Louisville vs. NC State Prediction: Week 5 Odds, Picks & Best Bet
Two ACC teams off to disappointing 2-2 starts do battle on Saturday afternoon as NC State hosts Louisville, and my Louisville vs. NC State prediction expects the home underdogs to cover after the resolve they showed last week.
Kickoff from Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, airing on ACC Network. Louisville is a 3.5-point betting favorite.
🏈 Louisville vs. NC State picks & predictions
See all of our experts' college football picks for Week 5 based on the latest college football odds.
| Pick | Bet size |
|---|---|
| ATS: NC State +3.5 (-105 via FanDuel) | 1 unit to win 0.95 units |
| O/U: Under 58.5 (-110 via DraftKings) | 1 unit to win 0.91 units |
Total wagered: 2 units | Max profit: 1.86 units
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💰 Louisville vs. NC State prediction & best bet
Check out all of our college football predictions for more analysis across this week's slate.
🐺 NC State +3.5 (-105 via FanDuel)
NC State showed tremendous mettle against a tough Group of 6 team in Appalachian State last week that I expect the Wolfpack to build upon this week.
If you haven’t yet seen the heartbreaking fashion in which NC State lost to Vanderbilt two weeks ago, google it. The Wolfpack then raced out to a 28-7 lead over the Mountaineers which became a 31-31 game with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, before NC State scored the final 10 points to earn the win.
Louisville has some injury concerns with starting quarterback Lincoln Kienholz being a game-time decision after he limped off of last week’s loss to Wake Forest. The Cardinals’ rush defense was also a no-show against the Demon Deacons, allowing 177 yards and 4.2 yards per rush.
Kienholz' injury status has caused this line to plummet from an opening number of -6, but I'd still feel comfortable playing NC State at anything more than a field goal.
📡 SBR Edge: Too many explosive plays
Louisville's defense seemed to deserve better than allowing 30 points in last week's loss, considering it had the ball for seven more minutes than Wake Forest. But explosive plays did the Cardinals in, as they allowed two rushes of 20+ yards to two different players and a 77-yard touchdown reception in the passing game.
Louisville’s passing offense could be compromised
If Kienholz is ultimately ruled out, or is even not at 100%, that will have a huge effect on the Cardinals’ play-calling given what he has meant to the offense.
Kienholz entered last week with double-digit passing and rushing touchdowns. Prior to him, the last two instances of a Cardinals player accomplishing that in their first three games was Lamar Jackson in 2016 and 2017.
Keinholz entered the Wake Forest game ranked 11th in passing and rushing yards (323 per game), and was one of four FBS players with a passing and rushing touchdown in each of the first three games. It would also be difficult to replicate his big arm, as four of his first six touchdown passes were on throws of 20+ air yards, while he ranked sixth in yards per attempt (11.4) over the first three weeks.
Score prediction: Louisville 28, NC State 27
📊 Live Louisville vs. NC State odds
See the latest college football odds for every Week 5 matchup.
Louisville vs. NC State opening odds
- Moneyline: Louisville -225 | NC State +185
- Spread: Louisville -6 (-108) | NC State +6 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 60.5 (-108) | Under 60.5 (-110)
📺 How to watch Louisville vs. NC State: Week 5
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
- Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Carter-Finley Stadium (Raleigh, N.C.)
- TV: ACC Network
- Streaming: Fubo
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