It would not be surprising to see South Carolina as the favorite before kick off in this game. NC State is the more talented team all-around but the Gamecocks had a good rebuilding season in 2016. Upstart quarterback Jake Bentley is a program changing type player.
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NC State has a quarterback of their own in junior Ryan Finley that could make some noise and deserves more national attention. Running back Nyheim Hines is a monster that compliments Finley very well.
The best player on the Wolfpack offense is senior Jaylen Samuels. He is a preseason All-American that has first round NFL Draft pick potential. Shutting him down is the biggest challenge for Gamecock head coach Will Muschamp and his defense.
South Carolina has a great chance to win this game and no one would respect NC State any less if they keep it close. NC State is not a team that consistently wins when they’re favored. However, with a guy like defensive end Bradley Chubb leading the way, they should end up victorious.