NC State returns home as a 3-point underdog to Louisville

These Friday games are annoying, but this week it at least means that NC State will be under the lights at Carter-Finley, which is never a bad thing for the team. Especially one that has been struggling to put its best foot forward.

This week would be a good time to change that. Louisville is a three-point favorite in this one, while SP+ likes the Cards by a touchdown. Figure that seven-point margin will prove pretty accurate if State’s offense can’t execute better.

Louisville is off to a 4-0 start and is already 2-0 in the ACC, with a 39-34 win over Georgia Tech in Week 1 and a 56-28 romp over Boston College this past Saturday. The Cardinals remade their offense with a heap of transfers and don’t seem any worse for the turnover, so this’ll be a test to see if the Pack’s defense has really fixed what’s been ailing it.