North Carolina, Miami Set for a Slugfest

The Miami Hurricanes are out of contention for the ACC title game, but there’s still plenty at stake – and they’ll be taking Saturday’s game quite seriously as they host North Carolina. Miami (8-1 SU, 6-3 ATS) has its sights set on a New Year’s Six bowl game appearance but will first need to get past a Tar Heels team (7-3 SU, 4-6 ATS) that has looked impressive in its own right.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Miami kicked off the betting cycle as a 4-point favorite, though most sportsbooks have shifted it down to -3. The Sportsbook total of 63.5 has since risen to 65.

North Carolina News & Notes

A week after falling victim to a suffocating Notre Dame defense, the Tar Heels’ offensive attack was back in fine form, rolling up 540 total yards in a 49-9 drubbing of Western Carolina. It was the sixth game of 40 or more points for North Carolina, which enters its regular-season finale averaging an incredible 40.9 points per game, good for 12th in the country.

Stopping North Carolina has proven difficult, especially given that the Tar Heels rank inside the top 20 nationally in both passing and receiving yards. Quarterback Sam Howell has thrown for more than 3,100 yards with 26 touchdowns, while the backfield duo of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams has combined for 1,841 rushing yards and 23 scores.

Miami News & Notes

Miami made it look easy in last week’s 48-0 whitewash of the Duke Blue Devils – and that victory was even more impressive when you consider that several key members of the team, including quarterback D’Eriq King, had battled COVID-19 just a few weeks earlier. The Hurricanes were away from football activities for two weeks but have returned with vigor entering the season finale.

King is the player to watch from a fantasy perspective; the Houston transfer has thrown for 2,336 yards with 20 touchdowns while adding four scores on the ground. Mike Harley has been King’s favorite target with 43 catches for 653 yards and five TDs, and he had five catches for 79 yards in last year’s stunning 25-22 loss to North Carolina.

Betting Pick: OVER 65 (-110)

This should be a good old-fashioned slugfest between two teams that can light up the scoreboard – and with the Hurricanes doubly motivated, we should see the home side rack up the TDs.