Free Week 5 Prediction: Cardinals vs Wolfpack Odds
Week 5 College football betting sees the Louisville Cardinals taking on the NC State Wolfpack Saturday October 3rd at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football predictions.
Week 5
Louisville Cardinals (1-3) vs. NC State Wolfpack (4-0)
Date: Saturday, October 3rd
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina
NCAA Football Spread: NC State -4.0
NCAA Betting Total: 44.5
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Both of these teams are coming off convincing victories over inferior opponents – a theme for Power 5 conference teams before they start conference play.
The difference between these two programs is that last week’s 45-3 win over Samford was Louisville’s first win of the season while NC State’s 63-13 win at South Alabama was their fourth straight to start the 2015 season.
Louisville however hasn’t played the soft non-conference schedule that some Power 5 teams typically do. They have already played Auburn and Houston out of conference along with an ACC game against Clemson in Week 3.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they dropped all three of those and find themselves in a difficult position as 7 straight ACC games await them.
NC State has yet to play anyone very good this season so its difficult to match them up statistically with the rest of the conference or country.
They have four wins over South Alabama, Old Dominion, Eastern Kentucky, and Troy with their last two coming on the road. They’ll be happy to be home as they welcome Louisville into town to start their ACC schedule.
Louisville
The Louisville football team is built from a strong defense that is supposed to be good enough to always keep them in the game. To start the season, the defense did struggle giving up 30+ games in their first two against Auburn and Houston.
But, they have kept them in every game. In their three losses, Louisville has lost by no more than 7 points and a combined 13 in all three.
Their run defense was supposed to be spectacular loaded with talent including some NFL prospects. Instead, they have given 172.3 rushing yards per game – good for 77th in the country. Not quite the same as the third best run defense in the FBS last season.
The biggest uncertainty for the Cardinals before this season was quarterback. That uncertainty still remains for Bobby Petrino and Louisville.
Through three games, a trio of Louisville quarterbacks have thrown 7 interceptions and posted a completion percentage of 58.2. Dual threat quarterback Lamar Jackson had a very strong performance last week being named ACC Rookie of the Week.
NC State is a different caliber defense though than Samford. He will need to do a better job throwing the football for the Cardinals to compete this week and in the ACC for the rest of this season.
NC State
The Wolfpack is off to a strong start with four straight convincing victories. But, they haven’t been tested yet.
The first test of the season is very telling for how the rest of your season is going to go but four weaker opponents to start the season can have varying effects.
The Wolfpack come into this game against Louisville confident in their football team on both sides of the ball. They have put up points week after week and their defense has kept opponents in check.
However, they could find themselves too confident in what they have accomplished so far. Louisville isn’t a Clemson or a Florida State but they still are a decent football team.
Here is the thing that is difficult to ignore: the NC State offense is very good. They have rushed for 20 touchdowns in their first four games. Twenty!
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been really good. He’s completed 78 percent of his passes and thrown 6 touchdowns with no interceptions.
Those stats all bode well for their matchup with the Cardinals defense. Louisville has recorded an interception in 17 straight games and has 26 this year – the highest in the nation.
If Brissett can protect the football and NC State can continue running the football the way they have so far, they shouldn’t have a problem with the Cardinals.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
• NC State is 8-2 ATS in their last ten games after a win.
• NC State is 12-5 ATS since the start of the 2014 season.
• Louisville is 8-12 ATS in their last twenty games after a win.
Free Week 5 NCAA Football Prediction
Lamar Jackson was real good last week and has a very bright future. He’s a dangerous threat to run but hasn’t been convincing throwing the football. He will be very good down the road but he just doesn’t have it all there yet.
The Wolfpack will face their first true test and shouldn’t have a problem.
4* Free NCAA Betting Pick: NC State -4.0
The most important thing for the Wolfpack will be building off their early season success and not fade away if they face their first bit of adversity of the season. Jackson will turn the ball over and the Wolfpack will capitalize.
This game should show the rest of the ACC how good NC State is this year.
Week 5 Free Score Prediction: NC State 27 – Louisville 17
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