Bill Belichick looks to turn the ship around when the Tar Heels face the Orange on Friday night at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN. SBR's Rob Paul offers some betting insight in his North Carolina vs Syracuse prediction:
Game prediction: Syracuse -2.5 (-106 via FanDuel)
Over/Under pick: Under 45.5 (-110 via Caesars)
"It can't get much scarier for Belichick and the Tar Heels, can it? When Pablo Torre isn't exposing the mismanagement of North Carolina's football program under Belichick and Michael Lombardi (and Jordon Hudson?), the Heels have been losing in terrifying fashion.
Though UNC has dressed up in costume as a competitive team in its last two games, losing by a combined four points to Virginia and Cal, the offense remains a massive problem - the Heels lost to Cal by fumbling through the end zone and to Virginia by being stopped on the goal line on a 2-point attempt. That's why the Under is the better bet here than playing the spread, though I do lean Syracuse covering at home.
Neither of these teams is proficient at scoring, with both North Carolina and Syracuse's offense essentially ghosting their defensive head coaches all season. Both teams are worse at carving up defenses than your uncle is at carving a jack-o-lantern after a few too many cups of his "famous" spiked pumpkin spice hot chocolate.
The Orange have been horrifying on offense since losing starting QB Steve Angeli for the season. Fran Brown's squad is putting up just 12.5 points per game in backup Rickie Collins' four starts. Collins had his best showing last week against Georgia Tech, and the Cuse still scored just 16 points - the bar was low after he threw six interceptions in the two games before that. It won't be easier against a UNC defense that's No. 25 in EPA per rush and allowing just 23.9 PPG.
Meanwhile, UNC's offense has looked like the person at the yearly Halloween party who waited until the last minute to run to Spirit Halloween to throw something together. UNC is last in the ACC in yards per game (279.9) and averaging 13.4 PPG against P4 teams. The Heels have hit the Under in five of their last six."
Player prop bet: Johntay Cook Over 54.5 receiving yards (-114 via FanDuel)
"Both of these offenses have struggled, but North Carolina's is among the worst in the country, with just 34 explosive plays and ranks 132nd in explosives per game (4.86). So I'm taking Johntay Cook to startle the Tar Heels' secondary with his frightening speed.
Cook, a former top 100 recruit, has found a home in Syracuse's shade of orange after beginning his career at Texas. He's top 10 in the ACC in receiving yards (501) and has gone Over 54.5 in four of his last five games, including three with Collins at QB."
Game prediction: Syracuse -2.5 (-106 via FanDuel)
Over/Under pick: Under 45.5 (-110 via Caesars)
"It can't get much scarier for Belichick and the Tar Heels, can it? When Pablo Torre isn't exposing the mismanagement of North Carolina's football program under Belichick and Michael Lombardi (and Jordon Hudson?), the Heels have been losing in terrifying fashion.
Though UNC has dressed up in costume as a competitive team in its last two games, losing by a combined four points to Virginia and Cal, the offense remains a massive problem - the Heels lost to Cal by fumbling through the end zone and to Virginia by being stopped on the goal line on a 2-point attempt. That's why the Under is the better bet here than playing the spread, though I do lean Syracuse covering at home.
Neither of these teams is proficient at scoring, with both North Carolina and Syracuse's offense essentially ghosting their defensive head coaches all season. Both teams are worse at carving up defenses than your uncle is at carving a jack-o-lantern after a few too many cups of his "famous" spiked pumpkin spice hot chocolate.
The Orange have been horrifying on offense since losing starting QB Steve Angeli for the season. Fran Brown's squad is putting up just 12.5 points per game in backup Rickie Collins' four starts. Collins had his best showing last week against Georgia Tech, and the Cuse still scored just 16 points - the bar was low after he threw six interceptions in the two games before that. It won't be easier against a UNC defense that's No. 25 in EPA per rush and allowing just 23.9 PPG.
Meanwhile, UNC's offense has looked like the person at the yearly Halloween party who waited until the last minute to run to Spirit Halloween to throw something together. UNC is last in the ACC in yards per game (279.9) and averaging 13.4 PPG against P4 teams. The Heels have hit the Under in five of their last six."
Player prop bet: Johntay Cook Over 54.5 receiving yards (-114 via FanDuel)
"Both of these offenses have struggled, but North Carolina's is among the worst in the country, with just 34 explosive plays and ranks 132nd in explosives per game (4.86). So I'm taking Johntay Cook to startle the Tar Heels' secondary with his frightening speed.
Cook, a former top 100 recruit, has found a home in Syracuse's shade of orange after beginning his career at Texas. He's top 10 in the ACC in receiving yards (501) and has gone Over 54.5 in four of his last five games, including three with Collins at QB."