black cap; credit: Source: WRAL) ## Summary - NC State relieved Dave Doeren of his duties Saturday after a 3-4 start and a 31-28 loss at Stanford. - Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. - Doeren finished 98-74 across 14 seasons and leaves as the winningest head coach in Wolfpack history. - Athletic director Boo Corrigan said a national search for the next coach would begin immediately. ## NC State ends the Dave Doeren era NC State fired football coach Dave Doeren on Saturday, ending a 14-season tenure one day after the Wolfpack lost 31-28 at Stanford. Athletic director Boo Corrigan said Doeren had been relieved of his duties effective immediately, according to the university announcement carried by Inside Pack Sports and independently reported by WRAL. [1](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/nc-state-announces-change-in-leadership-for-wolfpack-football) [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) Todd Goebbel, the team's running backs coach and special teams coordinator, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Goebbel has worked on the NC State staff since 2019. The university said it would begin a national search for Doeren's permanent successor immediately. [1](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/nc-state-announces-change-in-leadership-for-wolfpack-football) [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) ## Stanford defeat followed a 3-4 start The decision followed NC State's second consecutive loss and left the Wolfpack 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Stanford produced nearly 500 yards of offense in the Friday night game, building a 14-0 lead before NC State rallied to tie it. The Cardinal then scored 14 unanswered points and held on after the Wolfpack's late touchdown and unsuccessful onside kick. [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) [3](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/football-wolfpack-unable-to-get-past-stanford) NC State's defense allowed Stanford running back Micah Ford to gain 150 yards on 22 carries, the most by a player against the Wolfpack this season. Quarterback CJ Bailey completed 17 of 30 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns for NC State, while short-yardage quarterback Will Wilson added two rushing scores. [3](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/football-wolfpack-unable-to-get-past-stanford) Doeren accepted responsibility in his postgame news conference, saying, “It starts with me,” and adding that he had not prepared the team well enough. He said the healthy defense had no excuse for being out-physicaled in the second half. Hours later, the university made the coaching change official. [1](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/nc-state-announces-change-in-leadership-for-wolfpack-football) [4](https://insidepacksports.com/s/19530/head-coach-dave-doeren-i-didnt-have-them-ready) ## Doeren leaves as NC State's wins leader Doeren compiled a 98-74 record at NC State and became the winningest head coach in program history, WRAL reported. He arrived in Raleigh before the 2013 season after leading Northern Illinois to consecutive Mid-American Conference championships and an Orange Bowl berth. His NC State teams qualified for bowls in 11 of his first 13 seasons and recorded four nine-win campaigns through 2025. [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) [3](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/football-wolfpack-unable-to-get-past-stanford) The 2026 season began with hopes of contending in the ACC but opened with a lopsided loss at Virginia. A last-second defeat at Vanderbilt and an October home loss to Wake Forest added pressure before the Stanford game. WRAL reported that Doeren was under contract through Dec. 31, 2029, and that the school could owe about $9.75 million in remaining base salary under the agreement. [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) ## What happens next for the Wolfpack Goebbel inherits a team still seeking bowl eligibility with five regular-season games remaining. NC State is scheduled to host California on Oct. 31 at noon on ACC Network, the first game of the interim coaching period. The immediate task is stabilizing a roster that has dealt with significant offensive-line injuries while addressing a defense that struggled to pressure Stanford's quarterback or stop the run. [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) [3](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/football-wolfpack-unable-to-get-past-stanford) Corrigan did not name candidates or set a timetable for the search. Until the university announces a permanent hire, Goebbel will direct game preparation and the existing staff will handle the final stretch of the season. The search now becomes the program's first head-coaching transition since Doeren was hired in December 2012. [1](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/nc-state-announces-change-in-leadership-for-wolfpack-football) [2](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) ## Reporting sources 1. [NC State Athletics: NC State Announces Change in Leadership for Wolfpack Football](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/nc-state-announces-change-in-leadership-for-wolfpack-football) (2026-10-24) 2. [WRAL: NC State fires Dave Doeren after Stanford loss](https://www.wral.com/sports/doeren-fired-nc-state-football-october-2026/) (2026-10-24) 3. [NC State Athletics: Wolfpack Unable to Get Past Stanford](https://gopack.com/news/2026/10/24/football-wolfpack-unable-to-get-past-stanford) (2026-10-24) 4. [Inside Pack Sports: Head coach Dave Doeren: I Didn't Have Them Ready](https://insidepacksports.com/s/19530/head-coach-dave-doeren-i-didnt-have-them-ready) (2026-10-24)