Two teams from the ACC battle it out on Saturday during the early slate, and this might be an underrated matchup of the weekend. The rebuilt Virginia Cavaliers head to Raleigh to face the NC State Wolfpack with exciting, young quarterback CJ Bailey. Both squads are coming off a Week 1 victory, but they both get right into conference play immediately. We dug in to this contest and found our favorite picks, but we’ve also got plenty of other spots on the board. Get in on all the action for the weekend.
Head over to Betting News to check out what else I’ve got on the slate for Week 1, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
Virginia Cavaliers vs. NC State Wolfpack NCAA Football Insights
Chandler Morris is at his fourth school in six seasons
Sophomore CJ Bailey was pretty solid for the Wolfpack as a true freshman last season. He threw for 2,413 yards with 17 touchdowns, but also had 10 picks. On the ground, he made some plays with his legs, adding 279 rushing yards and five more touchdowns. But now he is looking to elevate his game and had a strong outing in Week 1.
Bailey led the Wolfpack to a 24-17 victory over East Carolina, but it didn’t come easy. He had 24 completions on 34 pass attempts for 318 yards with a touchdown and an interception. However he added 21 yards and a TD on the ground as well, and led the Wolfpack to 423 yards of total offense and 21 first downs. They started very quickly, finding themselves up 17-0 with 11 minutes to go in the second quarter. They were up 24-7 late in the third quarter as well, but 10 points in the fourth got the Pirates within a touchdown.
Virginia blew out the visiting Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina. New quarterback Chandler Morris led the Cavaliers to 41 offensive points as Cam Ross added a 100 yard kickoff return, along with seven catches for 124 yards and a TD through the air. Morris has tons of experience, as the 24 year old is in his sixth season of college football. He had 35 total touchdowns at North Texas last year, throwing for nearly 3,800 yards, so he knows a thing or two about putting up some points.
But can he do it on the road in a conference matchup in Week 2?
Matchup Information – Virginia vs. NC State – September 6
- Venue & Location: Carter-Finley Stadium (Raleigh, NC)
- Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
- Kick Off: 12:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ESPN2
Virginia vs. NC State Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of September 6, 2025 at 9:08 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with Promo Code FREE250 for a 50% deposit bonus up to $250 as well as 100 Free Spins at the online casino.
Spread
- Virginia +2.5 (-105)
- NC State -2.5 (-115)
Moneyline
- Virginia +122
- NC State -142
Total
- Over 53.5 (-125)
- Under 53.5 (+105)
Virginia put up 41 offensive points and had 467 yards of offense. They went 50% on third downs, but held Coastal Carolina to just 1/14 when forced to move the chains. NC State’s offense is much more potent than the Chanticleers and the Cavs might have their hands full.
Despite putting up enough points to win, NC State still has room to improve, especially defensively. They let ECU go for over 400 total yards and made the final score much scarier than expected, plus the Wolfpack didn’t cover for their boosters. Against Virginia, I see them being a bit more open offensively, giving Bailey the green light to go be the playmaker we know he is.
Virginia vs. NC State NCAA Football Picks and Predictions
CJ Bailey threw for 318 yards and had two total touchdowns in Week 1
Virginia vs. NC State Prediction: NC State Wins & Covers, Over 54.5
Best Bet: NC State Team Total Over 27.5 (-118) BetOnline
We have a total in the mid-fifties, and I think it goes over. The Wolfpack’s defense couldn’t stop the Pirates last week, and the Cavaliers didn’t play a real offense. Sorry Coastal, but this might be a down year for the program. Ultimately, I see NC State running up the scoreboard as much as they can, and to be honest, I think they’ll need to.
The Wolfpack are more than capable of scoring 30+ in this contest. They failed to convert in key spots last week, but they were much more conservative in the second half. Against a conference opponent, they will show no mercy. Now, Virginia isn’t going down without a fight, and I also see them scoring plenty. I see this being a back and forth shootout, that might come down to whomever has the football last.
Regardless, I will lean on the home side to make sure they get a tough conference win and cover for those NIL boosters. The deep pockets of those alumni love it when their team makes them richer, so look for NC State to make sure that happens and leave no doubt this weekend.
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