NC State Wolfpack (3-3) vs. Stanford Cardinal (3-4)
October 23, 2026 10:30 pm EDT
The Line: Stanford Cardinal 215 / NC State Wolfpack -265; Over/Under: 55.5
(Get latest betting odds)
In this article we will formulate a Stanford vs NC State prediction for this College Football game on Friday, October 23rd at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this Week 8 matchup.
Stanford Cardinal Betting Preview
The Stanford Cardinal are 3-4 (1-3) this season after they defeated Elon by a score of 34-7 last week. Stanford led 14-0 at halftime and 28-0 in the third, before cruising to the easy victory. The Cardinal out gained Elon by a total of 515-272, went 5-12 on third downs, and lost the turnover battle by a total of 1-0 in the game. Davis Warren threw for 279 yards and one touchdown, while JonAnthony Hall caught five passes for 70 yards. Micah Ford rushed 19 times for 179 yards and four scores in the win.
Prior to that game, Stanford lost to Notre Dame by a score of 58-7 and Wake Forest by a score of 57-3. The Cardinal have scored 18.3 points per game with 239.4 passing yards and 103.4 rushing yards per game, while they have allowed 36.6 points against per game this season. Davis Warren has thrown for 1,630 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, while Micah Ford has rushed 114 times for 529 yards and eight scores this season.
NC State Wolfpack Betting Preview
The NC State Wolfpack are 3-3 (1-2) this year after they lost to Wake Forest by a score of 38-14 in their last game. NC State led 14-10 at halftime, but they were outscored 28-0 in the second half in the ugly loss. The Wolfpack were out gained by a total of 387-258, went 6-14 on third downs, and lost the turnover battle by a total of 1-0 in the game. CJ Bailey threw for 241 yards and one touchdown, while Keenan Jackson caught five passes for 61 yards. Davion Gause rushed seven times for 11 yards in the loss.
Prior to that game, NC State defeated Louisville by a score of 31-28 and App State by a score of 41-31. The Wolfpack have scored 33.0 points per game with 257.8 passing yards and 168.5 rushing yards per game, while they have allowed 27.7 points against per game this season. CJ Bailey has thrown for 1,507 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions, while Keenan Jackson has 27 receptions for 400 yards and five scores this year.
Why the Stanford Cardinal will win
- NC State has lost each of its last six road games.
- Stanford has won seven of its last eight home games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- NC State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last six road games.
- The home team has covered the spread in four of Stanford’s last five games.
- NC State has lost the first half in each of its last six road games in October.
Why the NC State Wolfpack will win
- NC State has won each of its last six games as a road favorite.
- Stanford has lost 10 of its last 12 games in October.
- Stanford has failed to cover the spread in nine of its last 10 games in October.
- NC State has covered the spread in four of its last five games as a favorite.
- The favorite has won the first half in each of Stanford’s last eight games.
- NC State has won the first quarter in each of its last six games as a favorite.
Total Points Facts
- Seven of NC State’s last eight road games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
- Seven of Stanford’s last eight home games in October have gone UNDER the total points line.
Stanford Cardinal Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 8, Chris Davis Jr. ranks 4th amongst FBS players for kick return yards (402) this season.
NC State Wolfpack Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 8, Will Wilson leads NC State for touchdowns (6) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Stanford has suffered the equal-most road losses by a margin of 40+ points of any FBS team this season (2).
- Stanford ranks 138th among FBS teams for average point differential in fourth quarters this season (-6.4).
- NC State has lost the fourth quarter in each of its last four games – equal-longest active streak in the FBS.
- NC State ranks 136th among FBS teams for H2 opponent points per game this season (19.2).
Stanford vs NC State Prediction
Stanford comes into this matchup after beating up on a FCS school last week, but they have lost three of their last four FBS games. The Cardinal have allowed 35+ points in three of their last five games and they have scored seven or fewer in three of five. NC State has split their last four games and they played a horrendous second half against Wake Forest prior to the bye week. I don’t trust either team in this game, but I do think the NC State defense will be the difference. Take the Wolfpack here.
