NC State coach Dave Doeren has had his players practicing at midnight. Friday’s 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Stanford demands a late finish from a team that squandered a halftime lead against Wake Forest and never scored again. Doeren’s preparation addresses the body clock portion of this West Coast tilt, but that won’t do much to solve the problem of his depleted offensive line. Below is my preview, prediction, and pick for today’s college football game between the Stanford Cardinal and the NC State Wolfpack.
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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Stanford vs. NC State prediction, preview
Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey has already carried an uneven ground game through a win. He threw for 373 yards against Louisville while NC State managed just 2.8 yards per rush, completing touchdown drives of 79 and 75 yards. Stanford has sacked opposing quarterbacks just four times through seven games. Bailey should have time to find receiver Keenan Jackson and tight end Preston Douglas, who caught five passes in each of the Wolfpack’s past two games. Douglas stretched Louisville for a 35-yard gain; Bailey can advance the ball through him when the backs stall.
Doeren still has to patch the blocking. Running back Duke Scott remains out, and replacement Davion Gause managed a miserable 11 yards on seven carries against Wake. NC State has lost center Spike Sowells Jr. and left guard Yousef Mugharbil for the season; right guard Kamen Smith remains questionable. Veteran offensive lineman Teague Andersen returns to center on the depth chart. Stanford defensive tackle Braden Marceau-Olayinka can trouble the rearranged interior. Bailey’s passing deserves most of the weight in this forecast.
Stanford quarterback Davis Warren shredded Georgia Tech for 396 yards even while running back Micah Ford scraped together 55 yards on 19 carries. Receiver Caden High caught four passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Warren demonstrated that he can attack downfield when Ford’s runs go nowhere, and NC State just surrendered 303 passing yards on 33 attempts to Wake Forest. The Wolfpack have eight sacks through six games; Warren should get opportunities to challenge their coverage, too.
NC State vs. Stanford pick, best bet
Ford ran for 179 yards and four touchdowns against FCS opponent Elon, including an 81-yard score. NC State held Wake to 84 rushing yards on 36 carries, so Warren should shoulder more of Stanford’s scoring work. Wolfpack safety Tristan Teasdell remains out after Wake finished four second-half touchdown drives of at least 64 yards. Warren has receivers capable of challenging that coverage, and the Cardinal should threaten the end zone through the air even when Ford meets resistance inside.
Bailey should get repeated chances to finish drives against a Stanford defense that has allowed opponents to convert a dismal 48.4% of third downs this season. NC State’s Wednesday arrival and late practices address the unusual clock, although Doeren has yet to demonstrate that he has cured the second-half lapses. Warren should make the Wolfpack earn this late; Bailey gets enough openings to carry them beyond a touchdown margin. I’ll lay 6.5.
Best bet: NC State -6.5 (-112).
Projected score: NC State 34, Stanford 24.
Best Bet: NC State -6.5 (-110) at Stanford
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