Tennessee vs. N.C. State
Saturday, Sept. 7
7:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. Pacific
ABC, ESPN Plus
The 2024 college football season arrives at Week 2, and this is one of the best games on the slate. It’s a neutral-site fight in Charlotte, as Tennessee takes on NC State in an SEC-ACC battle for which neither fan base will have to travel very far.
The quarterbacks take center stage in this game. Tennessee has high hopes for Nico Iamaleava, who looked great in Week 1 against Chattanooga. Tennessee’s offense purred with great efficiency, creating the hope that this is what Josh Heupel’s offense will look like throughout the 2024 season.
Vols Have Firepower
Tennessee was an absolute machine two years ago with Hendon Hooker at the quarterback. Hooker was a Heisman candidate deep into November before an injury and a loss to South Carolina derailed his candidacy. The Vols took a step back in 2023 under quarterback Joe Milton, and they also did not receive the quality of offensive line play Milton required. Translated: It wasn’t entirely Milton’s fault that the offense regressed. Now Heupel and Tennessee hope they can regain that 2022 feeling with Iamaleava at the controls. Naturally, doing well against Chattanooga does not guarantee success against better teams and better defenses. That said, it was certainly an encouraging start to the season for Iamaleava, which gives Tennessee a lot of belief going into this clash.
Grayson McCall wanted to test himself against power conference competition. He thrived under Jamey Chadwell when the latter was still the coach at Coastal Carolina. When Tim Beck came to Coastal Carolina last season, the team didn’t fare as well. McCall sought a new landing spot, and NC State was his choice. McCall is part of an intriguing NC State team which – due to Florida State’s early implosion – has an improved chance to make noise in the ACC and possibly reach the program’s first ACC Championship Game. However, NC State was ragged and uneven in the first half of its season opener against Western Carolina. McCall and the rest of the Wolfpack need to make a very big leap forward in Week 2.
Tennessee Volunteers-North Carolina State Wolfpack Odds
Spread: Tennessee -7.5 (-115), North Carolina State +7.5 (-105)
Total: 61.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
Underdog moneyline: North Carolina State +250
Which Wolfpack will we see?
The North Carolina State stumble against Western Carolina – not a loss, but not a clean performance – stands in contrast to Tennessee’s efficiency in the Vols’ opening-day win over Chattanooga. Does Week 1 mean anything going into Week 2? It’s a question we ask ourselves all the time. Was North Carolina State jogging through its opener and saving its best for the Vols, or are the rough edges seen in NC State’s opener an indication that the Wolfpack aren’t nearly as good as they hope to be?
This is a very intriguing underdog play with the line at +7.5. NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson is one of the best in the business. He could have some tricks up his sleeve which could throw Iamaleava off his game. It’s not a stone-cold lock that we are absolutely in love with, but if we did have to choose one side here, it is NC State. In truth, it’s a game we would probably pass on, but at 7.5 instead of 6.5 points, NC State does look like the better play. If the line moves to 6.5, you might want to hold off on a bet and wait for a live play.