The North Carolina Tar Heels (5-4, 4-3 ACC) travel to meet the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2, 4-1) Thursday at Heinz Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Tar Heels held off No. 13 Wake Forest at Kenan last week by a 58-55 score. UNC went for 330 yards on the ground, while posting 216 yards through the air. North Carolina has alternated wins and losses over the past seven outings, and the Tar Heels are just 2-4 ATS across the past six.
The Panthers registered a 54-29 win at Duke last week as 21-point favorites, cashing for the fifth time in the past six games. The Over is now 7-2 overall this season.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
North Carolina at Pittsburgh odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.
- Money line: North Carolina +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | Pittsburgh -240 (bet $240 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): North Carolina +6.5 (-105) | Pittsburgh -6.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 72.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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North Carolina at Pittsburgh odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Pittsburgh 40, North Carolina 34
Money line
Pittsburgh (-240) will cost you nearly two-and-a-half times your potential return, and that’s just too risky in this mid-week ACC contest.
AVOID, and play the spread instead.
Against the spread
NORTH CAROLINA +6.5 (-105) is the play, ever so slightly. Pittsburgh -6.5 (-120) can score with the best of them, but defensively, the Panthers will get their biggest test from the Tar Heels high-octane offense. If you can buy a point and get UNC with seven-and-a-hook, that would be an even better play, although slightly more costly.
Over/Under
The OVER 72.5 (-112) is a big number, but given the way North Carolina put up video game-like numbers last week, it’s definitely possible. And Pittsburgh ranks No. 1 in the country with 45.0 PPG, and the Panthers are No. 2 overall in total yards per game (543.3). Look for plenty of points at Heinz Field.
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