Tennessee vs. NC State odds, picks and predictions

The Tennessee Volunteers (1-0) and NC State Wolfpack (1-0) clash in an SEC-ACC showdown in Charlotte Saturday night. Kickoff from Bank of America Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Tennessee vs. NC State odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.

Tennessee drilled FCS Tennessee-Chattanooga 69-3 in Week 1. The No. 12 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll got 3 Touchdown passes from QB Nico Iamaleava and 3 rushing scores from RB Dylan Sampson. UT’s 66-point margin of victory marked the program’s largest in a season opener since defeating Carson-Newman 101-0 Sept. 25, 1915.

No. 23 NC State struggled in its Week 1 contest against an FCS foe. The Wolfpack defeated Western Carolina 38-31, but NCSU trailed the Catamounts 21-17 heading into the 4th quarter. Two 80-yard scoring drives in the final 7 minutes helped the Wolfpack seal the game.

The Charlotte location makes for a neutral site 231 miles from Knoxville and 166 from Raleigh.

– US LBM Coaches Poll: Conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports

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Tennessee vs. NC State odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 12:45 p.m. ET.

• Moneyline: Tennessee -375 (bet $375 to win $100) | NC State +290 (bet $100 to win $290)
• Against the spread (ATS): Tennessee -9.5 (-115) | NC State +9.5 (-105)
• Over/Under (O/U): 60.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Tennessee vs. NC State picks and predictions

Prediction

Tennessee 28, NC State 24

Look to the Wolfpack plus the points for the best leverage. AVOID.

Tennessee is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games played in Week 2. NC State is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games played in Week 2.

UT lost a lot of production in the offseason. That did not come through against overmatched Chattanooga, but look for a good NCSU defense to make Saturday’s game in Charlotte a close one. The Wolfpack were solid defensively last year, and that included road/neutral games and contests against power-conference foes.

TAKE NC STATE +9.5 (-105).

The total has gone Under in 6 of NC State’s last 8 games.

Look for the offenses to run into some FCS-to-FBS whiplash, for some NCSU slowdown, and for both teams to force a few punts. A tally in the low-50s is likely enough to warrant an UNDER 60.5 (-110) play.

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