The betting line on Saturday’s North Carolina game is officially 3.5 points according to Sportsbetting.com. The over/under for the game is set at 73.5 points, according to Bovada.com. The Carolina franchise is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games against Atlantic Coast Conference foes. They are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games in November and 7-17 SU overall in 2016.
Why Bet On North Carolina Games?
The Tar Heels are coming off a bye week and will play a pivotal role in this year’s ACC race. North Carolina has won 11 games in a row and is ranked No. 15 in the nation, according to USA TODAY Sports. The Tar Heels are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games and 17-2 SU in their last 19 games overall. North Carolina is 4-0 ATS in its last 4 games against the Coastal Division.
The Tar Heels will have to be careful around rival NC State, who they’ve played 12 times since 1902 and hold a 7-5 series advantage. The Wolfpack are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against the Tar Heels and 16-6 SU in their last 22 games. State is coming off a 45-point win over Virginia and is currently No. 14 in the country.
Coastal Division Predictions
The Coastal Division sees a lot of action this week, with Florida State taking on South Carolina in the Gamecocks’ homecoming game and Clemson playing host to Virginia Tech. There are lots of possibilities headed into the 2018 ACC football season, which starts this week. Here are our top five predictions for the ACC Coastal Division.
No. 1 Florida State
The Seminoles are ranked No. 2 in the country and will start the season with a bang. Florida State is 17-0 ATS in its last 17 games, including 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games against the Atlantic Coast Conference. Quarterback Jameis Winston has 12 wins and 1 loss this year, and he has a strong chance to break the ACC record for total wins by a quarterback. Over/under on Winston’s win total is set at 12.5.
No. 2 South Carolina
The Gamecocks return almost everybody from last year’s squad and are ranked No. 7 in the country. They’ll have a challenging early-season schedule, playing Florida State and Clemson in back-to-back weeks and then Virginia Tech and Louisville after that. South Carolina is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games against the North Carolina conference and 24-13 SU in its last 37 games overall. Quarterback Connor Shaw has 979 yards passing with 12 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions. Over/under on Shaw’s passing yardage is set at 820 yards. He’s also the favorite to win the 2017 Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s top quarterback.
No. 3 Clemson
Clemson is another team that returns a lot from last year’s squad and is ranked No. 8 in the country, returning 11 starters. The Tigers will also get a boost from the transfer of former Florida State QB Deondre Francois. Clemson is 17-3 SU in its last 20 games against the Atlantic Coast Conference and 11-4 SU in its last 15 games overall. Clemson is 6-0 ATS in its last 6 games against the Coastal Division and 4-0 in its last 4 games against the Carolina conference. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is coming off a season in which he was named first-team All-American and the 2016 NFL Draft’s No. 7 overall pick. Watson’s overall numbers (4,902 yards with 40 touchdowns) are career highs. He’s one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football history. He’s also one of the most popular players in college football history, with over 150,000 people signing a petition to have his jersey retired at Clemson.
No. 4 Louisville
Louisville is another team that returns a lot of players and is ranked No. 16 in the country. The Cardinals have an early-season matchup against Oklahoma this year, which could be a challenge as the Sooners are 13-0 SU and ATS in their last 13 games. However, after that, Louisville will play Florida State, Clemson, and South Carolina in back-to-back weeks. The Cardinals are 15-3 SU in their last 18 games against the Atlantic Coast Conference and are 17-2 SU in their last 19 games overall. QB Lamar Jackson threw for 4,727 yards and 42 touchdowns last year, and he’s set to be a major player for the Cardinals. Jackson’s favorite target is WR DeVante Parker, who caught 66 passes for 1,077 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2017. Parker will be back after missing last year due to injury, and he’s expected to have a big season in 2018. Louisville is also one of the most consistent programs in the country and is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games against the North Carolina conference.
No. 5 Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is coming off its first losing season since 2001 and has some work to do in order to get back on track. The Hokies are coming off a 4-win season and are ranked No. 19 in the country. They’ll have a tough road game against Clemson in their opener, but they’ll also get South Carolina and Louisville after that. The Hokies are 18-4 SU in their last 22 games against the Atlantic Coast Conference and 16-3 SU in their last 19 games overall. QB Josh Jackson had a subpar season in 2017, but he still had 1,767 yards passing with 12 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Wide receiver Bucky Hodges had 77 catches for 1,051 yards and 8 touchdowns. The line on Tech’s win total is 4.5 points.
West Division Predictions
The West Division sees a lot of action this week, with Oregon State traveling to Arizona to take on the Wildcats in a crucial Pac-12 matchup. There are also a couple of early-week bowl games, including Missouri’s Independence Bowl trip to Miami and Texas’ San Antonio Bowl trip to Austin. Here are our top five predictions for the ACC West Division.
No. 1 Oregon State
The Beavers are coming off their first losing season since 2001 and are ranked No. 16 in the country. This year’s team will have to prove that last year’s mediocre performance was a fluke, especially since they only had to play six games. Oregon State is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games, including 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games against the Pacific-12 Conference. The Beavers will have a tough early-season matchup against top-notch competition, playing Arizona in a game that could decide which team goes to the 2018 Rose Bowl. Quarterback Sean Mannion has experience playing in the Big Game and has led the Beavers to six bowl games during his time at Oregon State. If Mannion can guide the Beavers to a 7-5 record in his second year, he’ll have accomplished something quite special.
No. 2 UCLA
UCLA is another team that returns a lot of players and is ranked No. 5 in the country. The Bruins are coming off their first 7-win season since 2006 and are 17-4 SU in their last 21 games, including 9-2 ATS in their last 10 games against the Pac-12 Conference. QB Josh Rosen had an incredible freshman season, leading the Bruins to a 7-1 record and a No. 5 ranking in the country. The 2017 Davey O’Brien Award winner is already one of the most decorated freshman quarterbacks in college football history. Rosen had 4,632 passing yards with 48 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,071 yards and 9 touchdowns while at UCLA. Rosen’s favorite target is WR Jordan Payton, who hauled in 69 passes for 1,125 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2017. Running back Soso Jamabo had 818 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. The line on UCLA’s win total is 11.5 points.
No. 3 Arizona
The Wildcats are coming off a 6-5 season and are ranked No. 22 in the country. QB Justin Fields had a breakout season in 2017 and will look to build on that momentum in 2018. Arizona is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games and is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games overall. The line on the Wildcats’ win total is set at seven points.
No. 4 Missouri
Missouri is another team coming off a 6-5 season and is ranked No. 24 in the country. The Tigers are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games against the Atlantic Coast Conference and 18-4 SU in their last 22 games overall. The line on Missouri’s win total is 11 points.