S. Carolina vs. N. Carolina Total Pick
Will offense or defense be the story when rivals North Carolina and South Carolina collide on Saturday at 3:30PM ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
181 South Carolina vs. 182 North Carolina
Saturday, August 31, 2019
3:30PM ET – Bank of America Stadium
TV: ESPN
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Public Betting Trends
According to the latest oddsmakers, South Carolina is favored in this game, as the Gamecocks are getting odds of -10.5 points against North Carolina. The over/under total is listed at 63.5 points. The public betting currently has 64 percent going on South Carolina as the favorite. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NCAAF Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Gamecocks looking to contend
South Carolina is coming off a 7-6 record in the 2018 season where the Gamecocks were 4-4 in the SEC. SC is coming into its fourth season with head coach Will Muschamp. The Gamecocks were 7-6 against the spread last season and 7-6 with the over.
South Carolina brings back six starters on offense this season from a unit that averaged 30.1 points and 425.6 yards per game. Jake Bentley returns under center after throwing for 3,171 yards and 27 touchdowns last year. He has one of his top receivers back in Bryan Edwards, who had 55 catches for 846 yards and seven touchdown sin 2018. SC has to improve on its run game, which averaged just 152.8 yards per contest last season. Defensively, South Carolina gave up 27.2 points and 424.3 yards per contest last year.
UNC brings back Mack
North Carolina made a big splash in the offseason, hiring former back Mack Brown to take over the team after the Heels went 2-9 overall in 2018 and 1-7 in the ACC. He coached the team from 1989-98, posting three 10-win seasons. UNC was 5-5-1 against the spread last year and 7-3-1 with the over.
The UNC offense averaged just 27.4 points and 442.1 yards per game last season. The offense has just five starters back this year and will be working in a new quarterback. True freshman Sam Howell is going to get the start in this game. He has a relatively inexperience line in front of him and no skill-position players that had much impact last season. Michael Carter was the leading rusher with 597 yards and two touchdowns. He is back in the backfield this year. Defensively, UNC gave up 34.5 points and 447.6 yards per game. Their rush defense was among the worst in the country at 218.8 yards per game.
College Football Betting Trends
South Carolina
South Carolina is 4-1 with the under in its last five games in August and 11-4 with the under in its last 15 games against ACC opponents.
North Carolina
North Carolina is 6-2-1 with the over in its last nine games on grass and 5-2 with the under in its last seven games on a neutral site.
Prediction:
North Carolina is likely to get back on track at some point, but Mack Brown has a lot of work ahead of him and is starting off with a true freshman at quarterback. That is likely to lead to some ugly play to open the season, especially against an SEC team like South Carolina, The Gamecocks will be up for this game on an NFL field and I think their defense should look solid against this UNC offense. I don’t expect the SC offense to really blow up the Tar Heels, so look for this game to go under the total listed.
College Football Week 1 Prediction: South Carolina/North Carolina Under 63.5