NC State opened as double-digit favorite vs. Northern Illinois, down to 7.5 now
Fresh off a 59-35 loss at No. 21 Clemson, NC State is ready to turn the page. Luckily for the Wolfpack, it can do that very quickly with Northern Illinois set to visit Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
And as the Huskies, who were No. 23 this past week before losing to Buffalo, get set to visit Raleigh, they’ll do so as an underdog. NC State opened as an 11.5-point favorite over Northern Illinois, according to the Action Network, but the line worked its way down to 7.5 points by 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
NC State, however, has yet to cover the spread this fall. The Wolfpack was a 33.5-point favorite in Week 1 against Western Carolina (it won by 17) and it was a 9.5-underdog against Tennessee (it lost by 41). The Pack was also a .20.5-point favorite against Louisiana Tech (it won by 10) and a 17-point underdog at Clemson (a 24-point loss).
NIU, meanwhile, is 2-1 against the spread this season. The Huskies covered in their first two games, a 54-15 win over Western Illinois (-35.5 favorite) and a 16-14 win over Notre Dame (+28 underdog). NIU did not cover in a 23-20 loss to Buffalo (-13 favorite) this weekend.
NC State true freshman quarterback CJ Bailey made his first-career start in the loss to the Tigers, going 16-of-25 passing for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Bailey has now thrown for 360 yards with a 64.4% completion rate in his first appearances with the Wolfpack.
While Bailey appears to be in charge of the Pack’s air attack, NC State’s ground game has been paced by graduate running back Jordan Waters.
The Duke transfer has rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 44 attempts this season. Sophomore tailback Kendrick Raphael has not been far behind Waters. He has accounted for 182 yards and two scores on 26 attempts this season.
Sophomore wide receiver Kevin “KC” Concepcion has led the Wolfpack’s receiving corps this fall with 27 receptions for 239 yards and three touchdowns. The reigning ACC Rookie of the Year has almost double the amount of receptions as the next closest pass catcher (Justin Joly’s 14), while he is the only Pack player to record multiple receiving touchdowns.
