Tennessee vs NC State picks, September 7

The Tennessee Wolfpac will travel to Charlotte to face the NC State Wolfpack in a highly anticipated Week 2 matchup in prime time on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is 7:30 PM ET, with the game broadcast live on ABC. This clash features a Tennessee team flying high after demolishing Chattanooga a week ago while this NC State squad is eager to prove that last week’s middling performance in a victory over Western Carolina was just a mirage.

With both teams looking to make a statement on a big stage, let’s dive into our expert’s predictions and best bets for this exciting SEC vs. ACC showdown.

Tennessee vs NC State Predictions

NC State +10 (-110) 

Over 60.5 Total Points (-105) 

Kevin Concepcion Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-110)

Pick #1: NC State Wolfpack +10 (-110)

While the Vols were just four-point favorites over the summer, we’re now seeing Tennessee as high as -10 in the market after a dominant 69-3 performance over Chattanooga. On the other side, NC State struggled to get its offense going for the first half of its win over Western Carolina. 

From a situational perspective, it would be reasonable to give some grace to NC State for some of its struggles last week, especially since the team was breaking in new quarterback Grayson McCall and incorporating several new pieces to its offense against a hungry in-state FCS playoff team. 

Even though the offense experienced growing pains, the Wolfpack still tallied 521 total yards and over seven yards per play in the win. That positive momentum should carry over into this matchup against a Tennessee secondary that lost a ton of production from a season ago, and it is the weakness of its defense. 

On defense, it’s clear that NC State will have a massive challenge on its hands with Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava and an offense that is as difficult to deal with as any unit in the country. However, the Wolfpack should be able to stay within striking distance thanks to a much crisper offensive performance in a game that should be a shootout. Now that this line has touched double digits, I'll take the points with the underdog. 

Pick #2: Over 60.5 Total Points (-105)

There is so much potential variance in this game, and that alone makes the Over a worthy wager given the offensive talent on display. 

While this NC State defense is certainly an upgrade from what the Vols faced in Week 1, there is the real possibility that the Tennessee offense is truly as good as it looked a week ago, especially with a young quarterback who appears to have taken a massive step forward in his second season. 

As previously mentioned, the Tennessee secondary is the clear weakness of this defense, and that should provide McCall with plenty of opportunities to contribute to this total going over the current number, even if the Wildcats end up playing from behind for most of the game. 

Take the Over 60.5 and expect plenty of fireworks in Charlotte on Saturday.

Pick #3: Kevin Concepcion Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-110)

While it’s typically hard to find value in the anytime touchdown scorer market in projected high-scoring games, Kevin Concepcion is still undervalued at this number. 

In Week 1, Concepcion was the breakout star in this revamped NC State wide receiver room, as he tallied nine catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns. This followed a 2023 campaign where the top Wolfpack wideout racked up 10 touchdowns despite dealing with below-average quarterback play all season long. 

The chemistry between McCall and his receivers appeared to grow stronger in real-time as the game went on, and Concepcion was easily at the top of the heap for targets, catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. He should find the end zone again in a game that could certainly exceed 60 total points.