Tennessee vs NC State Betting Pick & Preview – 9/7/2024

In the upcoming Tennessee vs NC State game, the Volunteers are favored by 7.5 points according to the DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds. Currently, 94% of spread bets are in favor of the Volunteers, while the Wolfpack have 6% of the bets. The total of 60.5 points has attracted 71% of bets on the under and 29% on the over. The game is set to take place on September 7, 2024, at 7:30 pm ET. Continue reading for our breakdown and best bet for this key non-conference matchup in college football in Week 2.

Can Tennessee Escape Charlotte With a Win?

In their season opener, the Tennessee Volunteers got a straightforward win over the FCS Chattanooga Mocs, beating them 69-3. These FCS vs FBS matchups are often blowouts, but Tennessee looked better than most teams that took part in them on the FBS side in Week 1. Against a much tougher opponent in NC State, Tennessee will look to put together another strong performance that would move them closer to the top-10 in the nation if it doesn't move them straight into the top-10.

Volunteers QB Nico Iamaleava looked impressive against Chattanooga last week, completing 22 of his 28 pass attempts for 314 yards and three touchdowns. But there is a huge difference between carving up the defense of Chattanooga and playing well against the defense of a ranked team like NC State. This game will be a huge test for Iamaleava and the rest of the Volunteers, who are looking to prove that they can win big games on big stages in 2024.

NC State Looks to Rebound From Wobbly Start

The NC State Wolfpack were heavy favorites in their Week 1 game against FCS Western Carolina. But they were locked into a tight game deep into that game until they ran away with things in the fourth quarter. This week, NC State hopes to have all of the bugs worked out in time for this massive showdown with the Vols.

Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall was called into action more than expected in Week 1, as he had to throw 40 pass attempts in a game that NC State was expected to win by a much larger margin than they ultimately did. While that wasn't a good thing against Western Carolina, it could be a good thing going into this week against Tennesee, as he had more opportunities to get on the same page with his offense going into this huge early season matchup from Bank of America Stadium.

Tennessee vs NC State Best Bet

The line in this game has moved strongly in the direction of Tennessee, who are now favored by more than a touchdown. But we will buy back on the Wolfpack in this game, taking the points with NC State as a home dog. Look for them to keep things close here and for this game to come down to the final quarter of play, no matter who ends up taking it late.

Be sure to check out all our free NCAAFB picks here.