The No. 7 Clemson Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) and NC State Wolfpack (2-1, 0-0) square off Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Clemson at NC State odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings according to the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Despite all its talent and lofty preseason ranking, Clemson has failed to cover the spread in any of its first three games, most recently squeaking out a 14-8 win over Georgia Tech as a 27.5-point favorite. The offense is averaging just 22.0 points per game and its 322.7 yards per game ranks 114th in the country.
NC State lost 24-10 on the road at Mississippi State in Week 2, but they’ve sandwiched that dud with two blowout wins against South Florida (45-0) and FCS Furman (45-7). The Wolfpack’s defense has been stout, particularly against the run (72.7 yards per game; 14th nationally).
Clemson at NC State odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 10:01 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Clemson -420 (bet $420 to win $100) | NC State +320 (bet $100 to win $320)
- Against the spread (ATS): Clemson -10.5 (-105) | NC State +10.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 47.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Clemson at NC State odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Clemson 27, NC State 20
Money line
Picking NC State to win outright is a longshot—Clemson has won the last eight games in this series—but the Tigers haven’t played well enough to justify a minuscule money line return.
PASS and target the spread instead.
Clemson is certainly the more talented team, but giving 9.5 points on the road in a hostile environment is asking a lot for an offense that hasn’t clicked all year.
The Wolfpack have been great at home recently, covering seven of their last eight games at Carter-Finley Stadium since the start of last season.
Look for NC STATE +10.5 (-120) to keep Clemson out of the end zone just enough to keep this within single digits.
Over/Under
Given Clemson’s struggles on offense with NC State’s stout defense, it’s no surprise to see a pretty low number here. Five of these teams’ six combined games have hit the Under this year, so go to that well again until either offense proves it can score.
Take the UNDER 47.5 (-105).
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