Saturday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will pit the NC State Wolfpack (8-3) against the Kentucky Wildcats (4-6). The ACC-SEC teams battle at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., with kickoff at noon ET. Below, we analyze the NC State-Kentucky college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
NC State vs. Kentucky: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 2:25 p.m. ET.
- Money line: NC State +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Kentucky -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: NC State +2.5 (-110) | Kentucky -2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 48.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
NC State vs. Kentucky: Three things to know
- The Wolfpack has won four in a row since being outscored, 92-62, by North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 24 and Nov. 6, respectively. Since then, an improved NC State’s defense has held opponents to 19.5 points and 316.3 total yards per game.
- The Wildcats exploded for 41 points in their last game, a 41-18 triumph over South Carolina on Dec. 5. Kentucky had been held to 10 points-or-less in four of its previous five games. For the season, UK is averaging just 21.7 points per game (107th FBS).
- North Carolina State QB Bailey Hockman has been on a decent roll of late. Hockman has logged a completion rate of 64%-or-higher in four of his last five games. He threw for 300-plus yards in each of his last two.
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NC State vs. Kentucky: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
NC State 31, Kentucky 24
Money line (ML)
Kentucky was a solid play coming off its Alabama and Florida losses and heading into its game against South Carolina. In this one, the Wildcats are coming off a plus-4 in turnovers and are a bit of a fade.
The assessment of NC State swings the other way: the Wolfpack was a bit hidden-yard-and-turnover unlucky in ATS losses (straight-up wins) against Liberty and Syracuse.
THERE IS STRONG VALUE IN NC STATE (+105).
Against the spread (ATS)
The Wolfpack defense is one adept at causing havoc, but it has perhaps been a little turnover-unlucky in coming up with takeaways. The Kentucky defense has some advanced stats that point to more holes than is evidenced by a 26.4-points-per-game-allowed figure.
BACK THE WOLFPACK +2.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
The Over is 20-6 in UK’s last 26 non-conference, and the upside of the total has all kinds of positive trends in NC State’s bowl history.
Kentucky’s top tackler, LB Jamin Davis (89 tackles, double-digit totals in six of his last eight games) is listed as questionable (undisclosed) for this one as are a few other Wildcats on that side of the ball. If UK gets up early, figure on NC State mustering a comeback.
TAKE THE OVER 48.5 (-110).
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