North Carolina State Wolfpack - NCAA Football Odds, Lines & Betting

North Carolina State earned upset victories over Boston College and Florida State, scampering to a 3-2 start in 2006. But the Pack lost their last seven games in a row, five of them by a touchdown or less, to ruin that quick start. A minus-11 turnover ratio, among the very worst in all of 1-A ball, contributed to their demise. So it was out with flaky head coach Chuck Amato, and in with former Marine Tom O'Brien, formerly the boss at Boston College.

Overall, the Pack went 49-37 under Amato, but just 14-20 over the last three seasons. O'Brien left BC after racking up a 76-45 record and seven straight bowl wins in 10 seasons, so it's safe to say he knows what he's doing. This year, NC State returns 13 starters, eight on offense, including a talented stable of RBs – which is nice, because O'Brien likes to run the ball - and a good set of receivers. But there are at least a couple of holes to fill on the O line, and despite starting the final nine games last year at QB,  junior Daniel Evans is no shoo-in to be the starter . The Wolfpack defense, which ranked 36th overall but 85th vs. the run last year, should be OK this season, despite the loss of DT Tank Tyler and a couple of starting linebackers.

The schedule includes a bit of intrigue as O'Brien and his new team kick off the ACC season with a visit to his old fiefdom in Chestnut Hill on Sept. 8. Road-trips to Florida State, Miami and Wake Forest follow, as do home dates with Clemson, Louisville, Virginia and Maryland. This team should be both smarter and tougher under O'Brien's firm hand. That will eventually show up in the win-loss columns - just maybe not this season.

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