UConn vs North Carolina Picks and Prediction: Bet Huskies in Upset on Dec 28

Going into the Fenway Bowl, North Carolina (6-6) has headlined college football news for a few reasons. However, UConn (8-4) has had a great season and could cap it off with an exciting bowl game.

UConn finished its strong season with a 47-42 win over Massachusetts. Although that game was a little upset scare for the Huskies, they still pulled out the win, giving them a chance in this game against North Carolina.

On the other hand, North Carolina has lost its last two games, most recently 35-30 to NC State. That loss in a rivalry game at home hurt the Tar Heels and opened the door a little more for an upset for this game in college football best bets.

Fenway Bowl Game Information

• Game: UConn (8-4) vs. North Carolina (6-6)
• Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
• Day/Time: Saturday, Dec. 28, 11:00 p.m. ET
• UConn vs North Carolina Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Monitor college football news before making a bet on the Fenway Bowl.

UConn vs North Carolina Betting Preview

1. UConn ATS (-105)

Everything should favor North Carolina in college football predictions going into this matchup. The Tar Heels play in one of the Power Four conferences (ACC) and have had moments of looking good this season.

Before North Carolina lost its last two games to NC State and Boston College (41-21), it had won three straight. Per NCAAF betting trends, the Tar Heels have been streaky all season, starting with three consecutive wins before losing four straight. They then won three straight again before losing the final two games.

That inconsistency has led to head coach Mack Brown’s firing. However, he was quickly replaced by an NFL legend, Bill Belichick, who has won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. That is bound to shake up the team in many ways this offseason.

Thank you Chapel Hill 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/2X1khP9EPI

— Omarion Hampton (@OmarionHampton) December 16, 2024

One of the first significant changes is that star running back Omarion Hampton, who had 1,660 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, is heading to the NFL and sitting out this game. This Tar Heels offense runs Hampton and being without him will be challenging.

All of that combined, with North Carolina only covering two spreads all season, opens up the door for the UConn Huskies in college football picks.

Bet on UConn +2½ 

2. UConn vs North Carolina Over 52.5 (-105)

While some of the reasons why UConn can cover the NCAAF spread in this game involve what is going on with the North Carolina Tar Heels, that does not tell the whole story. The Huskies have had a solid season with eight wins and can make this game interesting all on their own.

UConn’s running game is a big part of it, mainly through Cam Edwards, Durell Robinson, and Mel Brown. All three running backs have over 100 carries, averaging upwards of 5.3 yards per attempt.

Per UConn vs North Carolina stats, the Huskies will be facing a Tar Heels defense that allows 144.4 yards per game, plus 220 in the loss to NC State. All the coaching changes and transfer rumors will also hurt the Tar Heels defense.

In UConn’s last game, leading rusher Edwards had a great game with 142 yards on 18 carries for a touchdown. Robinson also found the end zone with 11 carries for 83 yards. Brown was the forgotten one of the group in that game, with eight carries for 26 yards, but the other two were at 7.5 yards per attempt or better.

Immediately, that is a big reason why UConn has a chance to cover. However, that also opens the door to bet online for the over in this game. North Carolina still has the overall talent advantage, but UConn’s offense should have some success.

Bet on Over 52½ 

Questions Of The Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.