Kickoff: Friday, September 4 at 6:00 PM CT
Location: Center Parc Stadium
TV: ESPN+
DraftKings line (Aug. 30): GAST -28.5
Over/under: 63.5

The setup

Georgia State is expected to win comfortably as a 28.5-point favorite. A win is expected; how quickly it takes control may tell us more about what comes next. North Carolina A&T has lost 7 straight season openers.

What I’m watching

The thing to watch is how quickly Georgia State's rebuilt offense settles in. Georgia State averaged 19.8 points per game last season and returns 3 offensive starters. North Carolina A&T allowed 43.6 points per game. North Carolina A&T does not need to match the home team's depth; it needs to force a few early punts and keep the number of possessions down.

Personnel snapshot

• North Carolina A&T: Shawn Gibbs enters Year 2 as head coach.
• North Carolina A&T quarterback: Champ Long is North Carolina A&T's most experienced returning passer. Last season, he threw for 67 yards, 0 TD and 1 INT.
• Georgia State: Dell McGee enters Year 3 as head coach. 5 starters return—3 on offense and 2 on defense. Key offensive linemen back include Deandre Duffus and Donovan Funsch. That offense averaged 378.2 yards and 19.8 points per game last season.
• Georgia State quarterback: Cameran Brown is projected to start for Georgia State. Last season, he threw for 1,296 yards, 13 TD and 1 INT.

Three quick analysis points

• The easiest path for Georgia State's offense: Georgia State allowed a disruptive play on 11.1% of its snaps, No. 34 nationally. North Carolina A&T allowed 43.6 points per game at the FCS level last season. That is the part of the offense Georgia State can use to establish control before depth becomes the larger advantage. Georgia State kept the same head coach and OC, with 3 offensive starters returning.
• The underdog's opening against Georgia State: Georgia State's defense allowed 8.42 yards per pass play, No. 129 nationally. North Carolina A&T scored 20.5 points per game at the FCS level last season. This is the one area North Carolina A&T should test immediately. One successful early drive could turn a depth mismatch into a pressure game for a quarter or two. Georgia State changed its defensive leadership and returns 2 starters on that side, so last year's number is a warning or opportunity—not a guarantee.
• A first real test at quarterback: Champ Long is North Carolina A&T's most experienced returning passer. Last year he threw for 67 yards, 0 TD and 1 INT; 6.2% of his throws were picked off. Georgia State returns 2 defensive starters and ranked only No. 127 nationally at creating sacks and other disruptive plays, giving Champ Long a chance to settle in. North Carolina A&T returns no listed starting offensive linemen, making protection the immediate question.

How the game is decided

Georgia State's first job is avoiding three-and-outs while the new offensive pieces settle in. North Carolina A&T must turn every early stop into field position or points; empty possessions will eventually let the home team's size and depth take over.

Prediction

I make my final predictions on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at @uthinkuknowsports.

Full disclosure: I use AI tools to format my research into an article encompassing all of the information.