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Georgia State Panthers vs. NC AT&T Aggies prediction, pick for College Football Week 1 on Friday 9/04/26

Georgia State Panthers vs. NC AT&T Aggies prediction, pick for College Football Week 1 on Friday 9/04/26

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By: Dan Johnson

Georgia State will kick off Dell McGee’s third with a roster almost entirely remade through transfers. North Carolina A&T had a Week 0 game last weekend; they lost 17-7, and what we saw was a team that had trouble closing the door. As far as the board goes, we’ve got a 62.5 total, which implies right around 45.5 points for Georgia State and 17 for A&T, if you use the spread as your north star. I find both those expectations to be a bit lofty for these two squads in Week 1. Below is my preview, prediction, and pick for today’s college football game between the Georgia State Panthers and NC AT&T Aggies.

Here’s how I’ll play it. I’ll be pumping out these predictions for individual games all season, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more betting plays.

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Georgia State vs. NC AT&T prediction, preview

A&T moved the ball just fine, I suppose, in Week 0 in their loss against Morgan State but, rarely materially threatened the scoreboard. Redshirt freshman quarterback Braxton Thomas threw for 240 yards (without a turnover, so there’s that), and the Aggies possessed the ball for 35:41. They still scored just seven points and averaged a measly 2.5 yards per rush. Their lone touchdown drive consumed 17 plays, 9:33 on the game clock, and the same possession-heavy approach they’ll need here.

On the other side, Georgia State’s clearest advantage is the veteran signal-calling of fifth-year quarterback Cameran Brown. He completed 64.9% of his passes and threw 13 tuddies vs. just one interception. He also rushed for four scores last season. But OC Hue Jackson’s unit averaged only 19.8 points per game, and never once crossed the 40-point mark in 2025. Georgia State also lost Ted Hurst and Javon Robinson in the receiving room, and they accounted for 52% of GSU’s receiving yards last year. Again, it’s a lofty expectation for a team to replace that sort of production to the tune of a 46-point score in their opener.

Georgia State’s defense could very well allow a shootout, though, after yielding 37.8 points and 6.4 yards per play in 2025. Opposing offenses also averaged 8.5 YPA and converted 46.9% on third down. McGee hired co-coordinators Cam Clark and John Haneline to help rebuild the porous secondary. Among the personnel changes there: Transfer safety Tre Mittman logged 75 tackles for NC A&T last season and will be facing his former team—that’s a fun little nugget. Take the passing game out of the equation, and NC A&T’s 88 rushing yards against Morgan State in Week 0 don’t exactly inspire the ability to change speeds against a recobbled defense.

NC AT&T vs. Georgia State pick, best bet

I still expect Georgia State’s depth to win the game, I just don’t expect it to happen via the potential shootout. A&T limited Morgan to 41 snaps; its extended-possessions gameplan kept the Bears’ offense off the field, and I could see it happening to Georgia State, too. Not to mention, if Brown and the Panthers create any scoreboard separation at all, Georgia State can throttle down protect him with a more conservative second half. They need not approach the demand of the market to win the game, and they may not get a chance to, anyways.

My likeliest scoring band is 47 to 54, allowing for Georgia State’s still-gelling secondary. And so I’m going under.

Best bet: Under 62.5 (-108), playable to 60.5.

Projected score: Georgia State 38, North Carolina A&T 10.

Best Bet: Georgia State vs. NC AT&T u62.5 total points (-110)

For easy access to tail my CFB picks swiftly, click here to join the CFB Committee Betting Group on DraftKings Sportsbook.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.