gotchanewsdaily.com 
Tennessee was impressive on both sides of the ball last week in its season-opening 69-3 rout of Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium. The Vols are expected to face their first true test of the season Saturday night when they take on N.C. State in Charlotte, N.C., but they’re still favored by more than a touchdown against the Wolfpack.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew, much like the Las Vegas oddsmakers, leaned toward the Vols on Saturday morning in making their predictions for the Duke’s Mayo Classic between 14th-ranked Tennessee and No. 24 N.C. State. The Vols were still 8.5- to 9.5-point favorites, according to multiple sportsbooks, in the hours leading up to Saturday’s game.
Kickoff between Tennessee (1-0) and N.C. State (1-0) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time at Bank of America Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. The game will be televised nationally on ABC.
The Vols will be taking on the Wolfpack for just the second time since 1940. Tennessee won its most recent meeting with N.C. State, picking up a season-opening 35-21 victory in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta on Aug. 31, 2012. The Vols hold a 2-1 lead in the all-time series with the Wolfpack, with N.C. State’s lone win over Tennessee coming in 1911.
Both teams are coming off 9-4 seasons last year. Tennessee won a combined 20 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons and is widely viewed as a College Football Playoff contender in coach Josh Heupel‘s fourth season with the Vols, while the Wolfpack won nine games last year for the fourth time under coach Dave Doeren, who’s in his 12th year at N.C. State. The Wolfpack have won at least eight games in six of the past seven seasons.
Here’s which team each member of the “College GameDay” crew โ which included guest picker Michael Phelps, a Michigan graduate who’s the most decorated Olympian of all time โ picked to win Saturday’s game and what they said in making their predictions during ESPN’s popular pregame show.
Desmond Howard: Tennessee
“We talked about Tennessee’s offense. Their quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, is going to become a household name. I’m going Tennessee big tonight.”
Nick Saban: Tennessee
“I think Tennessee, with the quarterback play that they’re getting right now, I think they’re going to be hard to beat. They’re going to be hard to beat by all the teams in the SEC because of the spread offense they have. And I actually think they’re better on defense than people give them credit for.”
Pat McAfee: Tennessee
“I have N.C. State as my ‘SuperDog,’ so I hope this is within nine. But give me Mr. Iamaleava and the Tennessee Volunteers. He’s a stud.”
Michael Phelps: Tennessee
“Volunteers. Nothing else to say.”
Lee Corso: Tennessee
“Nice pick. Tennessee.”
Kirk Herbstreit: No pick
“I’m telling you, it’s set up โ you know Dave Doeren well. I think it’s going to be a competitive game. Rece (Davis) and I are going to be calling it. I’m not allowed to pick. You want me to give you a key here? I just think, when you put N.C. State into a corner and you just kind of dismiss them, I just think they play much better than you anticipate. I think it’s going to be a competitive game, and I think the toughness of North Carolina State will show up.”
