Sandwich spot: a lower-stakes game played between two high-stakes games, often resulting in a poor performance for the participating team.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-4, 4-3 ACC) find themselves right in the middle of said sandwich after defeating a previously unbeaten Miami side and with in-state rival Georgia on deck.
In the filling of that sandwich awaits the NC State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4). The Wolfpack have had a disappointing season but have more than enough talent on their roster to knock off a potentially unfocused Yellow Jackets team.
In what is Georgia Tech’s final home game of the season, can it avoid falling victim to the dreaded sandwich-spot game?
Read more for my NC State vs. Georgia Tech predictions and college football picks for Thursday, Nov. 21.
NC State Wolfpack vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Prediction, Picks
- NC State vs. Georgia Tech Pick: Under 52
My Georgia Tech vs. NC State best bet is on the under, with the best line currently available at Caesars, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
NC State vs Georgia Tech Odds, Spread, Line
| NC State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -110 | 51 -112o / -108u | +250 |
| Georgia Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -110 | 51 -112o / -108u | -310 |
- NC State vs Georgia Tech Spread: NC State +8.5 · Georgia Tech -8.5
- NC State vs Georgia Tech Over/Under: 51
- NC State vs Georgia Tech Moneyline: NC State +250 · Georgia Tech -310
NC State vs Georgia Tech College Football Betting Preview
NC State Wolfpack Betting Preview: Finally Rounding Into Form
NC State started the year ranked as a fringe contender to win the ACC. That’s nowhere near where it will finish.
The Wolfpack — fresh off a bye — lost in strange fashion the last time out against Duke. NC State held the Blue Devils to 31 rushing yards and 0-for-9 on third down, but it still found itself on the wrong end of a 10-point loss.
That’s the type of year it's been for the Wolfpack, who were dealt an early-season blow in losing quarterback Grayson McCall to a season-ending injury. It took a few games for freshman quarterback CJ Bailey to figure things out, but the freshman has really hit his stride in recent weeks.
Bailey has helped the Wolfpack rank 22nd in Pass Success Rate and has thrown multiple passing touchdowns in four of NC State’s last five games.
While Bailey has been rounding into form, the real strength of NC State is its defense. The Wolfpack are in the top 60 in both Rush Success Rate and Pass Success Rate allowed and creates some of the most Havoc in the country.
NC State ranks fourth in the ACC with 70 tackles for loss. Its ability to continue that type of success will be crucial for stopping a run-heavy Georgia Tech offense.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Betting Preview: Pounding the Rock
Ending a season with two matchups against top-10 teams in a three-game stretch is no easy task. The Yellow Jackets have already accomplished winning the first leg, but before they get to the final hurdle, they can’t overlook the Wolfpack.
Brent Key, who has Georgia Tech poised for back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013-14, described his team’s M.O. best in its Week 1 win over Florida State: “Run the damn ball.”
The Yellow Jackets have done exactly that, being bullies at the line of scrimmage. Georgia Tech ranks third in the ACC in rushing yards and leads the conference with 24 rushing touchdowns.
The lead of the successful rushing attack has been from a tandem of Haynes. Running back Jamal Haynes and quarterback Haynes King both average over 5.0 yards per carry and have combined to score 16 times on the ground.
While more of a threat rushing the ball, King has made huge improvements when it comes to avoiding mistakes throwing it. Just a year after leading the ACC with 16 interceptions, King has thrown only a single pick in 2024.
The Georgia Tech defense has been an inconsistent bunch. The Yellow Jackets excel at stopping the run, where they rank seventh nationally in Line Yards allowed, but they’ve also allowed some pretty big passing performances to teams that don’t run much.
Both Syracuse and Miami passed for over 300 yards with at least three passing touchdowns. If NC State chooses to put the game in Bailey’s hands, could he find similar success?
NC State vs Georgia Tech Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how NC State and Georgia Tech match up statistically:
NC State Offense vs. Georgia Tech Defense
 |  Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 104 | 35 | |
| Line Yards | 76 | 7 | |
| Pass Success | 22 | 81 | |
| Havoc | 129 | 63 | |
| Finishing Drives | 66 | 42 | |
| Quality Drives | 48 | 55 | |
Georgia Tech Offense vs. NC State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 42 | 41 |  |
| Line Yards | 102 | 71 | |
| Pass Success | 32 | 58 | |
| Havoc | 18 | 12 | |
| Finishing Drives | 27 | 74 | |
| Quality Drives | 55 | 101 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 49 | 123 |
| PFF Coverage | 52 | 106 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 59 | 110 |
| Middle 8 | 107 | 48 |
| Seconds per Play | 30.4 (128) | 26.7 (56) |
| Rush Rate | 50% (94) | 55% (44) |
NC State vs Georgia Tech Best Bet, Pick
If there’s one positive to this scheduling spot for Georgia Tech, it’s that it at least had a bye week to come off the emotional high of upsetting Miami, leaving enough time to reset for the Wolfpack.
While this is normally a perfect opportunity to fade Georgia Tech, this is its final home game of the year at night in what could be a pretty electric Bobby-Dodd Stadium. That’s not exactly a recipe for success for a true freshman quarterback.
But rather than pick a side, I think the total is the better angle.
Both teams have above-average defenses. Georgia Tech held Miami to a season-low 23 points, and I expect Bailey to struggle on the road with a Wolfpack offense that operates at one of the slowest paces in football.
Five of Georgia Tech’s last six games have been under this number, as have three of NC State’s last four. That trend continues on Thursday night.
Pick: Under 52
NC State vs Georgia Tech Channel, How to Watch, Streaming, Start Time
| Location: | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA |
| Date: | Thursday, Nov. 21 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN |
NC State heads to Atlanta on Thursday to take on Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
NC State vs Georgia Tech Betting Trends to Know
NC State vs Georgia Tech Weather Forecast
