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A rough week for No. 18 North Carolina may get rougher on Saturday at 8PM ET as the Tar Heels take on No. 21 LSU at the Georgia Dome.

Bet LSU vs. North Carolina

UNC has 12 players definitely out of Saturday’s game because of a NCAA investigation and three others may also be held out. Nine of those players are starters for the Tar Heels.

LSU has won the last five games in this series and the Tigers have won 12 of their last 13 season openers.

Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL currently list LSU as 7.5-point favorites against North Carolina. The over/under has been set at 43.5.

The Tigers were 9-4 last season and return just 12 starters from that team. Les Miles has some pressure to win a SEC title this season, but to do so, he will have to with shaky junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson threw for just 2,166 yards and 17 scores last season. The running game is without its top two rushers last season and three starters have to be replaced on the offensive line. The LSU defense was very strong in 2009, holding opponents to just 16.2 points per-game. Four starters are back on that side of the ball, led by linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who had 110 tackles last season.

UNC has been on a steady incline under coach Butch Davis, but 2010 was supposed to be the breakthrough year. After going 8-5 in 2009, the Tar Heels opened training camp with 21 starters back. The offense has all of its key players back, but that unit struggled last season, averaging just 23.8 points and 308 yards per-game. The defense was the strong point for UNC, as it held opponents to 17.1 points and 270 yards per-game, but that unit is now depleted with the suspensions.

College Football Week 1 Betting Trends
North Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

North Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 13 of LSU's last 18 games on the road

LSU is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LSU's last 9 games

LSU is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Week 1 College Football Injury Report
LSU

LB Ryan Baker Out Indefinitely (jaw)

NORTH CAROLINA

RB Giovani Bernard Out For Season (ACL)

Week 1 LSU vs. North Carolina Odds

LSU Tigers -7.5 Over 43.5

North Carolina Tar Heels +7.5 Under 43.5

Line Movement:

Date/Time                    Odds (Line)    Over/Under (Total)

08/04/10 10:40:06 PM    1/-110 (Open)    OFF

08/04/10 10:45:04 PM    1/-110               40.5 -110 (Open)

08/06/10 12:15:04 AM    1/-105               40.5 -110

08/06/10 1:35:05 AM      1.5/-105            40.5 -110

08/07/10 12:10:04 AM    1.5/-110            40.5 -110

08/10/10 12:50:06 PM    1.5/-110            40 -110

08/13/10 12:20:05 AM    1.5/-105            40 -110

08/14/10 12:10:08 AM    1.5/-110            40 -110

08/14/10 5:05:04 PM      1.5/-110            39.5 -110

08/17/10 2:40:02 AM      1/-110               39.5 -110

08/17/10 4:40:05 PM      0/-110               39.5 -110

08/18/10 9:05:04 AM      0/-110               40 -110

08/19/10 4:55:09 PM      0/-110               39.5 -110

08/20/10 12:10:07 AM    0/-105               39.5 -110

08/20/10 9:05:03 AM      -1/-105             39.5 -110

08/21/10 12:10:07 AM    -1/-110             39.5 -110

08/23/10 5:25:05 PM      -1.5/-110           39.5 -110

08/23/10 5:25:06 PM      -1.5/-110           40 -110

08/25/10 6:15:04 AM      -1.5/-110           39.5 -110

08/26/10 5:30:07 PM      0/-110               39.5 -110

08/26/10 5:55:06 PM      1.5/-110            39.5 -110

08/26/10 6:10:08 PM      2/-110               39.5 -110

09/01/10 4:45:04 PM      4/-110               42 -110

09/01/10 6:25:11 PM      4.5/-110            42 -110

09/02/10 1:00:04 PM      6.5/-110            42 -110

09/03/10 12:15:09 AM    6.5/-105            42 -110

09/03/10 10:45:10 AM    7/-105               42.5 -110

09/03/10 11:30:09 AM    8/-105               43 -110

09/03/10 12:05:13 PM    8/-105               44 -110

Bet LSU vs. North Carolina