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The NC State Wolfpack and the UConn Huskies open their seasons at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Conn., Thursday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the NC State at UConn odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Wolfpack head into the 2023 season with high expectations, especially on the offensive side of the ball. New offensive coordinator Robert Anae is lucky to have former Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong, who previously played under the OC in Charlottesville. They could make beautiful music together in Raleigh. On D, NC State returns 6 starters from a strong unit.
The Huskies had been a doormat for years, but UConn turned things around a bit last year under coach Jim Mora Jr. RB Victor Rosa was a standout for UConn, but the receivers are a bit of a question for the Huskies. The defense will be tested early and often, and it was a unit that wasn’t very good in 2022.
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NC State at UConn odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 6:32 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): NC State -650 (bet $650 to win $100) | UConn +450 (bet $100 to win $450)
- Against the spread (ATS): NC State -14 (-110) | UConn +14 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 46.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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NC State at UConn picks and predictions
Prediction
NC State 27, UConn 16
Moneyline
I think NC State (-650) goes up to East Hartford and opens its campaign with a victory. However, risking 6 1/2 times your potential return is quite risky behavior. In the long haul, betting such heavy favorites in a singular bet will not be a good strategy. Even tossing NC State into a multi-team parlay sucks all the value out of your ticket.
AVOID.
Against the spread
UCONN +14 (-110) has a decent couple of QBs returning to action, and Rosa can run the ball well, when called upon. The question about taking the Huskies is if the defense can slow Armstrong and the pass game. Before he was injured at UVA, Armstrong was one of the better QBs in the ACC.
Over/Under
UNDER 46.5 (-110) is the lean, but go lightly, as it could be close.
Connecticut wasn’t able to generate a lot of offense last season, and it will have a lot of difficulty right out of the gate against one of the better defensive units in the ACC. NC State allowed just 19.4 PPG last season to rank 15th in the nation, and it limited the opposition to just 102.8 yards per game on the ground, No. 11 in the country. The run game is UConn’s strength, so it could struggles to put up points, which Under bettors will love.
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