As college football betting picks up steam and leads us directly into bowl season, there are still a few games remaining on the schedule that should provide us some serious entertainment, and this is one of them. North Carolina has rediscovered its juju under head coach Mack Brown, while Manny Diaz and his Hurricanes have a single loss on the season.
On Saturday, these ACC stalwarts get together to jockey for bowl invites in what should be a thrilling, must-watch affair at Hard Rock Stadium.
Let’s take a look at our best college football free picks and predictions for No. 17 North Carolina at No. 10 Miami. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, December 12 at 3:30 ET.
North Carolina Tar Heels at Miami Hurricanes Betting Preview
Weather
You wouldn’t know it’s December by looking at the forecast in Coral Gables. Look for a high of 80 degrees with a southwest wind at 9 mph. There could also be some showers with a 40 percent chance of precipitation. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Key Injuries
North Carolina: Storm Duck DB (Out), Beau Borrales WR (Out), Ty Murray OL (Out).
Miami: Jared Harrison-Hunte DL (Questionable), Larry Hodges TE (Questionable), Tyler Van Dyke QB (Questionable), Michael Redding III WR (Questionable), Issiah Walker Jr. OL (Out).
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings. Find more NCAA betting trends for North Carolina vs. Miami.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
This should be a fun one. While North Carolina is very much improved under Mack Brown, the Heels haven’t quite achieved the elite status for which they are hoping. But they are getting closer, and their offense is as explosive as just about any program in the country. A week after falling to Notre Dame, North Carolina destroyed Western Carolina 49-9 and scored 42 points in the first half. Yes, playing the Hurricanes will be much different, but quarterback Sam Howell leads an offense that averages 41.1 points per game.
The Canes faded from prominence a bit after their loss to Clemson in early October, but they’ve been playing fantastic football and are fresh off a 48-0 shutout win against Duke. Quarterback D’Eriq King is dynamic in his own right and scored three touchdowns against the Blue Devils but even more impressive was the Miami defense, which forced five Duke turnovers and limited them to 177 yards of total offense.
The early money in this matchup trickled in on North Carolina, and I’m playing the Tar Heels as well. This game might as well be a coin flip, so I’m grabbing points any way I can get them.
PREDICTION: North Carolina +3.0 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Vegas clearly expects a high-scoring game...and I think that’s exactly what we’re going to get.
Howell and King will have every opportunity to put on a show. The Over is 5-1 in North Carolina’s last six games as a road underdog and the total has already ticked up a few points in that direction.
PREDICTION: Over 66.5 (-110)
Team Total Pick
Despite their 17-point output against Notre Dame, the Tar Heels have averaged at least 49 points in each of their past three victories.
Sure, the Canes looked great on defense against Duke, but the Blue Devils are terrible and we’re going to see more than a few big plays from Carolina based on Howell’s ability in the pocket.
PREDICTION: North Carolina team total Over 31.5 (-103)
North Carolina vs Miami Betting Card
- North Carolina +3.0 (-110)
- Over 66.5 (-110)
- North Carolina team total Over 31.5 (-103)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NCAA North Carolina vs. Miami picks, you could win $61.83 on a $10 bet?
Use our NCAA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on College Football?
You can bet on college football odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NCAA football point spreads, Over/Under totals, derivative bets and even prop plays as well. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.
