The Yellow Jackets (-2) are set to welcome their ACC nemesis North Carolina State Wolfpack to Georgia Tech. ESPN is scheduled to have the TV rights and this Thursday game gets going at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Betting Preview: North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
In this Thursday Atlantic Coast game, Georgia Tech is getting picked as the favorite and the team’s currently giving up 2 points. The Wolfpack are also receiving +110 moneyline odds while the Yellow Jackets are -130. There should be multiple good in-game betting opportunities while the showdown is underway, and Vegas has placed the over/under (O/U) at 47 points.
Odds have moved from when they were first posted. The opening line was -1 and the game’s total has yet to change after being initially posted at 47.
The disappointing Wolfpack have lost 4.8 units so far in 2019 and are 3-7 against the spread (ATS). They’ve been a decent under bet and have posted an O/U record of 4-6.
The Yellow Jackets are up 3.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 2-7-1 ATS and own an even O/U record of 5-5.
The Wolfpack are 4-6 straight up (SU), including 1-5 SU against conference opponents. The Yellow Jackets are 2-8 SU overall and are also 1-6 SU in conference play.
The Wolfpack are hoping to get back on track after a 34-20 defeat to Louisville last week. The defense did its part in the loss, limiting the Cardinals to just 249 passing yards and 77 yards on the ground. Chatarius Atwell had a productive day for the Cardinals in that one with 110 yards and a score on five catches. On the offense, Devin Leary completed just 24 passes on 44 attempts for 243 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Emeka Emezie (eight receptions, 90 yards, one TD) and Thayer Thomas (four catches, 45 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
Georgia Tech were just blanked 45-0 by Virginia Tech. The defense allowed the Hokies to run for 238 yards on 45 rush attempts, including four rush TDs. Keshawn King put up a productive outing for Virginia Tech, accounting for 82 yards on two catches. As a group, the Yellow Jackets collectively completed 11-of-25 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. James Graham went seven-for-14 for 43 yards and two interceptions while Jordan Yates was four-of-11 for 38 yards. Jordan Yates (12 rushing yards on nine attempts) spearheaded the running attack as Adonicas Sanders (two receptions, 22 yards) and Tyler Davis (two catches, 17 yards) led the pass-catching attack in the loss.
North Carolina State has run the ball on 46 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Georgia Tech has an overall rush percentage of 61.2 percent. The Wolfpack have run for 145.2 yards/game (including 103.7 per game against Atlantic Coast opponents) and have 12 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 146.4 rushing yards per game (138.4 in conference) and have 11 total rush TDs.
If 2019 results are any indication, then it seems like the Wolfpack may hold an edge when it comes to RB efficiency, as their running backs has produced 4.2 yards per carry while the defense is allowing 3.5 yards per rush attempt to opponents. The Yellow Jackets have recorded 4.0 yards per carry and given up 4.7 yards per rush attempt to opponents.
The Pack offensive scheme has averaged 236.5 yards through the air overall (235 per game versus conference opposition) and has 12 passing scores so far. The Yellow Jackets have produced 143.8 pass yards per outing (153 in the ACC) and have 10 total pass TDs.
North Carolina State has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 127.5 yards and throw for 249.7 yards per game. The Georgia Tech defense has given up 198.4 yards per game to opposing passers and 213.5 yards per game to opposing runners. Both teams allow similar adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) to opponents, as the Pack have given up an ANY/A of 6.41 to opposing QBs, while the Yellow Jackets are yielding an ANY/A of 6.45.
Passing-wise, Leary has put up 728 yards this season. He’s connected on 61-of-130 attempts with six scores through the air and three interceptions. Leary’s got a 5.01 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 4.90 over the last two outings.
The Wolfpack will likely try to maintain tempo by pounding the defense with their running backs. Along with Emeka Emezie (500 yards, two TDs), Zonovan Knight (450 rush yards, three rush TDs) and Jordan Houston (390 rush yards, two rush TDs, 57 receiving yards) have really been focal points in the offensive gameplans for North Carolina State.
For the home team, James Graham has connected on 60-of-136 passes for 766 yards, six TDs and six INTs. Graham’s ANY/A stands at a horrendous 3.36 for the season and 4.30 over his past two games.
The Yellow Jackets also like to utilize their backfield. In addition to Jordan Mason (45 receiving yards), Tyler Davis (77 receiving yards) and Ahmarean Brown (two rush yards, 306 receiving yards, four TDs) have gotten a lot of touches lately.
These two ACC foes did not get a chance to face one another in 2018.
North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets NCAA Prediction
SU Winner: Georgia Tech, ATS Winner: Georgia Tech, O/U: Under
Team Betting Notes
- The Wolfpack offense has recorded three pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Yellow Jackets have put up six such plays.
- The North Carolina State defense has allowed nine pass plays of 40+ yards, while Georgia Tech has given up seven such plays.
- The North Carolina State offense has created 14 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while Georgia Tech has created 11 such runs.
- Both defenses have allowed 14 rushing plays of 20 or more yards. The Wolfpack have given up 40 running plays of 10+ yards while the Yellow Jackets have given up 55 such plays.
- The North Carolina State defensive unit has 31 sacks on the year while Georgia Tech has just 16.
- As a team, North Carolina State has averaged 4.1 yards per rush attempt over its past three games and 3.9 over its last two.
- Georgia Tech has averaged 3.1 yards per carry over its last three contests and 3.1 over its last two.
- North Carolina State has lost six of its last seven games SU, with a six-point victory over Syracuse on October 10th representing the only win over that span.
- Georgia Tech has dropped eight of its last nine games SU, with a seven-point triumph over Miami (FL) on October 19th representing the only win over that stretch.
