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USATSI

The No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels will try to bounce back from their second loss of the season when they face the NC State Wolfpack in a rivalry game on Friday afternoon. UNC was eliminated from College Football Playoff contention in a 21-17 setback against Georgia Tech last week. NC State is riding a two-game losing skid following a 25-10 loss at Louisville. 

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The Tar Heels are favored by 6.5 points in the latest North Carolina vs. NC State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 56. Before entering any NC State vs. North Carolina picks, you'll want to see the college football predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on North Carolina vs. NC State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college football odds for North Carolina vs. NC State:

  • North Carolina vs. NC State spread: North Carolina -6.5
  • North Carolina vs. NC State over/under: 56 points
  • North Carolina vs. NC State money line: North Carolina -240, NC State +196
  • North Carolina vs. NC State picks: See picks here

Why NC State can cover

NC State is riding a two-game losing streak, but it has also picked up some impressive wins this season. The Wolfpack beat then-No. 21 Wake Forest by nine points in early November, and they have also notched wins over Texas Tech and Florida State. They have been one of the top defensive teams in the country this year, allowing just 323.4 yards per game. 

The Wolfpack have been particularly strong against the run, ranked ninth in rushing yards allowed per game (101.4). Quarterback MJ Morris could return after missing last week's game due to an injury, otherwise redshirt freshman Ben Finley will make another start. NC State has won 10 of the last 15 meetings between these teams, and North Carolina is coming off its worst performance of the year. 

Why North Carolina can cover

North Carolina had its six-game winning streak snapped in a loss to Georgia Tech last week, but it still has a chance to pick up 10 wins this season. The Tar Heels have already clinched a spot in the ACC title game as well, so they are wanting to gain some momentum heading into that matchup with Clemson. They rank sixth nationally in passing touchdowns per game and are tied for eighth in total offensive yards per game. 

Quarterback Drake Maye still leads the nation in total yards, racking up 4,211 this season. Tight end John Copenhaver and wide receiver Antoine Green, who both missed the loss to Georgia Tech with upper-body injuries, are expected to return on Friday. NC State has only covered the spread once in its last eight games and has been unable to overcome multiple quarterback injuries. 

How to make North Carolina vs. NC State picks

The model has simulated NC State vs. North Carolina 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins North Carolina vs. NC State? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the NC State vs. North Carolina spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.