NC State Wolfpack (8-5 Last season) vs. Connecticut Huskies (6-7 Last year)
NC State Wolfpack vs. UConn Huskies 8/31/2023 – The Wolfpack finished their season with a defeat to Maryland in the Mayo Bowl after going 8-4 the previous year, which featured victories over FSU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and North Carolina. In his eleven years as NC State’s head coach, Dave Doeren has now been to eight bowl games. He’ll have to lead the Wolfpack to another bowl game this year but with a drastically different squad. Devin Leary, the squad’s starting quarterback, left for Kentucky, and the team lost several other starters. Brennan Armstrong, a former Virginia quarterback, will now play for NC State. Armstrong passed for more than 9,000 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns in his time at Virginia.
Jim Mora, the head coach of the UConn Huskies, achieved remarkable success last year with a six-win season and a bowl berth. Mora is determined to build on that success and guide UConn to another bowl game this year. The Huskies aim to reach consecutive bowl games for the first time since 2008-2010. Joseph Fagnano, the Maine transfer, secured the starting quarterback position after competing against Zion Turner and Ta’Quan Roberson this summer. In his time at Maine, Fagnano displayed his skills, completing 57% of his passes for 2,231 yards and 15 touchdowns. For well-informed predictions, don’t miss out on the best latest NCAAF picks.
Wolfpack vs. Huskies Game Info
| When: | Thursday, August 31, 2023 7:00 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, CT |
| TV: | CBSSN |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
QB Ben Finley vs QB Zion Turner
Ben Finley completed 22 of 48 passes for 269 yards in the air. His quarterback rating was 84.6, and he concluded the game with two interceptions. The Wolfpack struggled to stop the run, giving up 76 yards on 41 attempts, or an average of 1.9 yards per run. For 266 yards and a completion percentage of 52.6%, NC State allowed 20 pass completions on 38 attempts. They ran 66 plays for 296 yards on the day. The NC State Wolfpack averaged 1.5 yards per attempt while running the rock 18 times for 27 yards.
The Marshall Thundering Herd trounced the Huskies 28-14 in their final game, sending them home losers. Zion Turner finished the game with 166 yards on 9/27 throwing and a 62.8 passer efficiency. His average yardage per throw attempt was 6.1, and he threw 3 interceptions. Victor Rosa ran the ball 16 times for 75 yards, giving Connecticut a final average of 4.7 yards per attempt. The Huskies ran 68 plays for an average of 4.6 yards each, for 316 yards.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: NC State Wolfpack -14.5, Total Odds: 46.5
When these two teams faced off in 2022, the Wolfpack won at home 41-10. Compared to the Huskies’ 160 total offensive yards, NC State was able to amass over 500. Both teams have a number of new players, but the Wolfpack’s enhanced passing assault will significantly weaken the Huskies’ secondary because it is so inexperienced. With only one returning starter and a secondary full of youth, the new quarterback, Armstrong, should have a field day slinging the ball down the field.
On the defensive side of the ball, NC State returns a sizable component of a unit that finished second in the ACC and top 20 in a number of categories last season. UConn will have a new quarterback this year, similar to NC State, so there will be some adjusting at first. On Thursday night, I anticipate some problems and possibly mistakes for UConn due to NC State’s skilled defensive front and potent secondary. Although UConn will improve, this matchup versus NC State, which could have a strong season if everything goes according to plan, is unfavorable for them.
NC State Wolfpack Betting Trends
The NC State Wolfpack is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 matches. The NC State Wolfpack is 12-6 SU in their last 18 matches. The NC State Wolfpack is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 matches on the road. The NC State Wolfpack is 6-1 SU in their last 7 matches against an Independents (FBS) conference opponent.
UConn Huskies Betting Trends
The UConn Huskies are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 matches. The UConn Huskies are 7-13 SU in their last 20 matches. The UConn Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 matches at home. The UConn Huskies are 1-8 SU in their last 9 matches against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The UConn Huskies are 1-12 SU in their last 13 matches played in September.
NC State Wolfpack vs. UConn Huskies 8/31/2023 Betting Picks
The NC State Wolfpack holds a strong record of 6-0 SU in their last 6 matches played in September. However, they have struggled in week 1, going 5-10 ATS in their last 15 matches. North Carolina State has shown a trend of the total going UNDER, with 4 out of their last 5 matches played on a Saturday ending that way. On the other hand, the UConn Huskies have been performing well with a 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 matches played on a Saturday. For well-informed insights and predictions, consider checking out professional sports picks for upcoming games.
Free Pick and Prediction: NC State Wolfpack will win 31-17.