![NCAA Football: Old Dominion at Southern Mississippi](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N76Udh3fHKd4j0VfF8ToZ7l9f8k=/0x0:1628x1149/1200x800/filters:focal(684x445:944x705)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50792365/usa-today-8941989.0.jpg)
It’s a good week for a soft landing, I suppose. The spread of this early-season schedule is beneficial for an NC State team that unfortunately needs a bounce-back, confidence building win following its trip to Greenville. Old Dominion is here to serve.
The Monarchs are three-score underdogs this weekend, per Vegas Insider. NC State is a 22-point favorite in some places after the line opened at NCSU -20.5. The Wolfpack beat ODU 38-14 last season, and this will be the third straight season in which the two teams have played.
Old Dominion is coming off a 31-7 loss at Appalachian State. The Monarchs, like State, are 1-1 on the season, their lone win coming over an FCS team. The two schools are practically brothers at this point! Well, maybe not.
NC State can’t afford any more mistakes this month, to say the least—if the Wolfpack isn’t 3-1 after these next two contests, then we had best head for the storm shelters.