Appalachian State Mountaineers vs NC State Wolfpack Prediction, 9/26/2026 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Appalachian State Mountaineers vs NC State Wolfpack

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026

Location: Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC

TV: ESPNU

Odds/Point Spread: Wolfpack (-14.5)

Total/Over-Under: 54.5

Carter-Finley Stadium is the location where the NC State Wolfpack (1-2) will attempt to defeat the Appalachian State Mountaineers (3-0) on Saturday, September 26, 2026. NC State opens this matchup as 14.5-point favorites from Vegas oddsmakers. The over/under has been set at 54.5.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers come into this matchup with a record of 3-0 this season. The last time they took the field, the Mountaineers played against the Charlotte 49ers and walked away with a win by a score of 26-21. When it came to stopping the run, the Mountaineers conceded 36 yards on 25 attempts, which is 1.4 yds per run allowed. Appalachian State allowed 22 pass completions on 35 tries for a total of 211 yards, and a completion percentage of 62.9%. When all was said and done, they tallied 76 plays which converted into 435 yds. The Appalachian State Mountaineers ended up rushing 33 times and compiled 90 yards, which came out to an average of 2.7 yards per attempt.

The Mountaineers have earned 1,477 total yards for the year. In terms of notching touchdowns, Appalachian State has compiled 5 touchdowns through the air and 8 rushing touchdowns. They have surrendered the football 3 times. Appalachian State has accounted for 77 1st downs offensively, and they have committed 27 penalties for 208 yds. As a team they average 172.3 yards on the ground ranking this team at 59th in D-1. Regarding scoring, the Appalachian State Mountaineers are sitting at 36.0 points per game.

When talking about passing yards, the Mountaineers have conceded 639 yards which puts them in 81st in the country. They have allowed 213.0 yards per contest through the air in addition to giving up a completion percentage of 58.5%. In total, they have given up 304.7 yards/contest which puts them 51st in Division 1. They have given up 2 touchdowns via the pass and 3 touchdowns on the ground. They are giving up an average of 3.1 yards per rushing attempt and 91.7 rushing yards per game so far this year. During this campaign, they have allowed 275 yards via the running game in 3 contests. The Mountaineers sit in 33rd in college football concerning the opposition scoring, giving up 16.0 points per game.

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The Wolfpack step onto the field holding a record of 1-2 for this season. The last time they took the field, the Wolfpack took a loss by a score of 35-31 when they played the Vanderbilt Commodores. NC State ran for 4.0 yards per tote, finishing the game with 166 yds on 41 attempts. The Wolfpack ended up finishing with 446 yards and they ran 79 plays (5.6 yds per play). The Wolfpack passing defense conceded a completion rate of 58.8%, surrendering 277 yds on 20 out of 34 passing. NC State relinquished 24 attempts on the ground for 132 yds (5.5 yards per carry).

When it comes to how much they score, the Wolfpack currently rank 46th in college football scoring 37.3 PPG. The NC State Wolfpack hold an average of 449.3 yards/game, which has them sitting 45th in the country. The NC State offense has totaled 117 penalty yards on 13 infractions, which is 121st in the nation in terms of making mistakes. They have thrown 2 picks while letting opponents recover 4 fumbles and they have been able to earn 66 first downs. For the season to this point, the Wolfpack have earned 678 passing yards in addition to an average of 226.0 throwing yards per outing, which has them ranked 71st in college football. They hold an average of 223.3 yards per game via the rush and have run for 670 yards in total.

The Wolfpack are giving up 23.0 points per game, ranking them 74th in the nation. NC State has conceded a total of 424 yards on the ground (141.3 yards per outing) in addition to 3 touchdowns via the rush so far this year. They have allowed 5 touchdowns through the air in addition to 169.3 yards per outing, which puts them in 35th in the country. The Wolfpack defense has participated in 175 plays, which ranks 30th in college football. They have compiled 2 fumbles and 3 picks on the campaign. This season, they have relinquished 69 pts.

Who will win tonight's Mountaineers/Wolfpack college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Wolfpack -14.5

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