NC State Wolfpack football is 8-3 on the season and went 7-3 in ACC action, while Kentucky is 4-6, all in SEC games. The two teams will kick off Saturday at noon on ESPN in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.

Despite the records, Kentucky is slightly favored. The Wolfpacker staff makes their guesses on the game's outcome:

On paper, I can see why Vegas oddsmakers think Kentucky can and perhaps should win. The Wildcats have a strong rushing attack, and teams that run well tend to move the ball effectively on NC State.

Researching UK also proved that we should disregard the record. Had Kentucky played its normally arranged schedule in 2020, we are probably talking about an 8-4 Wildcats team that went 4-4 in the SEC.

But 2020 was a good year for NC State athletics on the field: winning an ACC title in women's basketball, men's basketball posting exciting home wins over Duke and UNC and starting 2-0 in conference play thus far in the 2020-21 campaign, and the school also claiming ACC titles in women's cross country, men's swimming and diving, and wrestling.

That doesn't even include the quick rebounding of the Wolfpack football program that labored through a 4-8 campaign in 2019, which now, refreshingly, seems like an aberration. It just wouldn't seem right to end the year with a loss.

So despite some serious question marks about the matchup on paper, the hunch here is that this resilient, tough, tight-knit group of Wolfpack football players and coaches will find a way to execute a winning plan.

Prediction: NC State 31, Kentucky 24

Previous predictions:

Game 1: NC State 27, Wake Forest 17 (Actual: NC State 45-42)

Game 2: NC State 34, Virginia Tech 30 (Actual: Virginia Tech 45-24)

Game 3: Pittsburgh 34, NC State 23 (Actual: NC State 30-29)

Game 4: NC State 34, Virginia 30 (Actual: NC State 38-21)

Game 5: NC State 29, Duke 21 (Actual: NC State 31-20)

Game 6: UNC 42, NC State 27 (Actual: UNC 48-21)

Game 7: Miami 27, NC State 20 (Actual: Miami 44-41)

Game 8: NC State 38, Florida State 20 (Actual: NC State 38, Florida State 22)

Game 9: NC State 38, Liberty 35 (Actual: NC State 15, Liberty 14)

Game 10: NC State 31, Syracuse 14 (Actual: NC State 36, Syracuse 29)

Game 11: NC State 37, Georgia Tech 17 (Actual: NC State 23, Georgia Tech 13)

NC State is a slight underdog in the Gator Bowl, a role the Pack has embraced all season.

Similar to Matt's thinking, Kentucky does pose some challenging matchups that could be problematic on Saturday. The Wildcats have a strong offensive line and a stud running back that will give the NCSU rush defense a tough final exam of the 2020 season.

But NC State presents its own set of advantages. The Wolfpack's offense has proven it can consistently score more than Kentucky has been able to.

The Wildcats rank 121st of 127 FBS teams in passing offense, averaging just 124.4 yards per game. The Pack's young defensive backs should also have a great opportunity to build some confidence against one of the nation's worst passing offenses.

On paper, this is a pretty even matchup. Vegas knows what it's doing when it makes the ranked 8-3 Wolfpack a 2.5-point underdog.

I think this game will come down to who wants it more. Not to discount the Wildcats, but NC State has proven that it has been all-in during a 2020 campaign in which most teams couldn't say the same.

The Wolfpack's hunger has never been questioned this year. It is a battle-tested squad that has shown an ability to win close games. I expect the Pack to finish the season doing what it has done all year.

Prediction: NC State 34, Kentucky 30

Previous predictions:

Game 1: Wake Forest 29, NC State 26 (Actual: NC State 45-42)

Game 2: NC State 30, Virginia Tech 27 (Actual: Virginia Tech 45-24)

Game 3: Pitt 30, NC State 20 (Actual: NC State 30-29)

Game 4: Virginia 38, NC State 35 (Actual: NC State 38-21)

Game 5: NC State 45, Duke 38 (Actual: NC State 31-20)

Game 6: UNC 38, NC State 35 (Actual, UNC 48-21)

Game 7: Miami 31, NC State 23 (Actual: Miami 44-41)

Game 8: NC State 45, Florida State 28 (Actual: NC State 38, Florida State 22)

Game 9: NC State 41, Liberty 31 (Actual: NC State 15-14)

Game 10: NC State 38, Syracuse 13 (Actual: NC State 36-29)

Game 11: NC State 41, Georgia Tech 28 (Actual: NC State 23-13)

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