UConn vs. North Carolina Fenway Bowl Odds & Picks: Huskies Are Live Dogs vs Tar Heels

On Saturday morning, the UConn Huskies (8-4) face the North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) in the Fenway Bowl. North Carolina owns the all-time series 3-0, although its last two wins were vacated in 2008 and 2009. UConn enjoyed an excellent regular season, winning four of its last five games. Can they maintain that momentum in this bowl game? Or will the Tar Heels bounce back after losing their last two games? Let’s dive into the matchup and find out.

UConn vs North Carolina - Fenway Bowl Odds

Mathcup Page: UConn vs North Carolina, December 29, 12:00 pm ET

Odds as of December 27 at FanDuel

UConn vs North Carolina - Fenway Bowl Picks

UConn ML (+122) at FanDuel

Former Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown has been dismissed, and Bill Belichick will be the head coach starting next season. In the meantime, tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens will serve as the interim head coach. His staff will be missing offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who took the same job at Michigan.

North Carolina will also be missing a handful of key players. Running back Omarion Hampton, who had a monstrous season with 1,660 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, has declared for the NFL Draft. Defensive linemen Kaimon Rucker and Jahvaree Ritzie (combined 12.5 sacks and 15 TFLs) have also opted out as they’re preparing for the draft.

The Tar Heels also saw left tackle Harold Sampson, linebacker Amare Campbell, and defensive tackle Travis Shaw enter the transfer portal, while guard Willie Lampkin is a potential opt-out candidate. Tight end Bryson Nesbit also remains out with an injury.

UConn saw running back Durrell Robinson, wide receiver Skyler Bell, defensive lineman Langston Hardy, and cornerback Malcolm Bell enter the transfer portal. Durrell Robinson (Auburn) and Malcolm Bell (Michigan State) have signed elsewhere, so we can assume they won’t play. Skyler Bell’s status must be monitored after he led the team with 783 receiving yards.

The Huskies have two excellent offensive tackles, Chase Lundt and Valentin Senn, who are projected NFL Draft picks. However, the current expectation is that they’ll play in the Fenway Bowl. If that’s the case, the Huskies should be able to generate rushing production behind PFF’s fourth-ranked run-blocking offensive line—the Tar Heels rank 80th in run defense success rate.

Meanwhile, the Tar Heels’ path to offensive production becomes much more complicated without Hampton. The Huskies rank top-40 in pass defense success rate and EPA/pass allowed, and the Tar Heels finished just 103rd in EPA/pass and 112th in passing success rate. Don’t expect Jacolby Criswell to lead a potent passing attack in this matchup.

With uncertainty hanging over the Fenway Bowl, the best bet may be to take a flier on the UConn Moneyline. The Huskies have the more intact coaching staff and roster, and this game likely means more to UConn’s players who are playing close to home, while North Carolina is in a lame-duck period before Belichick takes over. Roll with the Huskies as an underdog in the Fenway Bowl.

UConn vs North Carolina - Fenway Bowl Player Prop

Cam Edwards rushing yards

Redshirt sophomore running back Cam Edwards came on strong at the end of the season, posting 80+ rushing yards in four straight games to close the campaign. That includes a massive performance in the finale against UMass with 18 carries for 142 yards and a touchdown. With Durrell Robinson off to Auburn via the transfer portal, Edwards will see a significant workload in the backfield, and he’s facing a vulnerable North Carolina defense that ranked outside the top 100 in EPA/rush and rushing success rate allowed.

UConn vs North Carolina - Fenway Bowl Betting Trends