The Miami Hurricanes (2-3, 0-1 ACC) travel to meet the North Carolina Tar Heels (3-3, 2-3) Saturday at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Miami vs. North Carolina odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Hurricanes were expected to challenge for the Coastal Division title, but they find themselves under .500 and battling simply for bowl eligibility at this point. Miami has covered just one of its five games, while hitting the Under four times.
The Tar Heels have been equally disappointing. UNC was picked by some as a dark horse playoff contender entering the season, but a 17-10 loss in the opener at Virginia Tech quickly ended that notion. Losses to Georgia Tech and Florida State have the Heels reeling.
Miami at North Carolina odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 4:50 p.m. ET.
- Money line: North Carolina +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | North Carolina -270 (bet $270 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Miami +7.5 (-117) | North Carolina -7.5 (-103)
- Over/Under (O/U): 63.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Miami at North Carolina odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
North Carolina 31, Miami 29
Money line
North Carolina (-270) will cost you nearly three times your potential return. That’s extremely risky behavior betting on a team which was just dusted by a terrible Florida State squad on this very same field just last week.
AVOID and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
MIAMI +7.5 (-117) is an attractive play catching seven and a hook. North Carolina has been a difficult team to figure lately. UNC was trampled by subpar Georgia Tech and Florida State teams as a double-digit favorite in both contests. The last time the Tar Heels were a 7.5-point favorite, they blasted a good Virginia team 59-39.
The Hurricanes haven’t been very good either. They barely beat Appalachian State Sept. 11, and their only other win is against FCS Central Connecticut. This is the disappointment bowl where one team will suffer its fourth loss in 2021.
Over/Under
UNDER 63.5 (-112) is the slight lean here.
The Under has cashed in back-to-back outings for UNC, while the Under is 4-1 for Miami this season. The Under is also 18-6-2 in the past 26 road outings for the Hurricanes, while the Under is 4-0 in the previous four at home for the Heels against a team with a losing road mark.
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