The NC State Wolfpack take on the Duke Blue Devils. Check out our college football odds series for our NC State Duke prediction and pick. Find how to watch NC State Duke.

This is a very mysterious game. It would have been relatively clear-cut had one player not gotten injured, but that one player is a hugely important one. Riley Leonard, the quarterback who is the engine of the Duke offense, got injured against Notre Dame a few weeks ago. Leonard is a decent passer but an exceptionally tough and effective runner. His dual-threat capabilities and his ability to run for tough yards in short-yardage situations make him a very versatile weapon for Duke and head coach Mike Elko. Leonard's status for this game is uncertain, but the likelihood is that he won't play with his high ankle sprain. Duke is optimistic that Leonard will return to the lineup, but this week might be a little too soon. We don't know for sure, but the inclination is to guess that he probably won't play. That's why the point spread for this game is where it is. It would be much higher if it was known with certainty (or at least reasonably high confidence) that Leonard would be able to play.

We'll deal with this game assuming Leonard won't play.

Here are the NC State-Duke College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: NC State-Duke Odds

NC State Wolfpack: +3 (-106)

Duke Blue Devils: -3 (-114)

Over: 44.5 (-105)

Under: 44.5 (-115)

How To Watch NC State vs Duke

Time: 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT

TV: ACC Network

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why NC State Could Cover the Spread

Duke not having Riley Leonard — assuming that is the case — is a massive loss for the Blue Devils. Some teams have capable backup quarterbacks, but it's not certain that Duke has a backup who can do the job. The Blue Devils might be so bad on offense that a merely ordinary performance from the N.C. State offense will be enough to get the win. North Carolina State's offense did look very, very good in a recent 48-41 win over Marshall. The Wolfpack had been struggling, but they were able to bust loose against Marshall. It could very well be the case that N.C. State has finally established some rhythm and confidence on offense after fighting an uphill battle earlier in the season. If the Wolfpack offense remains productive and potent — as it was against Marshall — that should be enough against a very limited Duke offense.

Why Duke Could Cover the Spread

The Blue Devils have a terrific defense. It allowed just seven points to Clemson, and it allowed just 14 points to Notre Dame in the first 59 minutes of that game a few weeks ago in which Riley Leonard got injured. Duke head coach Mike Elko has a defense-first background. The toughness and physicality Duke plays with make the Blue Devils very tough to score against. Even if Leonard is out, Duke can dominate the N.C. State offense and win a 14-10 or 17-13 kind of game, enough for the Blue Devils to not only win the game outright, but cover the spread in this ACC battle.

Final NC State-Duke Prediction & Pick

The possibility that Riley Leonard won't play is simply too big of a question mark to bet on this game with any real confidence. Stay away from this one.

Final NC State-Duke Prediction & Pick: Duke -3