NC State Wolfpack vs Northern Illinois Huskies Matchup

Check out our free Northern Illinois Huskies vs NC State Wolfpack pick and preview for this CFB week 5 game in Raleigh. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 5 CFB matchup.

NC State is set to host Northern Illinois this week in a non-conference matchup, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 ET at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. The game can be seen on CW, and the over/under line is currently at 47 points. The Wolfpack are 2-2 on the season, and the Huskies come in with a 2-1 record. NC State is the -7 point favorite at home.

Huskies vs. Wolfpack Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Northern Illinois Huskies at NC State Wolfpack
Where: Raleigh at Carter-Finley Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 28th
Betting Odds NCST -7, NILL +218 | NCST -269 O/U 47

Huskies Preview:

Northern Illinois is now 2-1 on the season after a 23-20 loss to Buffalo. The Huskies were -13 point favorites but ended up losing outright to Buffalo. The combined score of 43 points resulted in a push against the over/under line of 43 points.

After trailing 14-3 at halftime, the Huskies rallied to tie the game at 20-20 by the end of the 4th quarter. Buffalo, however, outscored Northern Illinois 3-0 in overtime, leading to the Huskies' first loss of the season.

Huskies Offense Breakdown

In their 23-20 defeat to Buffalo, Northern Illinois' offense put up 359 total yards and converted 24 first downs. The Huskies found success on the ground, rushing for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while their passing game added 194 yards.

Ethan Hampton completed 23 of 43 passes (53.5%) for 194 yards, with one interception and a passer rating of 55.77. On the ground, Antario Brown led the team with 73 yards on 24 carries, and Cam Thompson was the top receiver with three catches for 49 yards.

Huskies Team Defense

After holding Buffalo to just 23 points in their most recent game, Northern Illinois' defense will look to build on their performance. The Huskies allowed just 186 total yards and nine first downs, with most of Buffalo's production coming on the ground, where they gave up 79 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Northern Illinois allowed 107 yards on 10 completions.

Wolfpack Preview:

Wolfpack Offense Breakdown

In their 59-35 loss to Clemson, NC State's offense put up 440 yards, with 183 yards coming on the ground. The Wolfpack also picked up 25 first downs and scored three rushing touchdowns. Through the air, they added 257 yards and two touchdowns, with CJ Bailey leading the way. Bailey completed 64% of his passes for 204 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception and ending with a passer rating of 86.08.

Kendrick Raphael was effective on the ground, averaging 9.4 yards per carry and finishing with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. Justin Joly led the receiving corps with three catches for 72 yards.

Wolfpack Team Defense

NC State's defense will be looking to rebound after giving up 524 total yards to Clemson in their last game. The Wolfpack's run defense was particularly poor, allowing 270 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Despite holding Clemson to 33 passing attempts, NC State still gave up 254 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Huskies vs Wolfpack Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, Northern Illinois has averaged 34 points per game while allowing 25 . The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
In their last three games at home, the NC State Wolfpack have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 29 points per game in this stretch.
Northern Illinois has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.
As the betting favorite, the NC State Wolfpack have an ATS mark of just 2-8 in their last ten games. NC State posted a straight up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.