North Carolina St Wolfpack at Connecticut Huskies
Saturday, September 8, 2012, 12:00 pm Eastern, TV: SNY, MASN2
Rentschler Field – East Hartford, Connecticut
Opening Line: NC State -1
Current Line: NC State -5
Opening Total: 51
Current Total: 49
Opening Money Line: NCSU -175 / UConn +155
Current Money Line: NCSU -200 / UConn +170
The 0-1 North Carolina St Wolfpack travel to East Hartford to take on the 1-0 Connecticut Huskies Saturday. This is only the second ever meeting between the schools. The Wolfpack won in Raleigh 31-24 in 2003.
NC State is coached by Tom O’Brien. The Wolfpack had a tough opening game as they played against Tennessee in Atlanta. NC State was a 3 point underdog and the total was 52.5. After Tennessee scored a touchdown but missed the extra point, NC State took a 7-6 lead in the first quarter. The Volunteers scored 16 unanswered points, including a safety, before the end of the quarter to take a 22-7 lead. The Wolfpack scored late in the second to make it 22-14 at halftime. However, North Carolina St would get no closer. The Volunteers outscored the Wolfpack 13-7 in the second half to win 35-21.
Tennessee had 524 total yards including 333 passing yards from quarterback Tyler Bray, who also threw 2 touchdowns. NC State had 407 total yards including 288 passing yards from quarterback Mike Glennon. Glennon threw a touchdown pass but he also threw 4 costly interceptions. Tony Creecy and James Washington each had 2 yard touchdown runs for the Wolfpack. Receiver Quintin Payton had 4 catches for 129 yards. Bryan Underwood caught a 5 yard touchdown pass early in the fourth for NC State to pull them within 11 points.
UConn is coached by Paul Pasqualoni. The Huskies opened with a home game against Massachusetts last week. UMass was playing their first game at the FBS level after moving up from FCS. The Huskies were 20.5 point favorites and the total was 47. UConn won easily 37-0, but the offense struggled. UConn scored two of their touchdowns on a 37 yard pick six and a blocked punt plus they kicked 3 field goals. The Huskies had 372 total yards on offense including 147 rushing yards. UConn also turned the ball over 3 times and and only forced the one interception that was returned for a touchdown.
While the offense wasn’t exactly crisp, the defense was completely dominant. The Minutemen gained only 59 total yards, including 3 rushing yards, and had only 3 first downs. UMass held the ball for only 23 minutes.
UConn quarterback Chandler Whitmer completed 15 of 25 passes for 219 yards and 2 interceptions. Running back Lyle McCombs had 23 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. Back-up quarterback Seth McCummings also had a rushing touchdown for the Huskies. Wide Receiver Geremy Davis had 5 catches for 79 yards.
NC State is 4-1-1 ATS against teams with winning records, and against Big East teams, 18-7-1 after a straight up loss, 35-15-2 on grass, 1-4 in road games, and 0-4 in September games. UConn is 9-1 ATS against teams with winning records, 4-1 at home, 3-8 after allowing 100 rushing yards or less and after a straight up win of 20 points or more, 1-4 after allowing less than 275 total yards and 170 passing yards, 0-6 after a straight up win, 0-5 after a cover, and 0-4 after allowing 20 points or less.
Both of these teams showed some flaws last week, but NC State was playing a much tougher foe in Tennessee. UConn looked fantastic on defense last week, but North Carolina st is a much better offensive team than Massachusetts. I think we will get a true measure of these teams with this game. I don’t think the Wolfpack are as bad as they looked last week, and I don’t think the Huskies are as good as they looked. Bettors apparently agree with that statement, because NC State opened at -1 and are currently at -5 on the road. I don’t see a lot of points scored in this game, as both offenses struggled last week, especially with turnovers.
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