NC State -14.5 (-110)
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- Since 2017, Uconn is 1-12 against Power 5 schools. In their 12 losses, the Huskies were defeated by an average margin of 30.7 points per game.
- NC State has been dominant in season openers under Head Coach Dave Doeren. The team has won nine of their 10 opening games, including six double-digit victories.
- The Huskies have lost their last three season openers against FBS opponents by an average margin of 31.7 points per game, including a double-digit loss to Utah State to kick off the 2022 season.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack will visit the Connecticut Huskies on Thursday night. The Wolfpack enter their 11th year under Head Coach Dave Doeren, and Virginia transfer quarterback Brennan Armstrong will make his team debut against a Huskies team that is coming off their first bowl game appearance since 2015. Now, let’s take a closer look at the NC State vs UConn matchup and make our best college football betting picks for Week 1 of the 2023 college football season.
NC State vs UConn Betting Pick
NC State vs UConn: NC State -14.5 (-110)
Why Bet on NC State To Cover:
✅ The Connecticut Huskies have lost 12 of their last 13 matchups against Power 5 schools (dating back to 2017). Despite exceeding expectations in 2022, UConn was just 1-3 against Power 5 teams, with all three of their losses all coming by 31 or more points.
✅ The North Carolina State Wolfpack are 9-1 in season openers under Head Coach Dave Doeren. Five of their nine wins came by three touchdowns or more.
✅ UConn has lost three consecutive season openers against FBS programs. This includes a 31-20 loss to Utah State, a 45-0 loss to Fresno State, and a 56-17 loss to Central Florida.
This game will be played at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field at 7:30 PM ET on August 31, 2023.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
The North Carolina State Wolfpack finished the 2022 regular season with an 8-5 record, suffering a 16-12 defeat to Maryland in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl to close out the year. Head Coach Dave Doeren is heading into his 11th season with the Wolfpack; he will look to help lead the team to their fourth consecutive 8+ win season while navigating one of the ACC’s tougher schedules, which includes matchups against Clemson, North Carolina, and Louisville.
Long-time NC State quarterback Devin Leary, who suffered a season-ending injury less than halfway through the 2022 season, has exited the program and will play for the University of Kentucky in 2023. However, the Wolfpack landed former Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong and return many key players from last year’s defense that led the conference in points per game allowed.
Connecticut Huskies
Meanwhile, the Connecticut Huskies went 6-7 in 2022 with victories over No. 24 Fresno State, Boston College, and Liberty on their way to becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2015. Head Coach Jim Mora enters his second season at the helm, and he appears to have brought the UConn Football program back from the dead after they finished with three or fewer wins in their previous five seasons.
University of Maine transfer Joseph Fagnano has recently been announced as the team’s starting quarterback heading into the 2023 season. Fagnano will take over as the leader of a Huskies’ offense that averaged just 19.4 points and 111.9 passing yards per game in 2022.
UConn does, however, return many important pieces on the defensive side of the ball, including veteran linebacker Jackson Mitchell and all four starters on the defensive line. The Huskies will now look to continue building on last year’s success and pull off the upset at home against a tough NC State team.
