The 4-1 North Carolina Tar Heels will take on 2-2 Miami Hurricanes today at 4:00 p.m. eastern time, and the odds are not in their favor.
Earlier in the week, UNC were listed as the +4.5 underdogs. That needle hasn’t moved much since then, with North Carolina entering the game now as +3.5 underdogs. The reason behind the underdog status for UNC comes down to Miami playing host for this Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.
Earlier in the year North Carolina debunked the narrative that they couldn’t win on the road, beating the Mountaineers 63-61 at App State. They then went to Georgia State, beating the Panthers 35-28. However, Georgia State’s atmosphere lacked and since then UNC has played at the comfort of their own home, making this the second true road test of the season.
Miami does come with its own flaws. Before their bye this past weekend, they came off arguably the worst loss in their school history, losing 45-31 to Middle Tennessee. They rushed for a whopping 1.7 yards per carry, and their usual stout defense allowed Tennessee quarterback Chase Cunningham to pass for 408 yards.
The key to victory for UNC is to strike early, quieting the expected loud crowd in the process. They have the offense to stand tall against Miami’s defense, however, establishing the run to open the passing game for Drake Maye is crucial for success.