Head coach Chuck Amato wasted no time in giving the North Carolina State football program a much-needed jolt of energy, enthusiasm, and hope. He began his tenure with four consecutive bowl appearances, which included a spectacular 11-win season in 2002 that was capped off with a bowl win over Notre Dame. Incredibly enough, however, despite putting together the number one defense in all the land for 2004, NC State finished with a losing 5-6 straight up record due to a turnover prone and punch less offense.
Symbol of hype or substance?
Since that landmark 2002 season Amato’s teams were know for being highly touted underachievers and the ultimate question heading into 2005 was whether or not Amato was a symbol of hope or substance? There were more than a few fans and savvy bettors who were leaning towards the former in answering that question.
Gamblers had become quite leery of the Wolfpack as they had finished in the red in three of the previous four seasons including marks against the sportsbooks of 5-7 in 2003 and 3-7 in 2004, which lead into NC State’s reputation as an over-hyped and over-valued fraud.
Amato’s program exposed as overrated
NC State’s season began with a nationally televised Sunday Night home game against up and coming Virginia Tech. The oddsmakers used the Pack as a trap by making them a 3.5-point home dog, all dressed up as an attractive side that sucked a lot of money their way as they lost 16-20 by a single half of a point! A non-lined 54-10 home win over Eastern Kentucky followed.
Up next was the intra-state rivalry game with 0-2 North Carolina . Once again the Wolfpack proved to be overrated as they lost 24-31 as 11-point dogs, which served as valuable remedial training for college football bettors about the peril of laying heavy wood in an intra-state rivalry game. Amato’s program was exposed as overrated, not to mention overvalued, with its 0-2 start against 1-A competition.
The fires were raging as the season seemed lost
Amato was catching a lot of heat after the embarrassing upset loss to UNC. But just when everyone was ready to write off the Wolfpack they pulled off a 17-14 upset win at up-and-down Georgia Tech as 3.5-point dogs to temporarily stop the bleeding and contain the fire.
Amato found himself right back in trouble, however, as the Pack lost their next two games. First, as 4-point home chalks against a reeling Clemson team, NC State was defeated 10-31. The Clemson loss was followed by a demoralizing 19-27 loss at Wake Forest , where the Pack was favored by 3-points. NC State now stood at 2-4 straight up and 1-4 against the spread. The fires were raging as the season seemed lost.
The season was saved as bargain hunters profited!
Now that they were completely written off both by their fans and by the general gambling public, NC State was to enjoy a transformation into a good gambling value and a surprise comeback team.
The Wolfpack began the stretch run with a 21-17 win over Southern Miss as 7-point home chalks. Next came a stunning 20-15 win at Florida State as 11.5-point dogs in a great “angle” game, as Amato always plays his old mentor Bobby Bowden and school tough. Another demoralizing loss at Boston College followed, however, 10-30 as 5-point dogs. The Wolfpack needed to win their final two games to save the season and become bowl eligible.
NC State defeated Middle Tennessee 24-3 as 19.5-point home chalks to set up what was, in essence, a playoff game against Maryland as the winner would bowl and the loser would pack it in for the year. NC State took the game 20-14 as 2-point chalks for their third cover in four games. In their bowl game they made it four out of five payoffs with a 14-0 win over South Florida as 3.5-point chalks. The season was saved as bargain hunters profited!