This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: NC State vs. Notre Dame Best Bets
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Notre Dame vs. NC State Betting Odds for Week 2
Spread: Notre Dame -7.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook); NC State +7,5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 50.5 (BetMGM Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Notre Dame -300 (BetMGM Sportsbook); NC State +260 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Notre Dame will cost you three times your potential return as it invades Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday afternoon. That's a lot of risk, particularly on the road, for not a lot of return. The good news is that the weather will be a little better than the last time the Irish visited the Triangle. I scooped up tickets on the cheap back on Oct. 8, 2016, when Hurricane Matthew was making its closest pass to the Tar Heel state. I slammed the Under, as the books never really adjusted despite the impending deluge. NC State won 10-3 in that only previous meeting in Raleigh in three meetings in the series. When we returned home, our front door had the latch on, and we had left through the garage. With the power out, we were locked out. My neighbor hoisted my then 6-year-old son through the bathroom window; he unlocked the door and let us all in, serving as the hero of the day. Anyway, I later counted my money at home in the dark for the next 24 hours with no air conditioning. Stupid hurricane. Anyway, NC State leads the all-time series 2-1, although Notre Dame won the most recent meeting in South Bend on Oct. 28, 2017, by a 35-14 score.
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Notre Dame vs. NC State Betting Picks for Week 2
The Wolfpack got off to a little bit of a sluggish start in the QB Brennan Armstrong era. NC State topped UConn on the road by a 24-14 margin on Aug. 31, a Thursday night, so it has had a couple of extra days to prepare for the Gold Domers. Armstrong passed for just 155 yards in his debut, although he did rumble for a team-best 96 yards and two touchdowns. NC State outgained UConn with 364 total yards to just 273, with the Wolfpack posting a plus-1 turnover ratio. While NC State won, UConn grabbed the cover as the Under (48) comfortably cashed.
The Fighting Irish already have two games under their belt, winning 42-3 against Navy in Dublin in Week 0, while belting FCS Tennessee State in the shadows of Touchdown Jesus by a 56-3 count. The defense has been stout, the Irish are 2-0 ATS and the Over/Under has split. Expect the Irish to easily get their most stern test of the season after belting a couple of overwhelmed opponents. I still like Notre Dame to win outright, but that hook on the spread is going to be ultra important.
Notre Dame vs. NC State Expert Pick: NC State +7.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
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Notre Dame vs. NC State Predictions for Week 2
The Fighting Irish haven't really been tested yet. The offense has been murdering so far, belting the Middies and Tigers. Expect the Wolfpack to easily give them a very tough test in front of a raucous Wolfpack crowd. Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman might have revenge on his mind, as he was the quarterback for Wake Forest last season. He lost at Carter-Finley Stadium by a 30-21 score with the Demon Deacons, and he was dropped four times by the Wolfpack pass rush. Hartman is also 1-2 in three meetings against NC State in his career. The Irish have won 28 consecutive regular-season meetings against foes from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), but that will be tested against a Wolfpack team that has won 16 of the past 17 games at Carter-Finley Stadium dating back to the weird COVID season of 2020. The last time NC State lost on its home turf in the month of September came back in 2014, a 56-41 setback to Florida State on Sept. 27 of that season. I like NC State's familiarity with Hartman, and its success against him is hard to ignore. Of course, Hartman didn't have RB Audric Estime to hand the ball in his time with the Deacs or WRs Jayden Thomas and Jaden Greathouse camping under his passes. I expect this to be a lower-scoring game, perhaps in the 27-20 neighborhood, with the Wolfpack hanging on for the cover as the Under (50.5) also just comes in.
