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NC State Wolfpack 2014 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2014-15 Football Previews – (ACC) – Wolfpack

NC State is looking to snap an eight game losing streak coming into the season. The program snatched up Dave Doeren his first year on campus was hardly a success.

NC State Wolfpack

Head Coach: Dave Doeren
2013 Record: 3-9
Odds to win National Championship: 75/1 (field)
Odds to win (ACC) 150/1
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NC State Team Link

There has always been a thought that this could be one of the stronger programs in the ACC but it has never come to be and with the new additions it is not going to be getting any easier. This year they are looking to just get back to respectability.

Strengths:

The running game should be reasonably strong with three linemen returning and Shadrach Thornton plowing away. Thornton is a load at 207 pounds.

Thornton rushed for 173 yards against FSU in a blowout loss and his other 100 yard game came against Duke. His two best games were against the division winners, interesting.

The Wolfpack have high hopes for transfer QB Jacoby Brissett. When he arrived a Florida he was supposed to be the next Tebow but he couldn’t beat out one of the most maligned quarterbacks in the country.

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He has lots of physical gifts but not a ton to work with as he tries to prove his worth.

NCSU should be strong on special teams as they return senior starters at punter and kicker.

This is a club that is going to have to rely on field position and converting opportunities so this is an area of the game that should not keep the coaches up at night. I know that is hardly a ringing endorsement for a strong season.

Weaknesses:

The defense was hardly stout last year and this year only one starter from the front seven returns. Last year they were pushed around in the running game as it was, this year might be worse and this team needs to get off the field to give their offense as many chances as possible.
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Improvement looks unlikely.

Brissett may have talent but there is a reason he is not still at Florida. He had to sit out a year so maybe he is ready. Coach Dave Doeren turned his QB at Northern Illinois into statistical monsters but the jury is still out and he will have to do a lot of it on his own. First time starters are not they keys to success generally.

Last year the Wolfpack were not very intimidating as they struggled to tackle, especially at linebacker. This year they will start two new players at that position and have switched schemes to try and better counter the spread offenses that have proliferated the conference these days.

That includes playing three safeties but two of them will be frosh.

Prediction: 5-7

Schedule:

  • Aug 30 – Georgia Southern
  • Sep 6 – Old Dominion
  • Sep 13 – @ South Florida
  • Sep 20 – Presbyterian
  • Sep 27 – Florida State
  • Oct 4 – @Clemson
  • Oct 11 – Boston College
  • Oct 18 – @Louisville
  • Nov 1 – @Syracuse
  • Nov 8 – Georgia Tech
  • Nov 15 – Wake Forest
  • Nov 29 – @North Carolina

The Wolfpack should start out 4-0 thanks to some advantageous scheduling early…just don’t get fooled into thinking that they are going to have a chance when they face Florida State at home as an undefeated team.

That and a trip to Clemson the following week should show us the real quality of the team.

By my count they shouldn’t get another win until the second last week of the season. Maybe they jump up and bite Syracuse…maybe.

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By The Wiesguy

The Wiesguy is a newcomer to the handicapping scene. Hailing from Toronto, Canada he is always sweet on the underdogs and you can often find his thoughts, musings and picks at moneydogs.blogspot.com.