NC State heads out west to face Stanford on Friday in a late night ACC matchup at Stanford Stadium. The Wolfpack enter at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while the Cardinal are 3-4 on the season and 1-3 in the ACC. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
NC State returns to action following its bye week, having last played on October 10 in a 38-14 home loss to Wake Forest. The Wolfpack held a 14-10 halftime lead before giving up 28 unanswered points in the second half, falling to .500 after opening the season with three victories in their first four games. Quarterback CJ Bailey completed 28 of 39 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but NC State struggled to establish its running game, finishing with just 15 rushing yards on 24 attempts.
Stanford is coming off a 34-7 home victory over Elon last Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak that included lopsided defeats against Wake Forest and Notre Dame.
Running back Micah Ford delivered his best performance of the season against Elon, rushing for 179 yards and four touchdowns while adding 52 receiving yards. The Cardinal finished with season highs of 222 rushing yards and 515 total yards in the victory.
NC State vs. Stanford Odds Today
NC State enters Friday night’s matchup as a 6.5-point road favorite at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: NC State -6.5 (-120) | Stanford +6.5 (+100)
- Moneyline: NC State -260 | Stanford +200
- Total: Over 55.5 (-110) | Under 55.5 (-110)
Referenced odds subject to change.
NC State vs. Stanford Prediction
Stanford +6.5 (+100): Stanford has been a much different team at home this season, winning three of its four games at Stanford Stadium. The Cardinal’s only home loss came against then-No. 7 Miami, a game in which they were significant underdogs and missing several important players, including three starters on the offensive line.
Stanford has otherwise taken care of business in Palo Alto, with victories over Hawaii, Georgia Tech and Elon.
NC State, meanwhile, is still searching for its first road victory after losing at Virginia and Vanderbilt earlier this season. The Wolfpack also have plenty to address following their disappointing performance against Wake Forest, when they were shut out in the second half of a 38-14 home defeat.
Injuries only add to NC State’s concerns heading into Friday night. Eight players who have started games for the Wolfpack this season are listed as out, including leading rusher Duke Scott, wide receiver Jojo Trader and multiple offensive linemen.
Scott leads NC State with 358 rushing yards, while the injuries up front have forced the Wolfpack to use a different offensive line combination in each of their last five games. That’s hardly ideal for an offense that managed only 15 rushing yards against Wake Forest.
Now NC State must make the cross-country trip to Palo Alto for a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff, with the game potentially stretching past 2 a.m. back home in Raleigh. It’s a tough spot for a team that has struggled away from home and is still dealing with significant injuries.
Stanford has already knocked off one ACC opponent at home this season, and I like the Cardinal’s chances of keeping this one close against a banged-up NC State team. I’ll take the points with the home underdog on Friday night.
- Best Bet: Stanford +6.5 (+100)
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
- Moneyline: Stanford has taken in 62% of all ML tickets, while NC State accounts for 60% of the dollars.
- Spread: NC State -6.5 has pulled 65% of all spread bets and 53% of the money.
- Total: Over 55.5 has drawn 79% of all betsĀ and 88% of the handle.
NC State vs. Stanford Game Info
- šļø Location: Stanford Stadium – Stanford, California
- š Date: Friday, October 23
- ā° Start Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- šŗ Where to Watch: ESPN
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