NC State vs. Tennessee prediction, odds, spread: 2024 college football picks, Week 2 bets from proven model

No. 14 Tennessee (1-0) and No. 24 NC State (1-0) will meet in Charlotte on Saturday night for the 2024 Duke’s Mayo Classic. The Volunteers opened the season with a 69-3 win over Chattanooga last week, as redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after setting a school record for passing yards in a half. NC State is looking for a rare win against an SEC team after losing nine of its last 10 such games. The Wolfpack are coming off a win over an FCS opponent of its own, beating Western Carolina in a 38-21 final.

Kickoff for the Duke’s Mayo Classic is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The Volunteers are 9-point favorites in the latest Tennessee vs. NC State odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points is 60. Before making any North Carolina State vs. Tennessee picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also coming off a profitable 13-9 season on top-rated spread picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on NC State Wolfpack vs. Tennessee Volunteers and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Tennessee vs. NC State:

• NC State vs. Tennessee spread: Tennessee -9
• NC State vs. Tennessee over/under: 60 points
• NC State vs. Tennessee money line: Tennessee -351, NC State +276
• NCST: The Wolfpack are 5-0 against the spread in their last five Saturday games.
• TENN: The Volunteers are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games as favorites.
• NCST vs. TENN picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why NC State can cover

NC State has a proven quarterback in Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall, who has gone over 2,400 passing yards three different seasons during his collegiate career. He completed 26 of 40 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win over Western Carolina. The Wolfpack won that game on a Thursday night, giving them extra rest compared to Tennessee.

Senior running back Jordan Waters rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt. Sophomore wide receiver Kevin Concepcion had a big performance as well, catching nine passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns. The Wolfpack covered the spread in five of their final six games last season, and they are 11-4 straight up in their last 15 games in Week 2. See which team to pick here.  

Why Tennessee can cover

Tennessee had the 41-point spread covered in the first half against Chattanooga last week, and that 45-0 halftime lead allowed head coach Josh Heupel to rest his starters in the second half. Freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 314 yards in the first half, which were the most passing yards in a half in school history. He completed 22 of 28 passes and racked up three touchdown passes, while senior wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. caught three passes for 105 yards and two scores.

Senior wide receiver Bru McCoy added six catches for 89 yards as he returned from a season-ending injury last year. They are facing an NC State secondary that is playing without starting safety Devan Boykin, who continues to recover from a knee injury he suffered last season. Tennessee has covered in seven of its last nine games as a favorite, and NC State is just 1-9 in its last 10 games against SEC teams. See which team to pick here.  

How to make NC State vs. Tennessee picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 54 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Tennessee vs. North Carolina State, and which side of the spread hits in nearly 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced computer simulation model that’s up over $2,000 on its college football picks since inception, and find out.