KENTUCKY vs NC STATE
When: 1/2/2021 12:00 PM
Where:

TV: 12:00 PM
LINE: 2.5
PREDICTION: NC STATE , KENTUCKY

Oddsmakers currently have the NC STATE listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the KENTUCKY, while the game’s total is sitting at 51.5.

By the end of the regular season, there were positive feelings for both No. 23 North Carolina State and Kentucky.

One of the teams will extend that good mood when they meet in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2 in Jacksonville, Fla.

“It’s been a very trying year for all of us and our team is ready to move forward with a fifth straight bowl game,” said Mark Stoops, the first Kentucky coach to lead the Wildcats to five consecutive bowl appearances.

“We’ve invested a lot to this point,” said NC State coach Dave Doeren, whose team’s late-season push resulted in a national ranking. “It’s the last time this group will get to play together, and we wanted to have one more ride.”

Despite NC State (8-3) holding twice as many victories as Kentucky (4-6), the Wildcats were listed as early favorites in this bowl matchup. Four of Kentucky’s losses came to nationally ranked teams.

Both teams ended their regular seasons by winning on Dec. 5 — NC State topping Georgia Tech while Kentucky throttled South Carolina.

“We’re at 100 percent so the guys are all back and out there practicing and working hard and having some fun,” Stoops said of early bowl preparations.

“The energy is high,” Kentucky defensive end Josh Paschal said. “We’re just ready to get to the bowl game and get ready to play.”

NC State went 2-3 against nationally ranked opponents, though the Wolfpack didn’t face Atlantic Coast Conference championship game combatants Clemson or Notre Dame.

The Wolfpack closed the regular season with four consecutive victories — the team’s best such stretch to end a regular season since 2008.

NC State’s most recent bowl outing came two years ago in the Gator Bowl, where it was blown out by Texas A&M. The Wolfpack are 1-3 all-time in the Gator Bowl.

“We’re a different team this year,” said NC State safety Tyler Baker-Williams, who pointed out that he didn’t like the team sitting out the 2019 postseason. “We have a bigger chip on our shoulder. We’re just ready to show out.”

Kentucky lost four years ago to Georgia Tech in its lone Gator Bowl appearance.

“We hope to play better this go around,” Stoops said.

The Wildcats won against Virginia Tech in last year’s Belk Bowl (now named Duke’s Mayo Bowl) in Charlotte, N.C.

Albeit playing 10 conference games (rather than the normal eight), NC State set a school record by winning seven ACC games this year. In 2019, it was 1-7 in league play.

“I think the record speaks for itself on what we accomplished this year and the way we accomplished it,” Doeren said.

Linebacker Payton Wilson of NC State leads the ACC with 10.8 tackles per game. Wilson joined defensive lineman Alim McNeill as All-ACC first-team selections.

Kentucky’s lone All-SEC first-team selection was senior center Drake Jackson.

The Kentucky-NC State series is tied 1-1. NC State won in 1909 at home and Kentucky won in 1970 at home.

The post KENTUCKY vs. NC STATE 1/2/2021 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

WAKE FOREST vs NC STATE
When: 7:30 PM ET, Thursday, November 8, 2018
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: -17
PREDICTION: NC STATE , WAKE FOREST

Oddsmakers currently have the NC STATE listed as -17 point favorites versus the WAKE FOREST, while the game’s total is sitting at 66.5.

No. 22 North Carolina State faces its most common historical opponent Thursday when it hosts Wake Forest in an ACC matchup. This is the 112th meeting between the Tar Heel state rivals, who are coming off opposite performances a week ago.

NC State trounced Florida State in its last contest, rolling to a 47-28 triumph after losing its previous two games and stands 14th in the College Football Playoff rankings. Wake Forest, meanwhile, was thumped by Syracuse, 41-24, to fall for the third time in its last four outings. The home team in 18-2 in the last 20 matchups between the Wolfpack and Demon Deacons, which bodes well for North Carolina State in its bid to move up the ACC Atlantic Division standings. “After we had a rough two weeks, maybe people lost faith, but we never lost faith,” said defensive tackle Larrell Murchison, whose team will face a new Wake Forest quarterback this weekend. “We know what we can do, within ourselves and within our team.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: NC State -17

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (4-5, 1-4 ACC): The Demon Deacons will start redshirt sophomore Jamie Newman at quarterback after Sam Hartman suffered a season-ending leg injury last week. Hartman had thrown multiple touchdown passes in seven of the team’s nine games, creating some big shoes to fill for Newman, who has thrown 19 career passes (zero touchdowns, two interceptions). Matt Colburn posted career highs of 243 rushing yards and three TDs in a win over Louisville on Oct. 27 but was limited to 67 yards on 15 carries (and no scores) against Syracuse.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (6-2, 3-2): True freshmen accounted for 35 of the team’s 47 points in the win over Florida State with Ricky Person scoring three touchdowns and Chris Dunn accounting for four field goals and five extra points. “Obviously we would like to finish some drives more in the end zone instead of finishing with field goals, but having Chris Dunn make all those field goals was huge. That was a big lift for us,” offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury said. Senior Ryan Finley has thrown six touchdowns in the last two games and is two TD passes from matching his career high set in 2016.

EXTRA POINTS

1. NC State, which has not gone undefeated at home since 1986, is 5-0 at Carter-Finley Stadium this season.

2. The Demon Deacons rank 118th nationally (out of 129 teams) by allowing 37.2 points per game.

3. Wake Forest WR Greg Dortch has 17 catches for 230 yards and a score over the last two games.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 44, Wake Forest 21

The post WAKE FOREST vs. NC STATE 11/8/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

W VIRGINIA vs NC STATE
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 15, 2018
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina

TV: 3:30 PM
LINE: 4
PREDICTION: NC STATE , W VIRGINIA

Oddsmakers currently have the NC STATE listed as 4 point favorites versus the W VIRGINIA, while the game’s total is sitting at 48.5.

CANCELED

The post W VIRGINIA vs. NC STATE 9/15/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

GEORGIA ST vs NC STATE
When: 9/8/2018 12:30 PM
Where:

TV: 12:30 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NC STATE , GEORGIA ST

Oddsmakers currently have the NC STATE listed as point favorites versus the GEORGIA ST, while the game’s total is sitting at .

The post GEORGIA ST vs. NC STATE 9/8/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.