NC State vs. Florida State preview, prediction: Week 6 college football picks
A pair of ACC rivals meet in the hopes of recovering from losses last week as NC State hosts Florida State in college football's Week 6 action on Saturday.
Both started 4-0 this season, but are now each coming off 10-point losses on the road to conference foes.
NC State absorbed a costly loss on the road to Clemson last weekend and needs to stack up wins to stay in the division chase, while Florida State took an L to Wake at home, falling out of the top 25 rankings this week.
Here's what you need to know about Saturday's matchup.
NC State vs. Florida preview, prediction
Week 6 college football schedule: NC State vs. Florida State
How to watch
When: Sat., Oct. 8
Time: 8 p.m. Eastern
TV: ACC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
More college football on SI: College football scores | College football rankings | College football schedule
Odds, point spread, betting lines
Odds courtesy SI Sportsbook
Line: NC State -3.5
NC State ATS: 2-3
Florida State ATS: 3-2
O/U: 50.5
Moneyline: NCST -161 FSU +125
FPI pick: NC State 60.5%
Related: NC State vs. Florida State picks, predictions: Week 6 college football odds, spread, lines
NC State vs. Florida State: What you need to know
College Football HQ turns to the team experts in the SI Fannation network to provide in-depth coverage for Saturday's game
Wolfpack in the second half. In five games this season, the Wolfpack has scored 44 points after intermission (contrasted to 120 points scored prior to halftime in 2021), with 30 of the 44 basically being nonessential and having no bearing on the outcome whatsoever. When the going gets tough late in the game, NC State's offense is stalling. That will require steady play from wideouts if it is to change. The Pack is limited in team speed, but does have veteran slot Thayer Thomas. The graduate student has 24 receptions for 301 yards and two touchdowns this season, all team-highs. — Robert McLamb from All Wolfpack
Seminoles in the first half. In FSU's loss to Wake Forest on Oct. 1, the Seminoles scored their fewest points of the season (21). In the first half, they scored 0 points after their opening drive touchdown from redshirt junior wide receiver Mycah Pittman. Since arriving in Tallahassee, quarterback Jordan Travis has never started against NC State due to injuries. In the road environment, a quick start for the Seminoles offers advantages in the second half. Each drive doesn't need TDs, but first half points will be crucial if the Noles want to avoid their second loss. — Charleston Bowles from Nole Gameday
Florida State running on the Pack. NC State's rush defense ranks 3rd in the ACC, allowing 94.4 rushing yards per game. The Wolfpack have three linebackers with 20-plus total tackles, including junior Drake Thomas with a team-high 32. Florida State's plethora of running backs (Treshaun Ward, Trey Benson, and Lawrance Toafili) recorded their lowest combined rushing yards of the season with 120 yards against the Demon Deacons. Benson and Toafili each averaged less than 3 yards per attempt. The potential return of junior LT Robert Scott Jr. raises the ceiling of the ground attack, but rushing against the Wolfpack defense remains a challenge in every scenario. — Bowles
Florida State vs. NC State: Fast Facts
+ Jordan Travis is 8th nationally and 1st in the ACC with 9.7 yards per pass attempt on average
+ Wolfpack is 19th in FBS allowing 15.4 points per game
+ Seminoles are 2nd in the ACC with 481.6 yards per game and are top 25 nationally with 204 rushing yards per game
+ NC State has outscored FSU 82-17 in the 1st qtr of the last 8 meetings
+ FSU is allowing 1.2 sacks per game on average, 2nd lowest in ACC
+ NC State is 9th nationally in pass efficiency defense (102.4)
+ Florida State has scored on 9 of its 10 first drives of a half this season, with 8 TDs on those 9 drives
+ NC State has allowed just 9 trips in the red zone, 8th best nationally, but allowed scores on all 9, including 7 TDs
+ FSU is 4th in ACC with 2.8 sacks per game on defense
+ NC State has 17 plays of 20-plus yards so far
+ Seminoles have allowed 3 plays of 30-plus yards, 3rd fewest in FBS
+ NC State has won 13 straight home games, 5th longest nationally
+ Florida State is 1st nationally with 38 plays of 20 yards or more this year
NC State vs. Florida State Prediction
NC State didn't play up to its potential against the run last week against Clemson, but it still has the power and the physicality at the line to match up even with the Seminoles' talented group of backs.
The Wolfpack's offense hasn't played up to its potential, and now it goes against a Florida State defense that is playing moderately well in pass coverage and has been generating a consistent pass rush off the edges.
Travis will hit some medium gainers and extend a few plays in space out of the Pack's reach at the line, and the Noles can squeeze out consistent yards on the ground still, but NC State still owns the power edge at the lines and Devin Leary will find more throwing lanes downfield than his counterpart.
College Football HQ Prediction: NC State 31, Florida State 27
College football rankings
According to AP top 25 poll
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Clemson
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Tennessee
- Ole Miss
- Penn State
- Utah
- Oregon
- Kentucky
- NC State
- Wake Forest
- BYU
- TCU
- UCLA
- Kansas
- Kansas State
- Washington
- Syracuse
- Mississippi State
- Cincinnati
- LSU