Belk Bowl 2015: NC State vs. Mississippi State TV Schedule, Time and Odds
Two of the nation's most underrated dual-threat quarterbacks square off Wednesday when the N.C. State Wolfpack meet the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2015 Belk Bowl.
Jacoby Brissett paces the seven-win Wolfpack, who have received plenty of critics for an easy nonconference schedule but have seen praise heaped their way for their potent offense and opportunistic defense.
It's much of the same story for preseason Heisman Trophy contender Dak Prescott, who will also look to end his collegiate season on a high note. The Bulldogs' nonconference schedule is also a point of contention, but it's hard to complain about eight wins and a bowl berth.
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Below rests everything to know about a game sure to show off some of the nation's best talent.
Game Details
When: Wednesday, December 30, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Television: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 61.5
Spread: Mississippi State (-5.5)
Team Injury Reports
No listed injuries for N.C. State.
| DeAndre Ward | LB | Ques Wed |
| Gerri Green | LB | Ques Wed |
| Gus Walley | TE | Out Wed |
| Ryan Brown | DL | Out Wed |
| Will Redmond | DB | Out for season |
| Dezmond Harris | LB | Out for season |
| Kendrick Market | DB | Out for season |
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Silencing Critics
One glance at N.C. State's schedule this year says it all.
The Wolfpack breezed through contests against Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion and South Alabama before struggling against unranked Louisville and Virginia Tech, before taking blowout losses to ranked Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina squads.
"I think a lot of people wanted to see us play a 'Power Five' team in those first four (games)," coach Dave Doeren said, according to ESPN.com. "I haven't thought about the difficulty of it. I look at it as a challenge."
What better way to change public perception, though, than to down a game SEC opponent?
The Wolfpack will have to do so on the arms and legs of Brissett, who threw for 2,448 yards and 19 scores this year while adding another 303 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
His ability to thrive might outright decide a contest in which most of the important areas look like draws, as Hail State on Scout illustrated:
A defense with 12 interceptions and 31 sacks to its name will have to play a role as well, but in what looks like a quarterback showdown, Brissett's farewell performance hangs as the deciding factor.
The Proper Farewell
The Bulldogs have to fight similar criticism for beating up on teams such as Southern Miss, Northwestern State, Troy and Louisiana Tech but taking losses to ranked LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama and Ole Miss squads.
Rest assured Prescott did everything he could to prevent such a narrative. The elite dual-threat player completed 66.9 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns to four interceptions and also led the Bulldogs in rushing with 541 yards and 10 scores.
Turnovers, the biggest discrepancy in the graphic above, certainly didn't fall on Prescott's shoulders. Not only did he throw just four picks, he put on a show where it mattered most, as Logan Lowery of the Daily Journal detailed:
It sets up a war of wills between Prescott and a big-play defense, though North Carolina State did surrender almost 400 yards on average in league play.
Prescott's no stranger to big games. It's clear he takes care of the football and has the tools to exploit the Wolfpack, though some help from those around him certainly wouldn't hurt.
Prediction
The difference between these teams, other than Prescott landing on Heisman watch lists and such, would be the gap between the conferences.
While N.C. State took losses to middling ACC teams, Prescott almost kept the Bulldogs in games against top-tier SEC squads.
Prescott's ability to take care of the football against a defense that lives and dies by turnovers and sacks will be the difference here. Las Vegas likes the Bulldogs for various reasons, but it's hard to argue with the spread when such a talent can control a game on his own.
Expect Prescott to do just that while ending his collegiate career with a bang.
Prediction: Mississippi State 38, N.C. State 30
Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.
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