Kentucky vs NC State Picks, Predictions & Best Bets for College World Series

Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (21) holds up the NCAA Super Regional Championship trophy after winning against the Oregon State Beavers at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY SportsKentucky and NC State square off in Omaha on Saturday evening in the opening round of the College World Series.Kentucky is 1 of 4 SEC teams in the final 8, while NC State is 1 of 4 ACC teams to qualify for Omaha.Check out the section below for our top picks from Saturday’s big game.

The College World Series is officially underway, and it’s a battle between the ACC and SEC for the crown. Kentucky vs NC State is one of the crossover matchups of the opening round in Omaha, and it is set to take place at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 15. Tune in to ESPN to find out!

Kentucky vs NC State Picks

Kentucky -1.5Over 8.5 runs

Simply put, these 2 teams are capable of scoring a lot of runs. Five of NC State’s last 6 games, including all 3 super-regional games against Georgia, surpassed 9 runs. The one that didn’t finished with 8 runs. Kentucky’s been in a few more tight sports in low-scoring games, but the Wildcats can also manufacture runs at a high level. They steal bases, hit sacrifice flies and do all the little things necessary to win games.

Thus, I like the Wildcats to hang with the high-scoring Wolfpack through the first few innings. Then, when the game hits crunch time, look for Kentucky to do the little things right to pull away in the closing frames. Over at bet365, you can find Kentucky -1.5 at +120 odds, with the over on 8.5 runs at -120.

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Kentucky vs NC State Odds

Odds via bet365 as of Saturday, June 15. Sign up for bet365 using promo code SBDXLM to receive either a $1,000 first-bet safety net or $150 in bonus bets when you place an initial $5+ wager.

As you can see, this is expected to be a fairly close matchup. NC State is a +120 underdog on the moneyline, with Kentucky sporting -150 odds. The over/under is set at 8.5 runs, with -120 juice on the over and -110 odds on the under. I already explained why I like the over, as NC State and Kentucky are capable of great offensive outings. The spread is where the value is. If you like Kentucky to win by 2+ runs, you can get that for +120 odds. If you think NC State will either win by any amount or lose by 1 run, that’s -150 at bet365.

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ACC vs SEC in Omaha

So far, there’s been only 1 matchup between SEC and ACC teams in this College World Series, but it was a thriller. No. 1 overall seed Tennessee took down Florida State in a 12-11 final. The other game on Friday was an all-ACC contest between North Carolina and Virginia, with the Tar Heels eking out a narrow 3-2 win.

Today, it’s NC State and Kentucky’s time to battle for conference bragging rights. Can the Wolfpack even things up for the ACC? Or will the Wildcats make it 2-0 in favor of the SEC?

The final game on Saturday’s slate features Texas A&M and Florida battling in the all-SEC clash. It’s setting up to be a really fun College World Series. Make sure to get in on the action with some of the great sportsbook promos below:

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