NC State vs. Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt had one of their best seasons in a long time, as they finished 8-4 in the rugged SEC. Not to take anything away from their accomplishment, but they did avoid having to play both Alabama, and LSU. They also had out-of-conference wins vs. the likes of Presbyterian, and UMass. When you consider that their most notable win on the season was a 1-point verdict vs. Ole Miss, you have to wonder if they are justified here as a 7-point chalk, despite being close to home. One thing to remember is that at midseason, this team was just a 6-point favorite at home vs. Auburn, a team that failed to win an SEC contest and finished 3-9 with wins vs. New Mexico State, Alabama A&M, and an overtime win vs. UL Monroe. So it is certainly hard to justify the 7 points here. NC State had a huge win vs. Florida State, and if nothing else, showed the tremendous upside this team has especially with QB Mike Glennon who threw for over 3,600 yards and 30 TDs on the season. The Wolfpack are a dangerous dog because they can throw the ball well, and strike quickly, giving them backdoor-cover capability. The Wolfpack is 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven neutral-site games, and have been a top Bowl team at 4-0-1 ATS in their last five. Play on NC State.