N CAROLINA vs TEXAS A&M
When: 1/2/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: TEXAS A&M, N CAROLINA

Oddsmakers currently have the TEXAS A&M listed as -7 point favorites versus the N CAROLINA, while the game’s total is sitting at 67.5.

Motivation could be a huge factor for the Orange Bowl participants as No. 13 North Carolina collides with No. 5 Texas A&M on Jan. 2 in Miami.

Texas A&M (8-1) was one spot away from making its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Instead, the Aggies will go to the Orange Bowl for the first time since a 1944 loss to LSU.

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said his team shouldn’t be frustrated by the CFP rankings.

“You get in, you get out, and you’ve got to move on,” Fisher said. “You go to the future, and listen, we get an opportunity to play in the Orange Bowl, like I said, one of the great bowl games in the history of this (sport).”

The Aggies were second in the Southeastern Conference’s West Division behind top-ranked Alabama, which delivered the lone blemish on the Texas A&M record. Since then, they’ve won seven straight games.

North Carolina (8-3) tied for fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the Tar Heels are the highest-rated team in the league other than CFP selections Clemson and Notre Dame. With the ACC’s tie-in with the Orange Bowl, that reserved a spot for North Carolina.

“There will never be a team that will be more excited about coming to the bowl game than ours,” coach Mack Brown said.

The Tar Heels and Aggies have never previously met. All in the past decade, Texas A&M has faced the other three ACC teams from the state of North Carolina in bowls, defeating Duke (2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl) and North Carolina State (2018 Gator Bowl) and losing to Wake Forest (2017 Belk Bowl).

Fisher said his team shouldn’t need to draw motivation or express anger by the CFP committee decision.

“I hope we’re doing our job as a football team and what we want to do and accomplish as a program because that’s what we do at A&M,” Fisher said. “It’s to play great football when the next game steps up, whatever the circumstances, whatever the consequences.”

Both teams are coached by men who’ve guided national championship efforts at other schools and have directed quick turnarounds in their current jobs.

North Carolina running back Michael Carter, who was part of a record-setting rushing duo with Javonte Williams, receiver Dyami Brown and linebacker Chazz Surratt all announced the day after the bowl pairings were announced that they would skip the bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft. Carter rushed for 1,245 yards and nine touchdowns this season, Brown became the first player in school history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and Surratt is the top pro prospect on the defense.

North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell has a connection to Fisher, who was involved in initial recruiting contact with the strong-armed thrower while he was still Florida State’s coach. Howell later pledged to play for Florida State before altering his decision and stay in his home state to suit up for the Tar Heels.

“He is a tremendous football (player), tremendous leader but he’s not the only guy they got,” Fisher said.

Texas A&M has a stellar quarterback with Kellen Mond, whose four-year credentials include school records. This year, he has 19 touchdown passes with three interceptions. Running back Isaiah Spiller has rushed for 993 yards and seven touchdowns.

Brown is familiar with Texas A&M’s program because after leaving his first stint as North Carolina’s coach he had a long-term run as the Texas coach.

“This will be a tremendous challenge for us but one that we’re looking forward to because it just gives us another opportunity to see how far we need to go to get where they are,” Brown said. “… What you want is verification to your players and your staff that what you’re doing is working, and they’re reaping a reward at the end of the second year that most people don’t get a chance to do.”

North Carolina was in position for this bowl bid by winning in Hard Rock Stadium, where the Orange Bowl will be played, in its Dec. 12 regular-season finale with a 62-26 upset of Miami. Carter and Williams combined for 544 rushing yards in the game, setting a Football Bowl Subdivision record for a twosome.

This is North Carolina’s first time slotted for the Orange Bowl. The Tar Heels will make their first major bowl appearance since the 1950 Cotton Bowl.

This marks the school-record 12th consecutive year that Texas A&M heads to a bowl, though it’s the school’s first appearance in a CFP-era New Year’s Six bowl.

“I think it shows the trajectory we’re on and what we’re trying to accomplish, that we are being relevant in the national conversations and where we’re going,” Fisher said.

Fisher’s coaching bowl record is 7-2, including a 2-0 mark in Orange Bowls with Florida State (defeating Northern Illinois in 2012 and Michigan in 2016). Brown has been to the Orange Bowl twice, both as an assistant coach (with LSU and Oklahoma).

Following a pair of nine-loss seasons under Larry Fedora that prompted the rehiring of Brown, North Carolina is in the postseason for the second year in a row.

“Our guys are very excited to be where we were two years ago to now,” Brown said. “A&M has been in this neighborhood before. This is new for us. So we’re not familiar with this, but we’re learning each week something new.”

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NORTH CAROLINA vs SYRACUSE
When: 12:20 PM ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Where: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York

TV: 12:20 PM
LINE: -10
PREDICTION: SYRACUSE , N CAROLINA

Oddsmakers currently have the SYRACUSE listed as -10 point favorites versus the N CAROLINA, while the game’s total is sitting at 67.5.

Syracuse’s breakthrough season has hit a sudden snag. The Orange look to snap a two-game losing streak Saturday when they host North Carolina in ACC action.

The Orange opened the campaign 4-0 before a crushing loss at Clemson preceded an overtime setback against Pittsburgh. The team now plays four of its next five at home, beginning with Saturday’s contest against a North Carolina squad that has reached 20 points only once this season. The Tar Heels absorbed a painful loss against Virginia Tech in their last contest, melting down in the fourth quarter en route to a 22-19 defeat. This is the first meeting between the teams since 2003 even though they have been ACC foes for the last five years.

TV: 12:20 p.m. ET, Raycom Sports. LINE: Syracuse -9.5

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (1-4, 1-2 ACC): The Tar Heels’ Michael Carter fumbled near the end zone with a chance to possibly ice the game, and the Hokies took the ensuing turnover 98 yards in 18 plays before scoring the game-winning touchdown with 19 seconds to go. “Give them the credit, they made the plays when they had to and they got it done,” North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said, adding: “We just didn’t make enough plays to win the football game. And we had a lot of opportunities.” Quarterback Cade Fortin (knee) is unlikely to play this weekend – and may be out long-term – which could put Nathan Elliott back under center.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (4-2, 1-2): Eric Dungey completed under 48 percent of his passes for the third time this season versus Pitt and failed to reach 200 passing yards, although he did add his sixth rushing TD in the last three games. “It hurts,” Dungey said. “I hate losing. It hurts. … I’ve been saying all week Pitt’s a dangerous team. We weren’t on the same page, the receivers and I on some plays, but we’ll get it fixed.” Since holding Florida State to seven points, Syracuse has allowed an average of 30.6 points in its last three outings.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Since back-to-back terrific games against East Carolina and Pitt, North Carolina RB Antonio Williams has totaled 51 rushing yards and no touchdowns in the last two games.

2. Syracuse LB Kielan Whitner has been the team’s leading tackler in each of the last four weeks.

3. Orange freshman K Andre Szmyt leads the nation in kicking points (78).

PREDICTION: Syracuse 33, North Carolina 21

The post N CAROLINA vs. SYRACUSE 10/20/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

UCF vs N CAROLINA
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 15, 2018
Where: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

TV: 12:00 PM
LINE: 14.5
PREDICTION: N CAROLINA , UCF

Oddsmakers currently have the N CAROLINA listed as 14.5 point favorites versus the UCF, while the game’s total is sitting at 51.5.

CANCELED

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N CAROLINA vs E CAROLINA
When: 9/8/2018 3:30 PM
Where:

TV: 3:30 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: E CAROLINA , N CAROLINA

Oddsmakers currently have the E CAROLINA listed as point favorites versus the N CAROLINA, while the game’s total is sitting at .

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N CAROLINA vs CALIFORNIA
When: 4:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 1, 2018
Where: California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California

TV: 4:00 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: CALIFORNIA , N CAROLINA

Oddsmakers currently have the CALIFORNIA listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the N CAROLINA, while the game’s total is sitting at 61.

California opened the Justin Wilcox era last year on a high note by going to North Carolina and recording a surprising come-from-behind 35-30 victory. Cal’s second-year coach looks for a similar result Saturday when the Bears host the depleted Tar Heels, who will be without 13 suspended players and standout defensive lineman Aaron Crawford (knee injury) in the season opener for both teams.

North Carolina is taking the longest trip in school history to face an improving Cal team that has made just one bowl game in the past six seasons and was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 North Division. The Bears are hoping to build on the promising signs from last season, when former walk-on Patrick Laird rushed for 1,127 yards – including an average of 145.4 yards over the final five games. Laird returns for his senior season and figures to receive a heavy workload against North Carolina, which finished 88th in the nation in points allowed in last year’s injury-plagued season but hopes to bounce back behind a veteran defensive line. The Tar Heels will look to pressure Cal quarterback Ross Bowers, who completed 59 percent of his passes for 3,039 yards and 18 touchdowns against 12 interceptions last season.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: California -7

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (3-9 in 2017): Dual-threat quarterback Nathan Elliott started the final three games last season and will get the nod Saturday over Chazz Surratt, who is suspended for the first four contests. Coach Larry Fedora plans to rotate Jordon Brown, Antonio Williams and true freshman Javonte Williams at running back, while wide receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams looks to build on a strong sophomore campaign. The Tar Heels boast a formidable defensive line and two impressive linebackers in Cole Holcomb and Jonathan Smith, but the secondary could be vulnerable against Cal’s aerial attack.

ABOUT CAL (5-7 in 2017): In search of their first bowl appearance since 2015, the Bears need continued growth from a defensive unit led by linebackers Cameron Goode and Jordan Kunaszyk, who had a team-high 74 tackles last season. Cal fell from third to 10th in the conference in scoring offense last year and needs a quick start from Bowers, who will be operating behind a veteran offensive line. There are question marks at the wide receiver position after three key wideouts left the program, but Kanawai Noa and Vic Wharton III return after combining for 123 catches last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cal has won its last four consecutive season openers and is 12-4 in its first game since 2002.

2. Saturday’s contest marks North Carolina’s first trip to the West Coast since a 37-34 loss at Stanford in 1998.

3. Cal was 4-2 at home last season with its two losses coming by a combined 11 points to USC and Arizona.

PREDICTION: Cal 27, North Carolina 17

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