East Carolina at North Carolina State
Saturday, 12:00 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: East Carolina  -  7.5  ,  Total  51

East Carolina has proven they are a Top 25 team but to stay there they will have to win on the road at North Carolina State on Saturday.  East Carolina upset Virginia Tech and West Virginia to start the season and just got by Tulane last week.   East Carolina turned it over four times and was lucky to escape with a win. “It was a great win; you can’t take any of them for granted,” East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz said. “To go on the road and come off the two emotional football games that we just came off of and to come out here and play the way we did and still get a win in this game, I am as excited as I can be.” SBG Global reports that early College Football betting has the public taking North Carolina State at Home.

East Carolina can start the season at 4-0 for the first time since 1999 if they can win at North Carolina State on Saturday.  They will have to do so without starting linebacker Quentin Cotton who is out for the season and left tackle Stanley Bryant who is out indefinitely.

N. C. State is coming off a 27-9 loss to Clemson last week.  Even though they are 1-2 on the season head coach Tom O’Brien is encouraged. “I think the quarterback took a step forward and that helped the offense take a step forward.” he said, “After a couple of hiccups, Russell settled down and played much better. That’s what you expect to see. We have to build on that.”

Overall in the series the Wolfpack hold a 15-10 lead including a 34-20 win last season. N.C. State has won 13 of the last 20 games between the two teams in Raleigh. Here are more College Football betting stats for Saturday’s game.  The Pirates are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games on grass. The Pirates are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Pirates are 11-3 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. The Pirates are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games in September. The Pirates are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 vs. the ACC. The Pirates are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 non-conference games. The Pirates are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 road games.

SBG Global Current Line: East Carolina  -  7.5  ,  Total  51

The Wolfpack are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games. The Wolfpack are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games in September. The Wolfpack are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Conference USA. The Wolfpack are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.

The Over is 5-1 in the Pirates last 6 road games. The Under is 7-1-2 in the Wolfpack’s last 10 non-conference games. The Under is 21-10-2 in the Wolfpack’s last 33 games overall.

Pick East Carolina 1 unit

College Football Betting Preview
North Carolina State at South Carolina
Thursday, 8:00 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: South Carolina  -  13.5  ,  Total  50.5

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is not making any predictions about this year’s football team just yet.  Last season the Gamecocks started 6-1 but collapsed down the stretch, losing their last five games and missing out on a bowl game.  That has put the pressure squarely on Spurrier to produce this season.  They open up the season with an interesting test as Tom O’Brien’s North Carolina State Wolfpack come to town. SBG Global reports that early NCAA Football betting has the public taking South Carolina at Home.

“We’re trying to stay a little bit underneath the radar, whatever you want to call it, about not trying to talk too big and, hopefully, let our play do whatever talking needs to be said,” Spurrier said, “I don’t know we’ve got a really good team, an average team or what. I don’t know yet.” The Gamecocks are only 21-16 under Spurrier and the pressure is starting to build on the old ball coach.  “Time can only tell if we’re a different team than in the (past) three years I’ve been here,” Spurrier said. South Carolina is starting the season with unproven junior quarterback Tommy Beecher who has thrown only 24 passes in his career.  The good news for Spurrier is that his defense is excellent.  They have both Jasper Brinkley and Nathan Pepper back from injury.

The key for North Carolina State will be to run the ball and play defense. New quarterback Russell Wilson may be in for a long night facing that tough South Carolina defense. The Wolfpack have a solid defensive as well led by defensive end Willie Young and defensive tackle Alan Michael Cash.

SBG Global Current Line: South Carolina  -  14   ,  Total  45

Here are the NCAA Football betting stats for Thursday’s game. The Wolfpack are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in August. The Wolfpack are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games on grass. The Wolfpack are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall. The Wolfpack are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.

The Gamecocks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games. The Gamecocks are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. the ACC. The Gamecocks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on grass. The Gamecocks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

The Under is 6-1-2 in the Wolfpack’s last 9 non-conference games. The Under is 5-1 in the Wolfpack’s last 6 Thursday games. The Under is 5-2-1 in the Wolfpack’s last 8 road games.

The Under is 4-1 in the Gamecocks last 5 vs. the ACC. The Over is 23-9 in the Gamecocks last 32 home games.

Pick: South Carolina 2units!