The North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Tech Hokies will meet Friday in the season opener at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
The Tar Heels hit the road for a difficult road game, as Heisman-hopeful QB Sam Howell looks to hit the ground running. UNC won 10 games last season en route to a New Year’s Day bowl game, and they’re considered the favorites in the Coastal Division.
The Hokies will be looking for revenge after an entertaining, but disappointing 56-45 loss at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill against the Heels last season. QB Braxton Burmeister takes over as the full-time starter under center for the Gobblers.
North Carolina at Virginia Tech odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: North Carolina -230 (bet $230 to win $100) | Virginia Tech +180 (bet $100 to win $180)
- Against the spread (ATS): North Carolina -6.5 (-105) | Virginia Tech +6.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 63.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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North Carolina at Virginia Tech odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
North Carolina 40, Virginia Tech 31
Money line
North Carolina (-230) will cost you over two times your potential return, and that’s risky business in the season opener, especially for a road team. Over the long haul that’s not a good betting strategy.
AVOID, and look to the spread instead.
Against the spread
Play NORTH CAROLINA -6.5 (-105) as Howell is the difference is under center. Howell is a legitimate star, while Burmeister might take some time to get his sea legs in his first season as the full-time starter.
Playing in front of a hostile and loud crowd is a difficult assignment for the Heels, and they could start this game a little slow, but after a while, UNC will get comfortable, and they’ll find plenty of open spaces against a Virginia Tech +6.5 (-115) defense that is still a work in progress and its biggest Achilles’ heel.
Over/Under
As far as the total, OVER 63.5 (-108) is the play. These teams combined for 101 points last fall at Kenan. That’s not going to happen here, but Howell and the Tar Heels offense was good for 40 or more points in six of the final seven regular-season outings. And the Hokies defense yielded 32.1 PPG in 2020, so the scoreboard operator at Lane is going to be busy.
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