Each week during football season, we will highlight who to bet on in the NC State game and a handful of prominent national college football games. With week two of the college football season just days away, here is what we like.
Western Carolina at NC State (-40.5)
As any sports bettor knows, betting a high spread when FBS and FCS schools go at it is a risky bet. On paper, NC State is the far better team in the matchup against Western Carolina, who opened up its season with a 49-27 loss to Mercer. The Wolfpack defense will need to be wary of quarterback Tyrie Adams, who threw for 318 yards and two touchdowns in the Catamounts’ opening game.
NC State easily covered its 17-point spread against East Carolina in week one with a 34-6 win at Carter-Finley Stadium. Matthew McKay had a breakout game in his first career start at quarterback for NC State, with 308 passing yards and three total touchdowns. Look for him to have another field day against the Catamount defense.
The Wolfpack has not beaten an FCS team by over 40 points since 2014, in a mid-season game against Presbyterian College. Last season, NC State opened up against FCS powerhouse James Madison and only won by 11 points. 40.5 points is a big number to bet for the Wolfpack, and don’t be surprised if NC State has a slow start with the noon kickoff. Not to mention that the inferiority of the opponent could have Wolfpack players not as focused as they should be. This will be an easy win for NC State, but the 40.5-point spread is too much for my liking.
The pick: Western Carolina (+40.5)
No.12 Texas A&M at No.1 Clemson (-17)
Last season at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, this was a two-point game, and if it wasn’t for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney making a quarterback change mid-game from Trevor Lawrence back to Kelly Bryant, the Tigers may have dropped its only game of the season. This year, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher brings his team to Death Valley amongst high expectations in his second year at the helm, and with a proven SEC quarterback, Kellen Mond.
Despite a big win over Georgia Tech in the Tigers season opener, Lawrence looked far from sharp with two interceptions. Fisher, who used to compete with Swinney every year in the ACC Atlantic at Florida State, will have his guys ready to go, and this game will come down to the fourth quarter just like last season.
The pick: Texas A&M (+17)
UNC-Charlotte at Appalachian State (-22)
In a much-anticipated matchup last season, the Mountaineers crushed the 49ers in Charlotte 45-9. Both teams are in their first season with new head coaches, with former NC State offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz at the helm for Appalachian State and Will Healy at UNC-Charlotte.
Healy has brought new energy into the 49ers program but is a few years away from being able to compete with a program like Appalachian State. Expect Mountaineers starting quarterback Zac Thomas to continue to put up enormous numbers like last year and for the crowd in Boone to give Appalachian State a great home-field advantage.
The pick: Appalachian State (-22)
Technician’s Wolfpack Wager picks from Jake Caccavaro last week went 1-2, with a last-second touchdown by Auburn turning Oregon +3.5 into a loser.
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