North Carolina State Wolfpack (8-4 SU, 4-7-1 ATS) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS)
College Football Bowls
Date/Time: Friday, December 29th, 3:00pm ET
Where: Sun Bowl Stadium – El Paso, TX
TV: CBS
by Bob, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread:NCS -6.5 / ASU +6.5
Over/Under Total: 59.5
Since 1935 the Sun Bowl has been one of the more popular bowl games of college football being held in El Paso, Texas. Currently the Sun Bowl has tie-ins with the ACC and Pac-12 Conferences but in years past we have seen teams from the Big Ten, Big East, and occasional appearances by Notre Dame and a few SEC schools. The 2017 version of the Sun Bowl will include the ACC representative, North Carolina State Wolfpack against the Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pac-12. This should be a fun game and many are expecting a wild shootout…we shall see what happens.
NC State comes into this game with a 8-4 overall record and Arizona State enters at 7-5. Both teams were very talented but both also suffered losses that they probably should not have. With that said, NC State comes in as a 6.5 point favorite over the Sun Devils and the total points are set at 59.5 combined.
I don’t see the line on this game moving very much seeing as how 54% of the action is on NC State and 46% likes Arizona State plus the points. The public however is LOVING the over. 63% of the documented action is on this game to go over the total and the total could increase a couple of points before kickoff at this rate.
Believe it or not, coming into this season, the North Carolina State Wolfpack was considered to be a true contender for the ACC and some experts and talking heads had them in the college football playoff. I thought this team would have finished a little better than they did, but they were still about where I figured. After a season opening loss to South Carolina…a game that the Pack should have won, they reeled off six straight wins including a 27-21 victory over the Florida State Seminoles. After the six wins, NC State dropped two straight to Notre Dame and Clemson and eventually had one more defeat to Wake Forest leaving NC State with an 8-4 overall record.
Statistically, the Wolfpack are pretty average. They rank 48th in scoring offense and 49th in scoring defense. This match up against Arizona State is very even, or at least it appears so on paper. The Sun Devils are averaging almost 34 points a game on offense which puts them slightly ahead of what NC State puts up and on defense, the Devils allow 31.8 a game. I feel that this game is going to be a shootout and it could be a case of the last team with the ball wins.
There are always many questions around the bowl games, especially the bowl games that many consider “meaningless.” Some of the questions are whether or not the players minds are on the game, or how teams will respond after being off for nearly a month. One of the major questions for NC State is whether or not their stud defensive player of the year, Bradley Chubb, will even play. Chubb appears to be another of the great players in college that decides to sit out the bowl game in order to protect themselves for the upcoming NFL Draft. Yeah, it stinks, but can you really blame the kid?
Well, regardless, we have to make a choice here. I can see this game going down to the very end and I also can see there being a lot of points scored. I think when it is all said and done though, NC State finds a way to win. They will get a stop late and ends up winning this game something like 31 to 27. However, that will not be enough to cover. This game on paper to me is a lot closer than many think and I like the Sun Devils to at least keep it close…if not win.
Bob’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: TAKE ARIZONA STATE +6.5 – If you went to the store and two of the same exact product were sitting side by side; One for $105.00 and one for $110.00, which would you buy? THE CHEAPER ONE OF COURSE! So why are you still betting at -110 odds when you could be betting at -105? Dump your overpriced bookie TODAY and start enjoying the benefits of discounted odds at the web’s BEST sportsbook: 5Dimes!