Prop bets for NC State football vs. Virginia Tech

NC State football is traveling to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies for its final road contest of the season. Looking to extend its win streak to four games, the Pack tries to keep the momentum rolling. Here are some prop bets for the showdown in Blacksburg.

NC State (+2.5) vs. Virginia Tech

For some reason, the odds makers have the Wolfpack as underdogs going into this game against the Hokies. Although Virginia Tech has one of the loudest environments in college football, that should not make the Hokies the favorites heading into this game. The Pack is riding a three-game winning streak and playing its best football of the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The defense has allowed just 12 total points over the last two weeks while forcing six turnovers.

The Hokies are enjoying a bounce-back season after finishing with a 3-8 record in 2022. Head coach Brent Pry has coached his team to a 4-2 ACC record and is coming off a convincing 48-22 win over Boston College. The key to the turnaround season has been the Hokies’ pass defense, which ranks second in the conference, allowing just 176.3 passing yards per game.

However, Virginia Tech ranked near the bottom of the conference in rush yards against per game, and NC State is coming off a game in which it ran for a season-high 268 yards. In its two conference losses this year, the Hokies gave up 282 rushing yards and 231 rushing yards. The Pack should take advantage of this glaring weakness and not just cover the spread but outright win.

Pick: NC State +2.5

Over/Under 44.5 points

Never forget rule number one: Always take the under when betting on NC State football. The total has gone under in the Wolfpack’s last four games, and that shouldn’t change in its matchup against the Hokies. Against a weak running defense, offensive coordinator Robert Anae will implement a run-heavy offense that will take time off the clock and give both teams fewer possessions.

Virginia Tech is just coming off a game where it scored 48 points, so it's understandable how one could be hesitant. But when the Hokies played Florida State and Louisville, they put up 17 and three points, respectively. Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson has his unit playing at an elite level, and it will be hard for the Hokies to put up points while the Pack offense engineers methodical drives. 

Pick: Under 44.5 points

Game props

Ever since the NC State defense got exposed at Duke, it has been a completely different unit for the past three weeks. Over its last three games, the defense has allowed under 10 points per game while creating eight turnovers in that span. Gibson has forced his opponents to be one-dimensional because of the suffocating run defense, and the secondary has taken advantage of it.

The only reason the number could be this high is because Virginia Tech is averaging 29 points per game in ACC play, but against better opponents, the offense has struggled to score. The Hokies’ offense needs to execute at a near-perfect rate if it expects to put up points against the Pack, but I don’t see that coming to fruition.

Pick: Home total points: under 22.5

It is no easy feat to beat Virginia Tech when Lane Stadium is rocking and “Enter Sandman” is blaring through the speakers. Vegas proved how much respect it has for the home environment, favoring the Hokies despite the Pack riding a three-game winning streak.

Once all the pre-game hype settles down, it just becomes a football game, and at that point, the red-and-white is simply a better football team. I expect a close game between these two because of how NC State will muddy up the game, and the Pack defense will make a play or two to guarantee a more comfortable win.

Pick: NC State to win by 6-10 points (+600)