Stanford Cardinal vs. NC State Wolfpack Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 2nd 2024

Preview and Prediction

Stanford will attempt to end a five-game losing streak this Saturday as they make their way to Raleigh, North Carolina for their first-ever matchup against North Carolina State. The Wolfpack, who are coming off a bye week, last played on October 19th when they traveled to the West Coast and defeated Cal 24-23. This game marked the fourth start for true freshman quarterback CJ Bailey, who threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns to secure NC State's first conference win of the season.

Bailey began the year as the backup to graduate transfer Grayson McCall, but McCall recently announced that his football career is over. The three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year suffered a concussion during a game on October 5th and was advised by brain specialists to retire from the sport. Despite no longer playing, McCall remains involved with the team and serves as a mentor to Bailey.

"I have faced injuries throughout my entire career, but this is one that I cannot come back from," McCall wrote in a post on his Instagram. "Brain specialists" have advised me to "hang up the cleats.""

Bailey has been thriving under McCall's guidance, passing for over 300 yards in each of his last two games. He is the first NC State freshman to achieve this feat since Philip Rivers. This trend may continue as the Wolfpack face a struggling Stanford team with one of the worst scoring and passing defenses in the country.

Stanford is coming off a close 27-24 loss to Wake Forest, in which the Demon Deacons scored the go-ahead field goal with less than two minutes remaining. Quarterback Ashton Daniels led the Cardinal in both rushing and passing, accumulating 268 yards of total offense.

Despite their struggles, Stanford has shown a willingness to take risks and experiment on the field. They have attempted a fourth down conversion 25 times this season, which is tied for the fifth most in the FBS. Head coach Troy Taylor, in his second year with the team, emphasizes the importance of resilience in building a successful program.

PREDICTION

Stanford Cardinal

NC State Wolfpack

Stanford Cardinal vs. NC State Wolfpack Recap NOV 2TH 2024

Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers each rushed for two touchdowns and 100 yards apiece as North Carolina State rolled to a 59-28 home victory over Stanford on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

NC State (5-4, 2-3 ACC) has won consecutive games for the first time this season, while Stanford (2-7, 1-5) lost its sixth in a row.

Smothers reached a career-high 100 yards rushing on 16 carries, while Waters totaled 115 yards on just five touches. One of Waters' two touchdown runs came on a 94-yard breakaway in the third quarter, which followed Smothers' 52-yard sprint to the end zone. It was a banner day for NC State's running game, which piled up a season-high 281 yards.

Complementing the ground attack was the steady play of true freshman CJ Bailey, as he completed 18-of-20 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. KC Concepcion caught and ran for touchdowns, totaling 46 yards on total offense on seven touches, as the Wolfpack totaled 527 offensive yards.

Stanford was paced by Ashton Daniels, who threw for 70 yards while completing 6-of-8 attempts and rushed for a game-high 129 yards and two touchdowns.

NC State scored touchdowns on four of its five first-half possessions -- settling for a field goal on the other -- helping it jump out to a 31-14 lead at the break. The Wolfpack kept clicking on offense in the second half, with touchdowns on each of their first four possessions after intermission.

Stanford was a combined 4-of-12 on third and fourth downs, while NC State was 7-of-11.

It was the Wolfpack's highest scoring total of the season.

Defensively, NC State came up with three sacks, 13 tackles for losses and two turnovers.