College Football Sportsbook – Clemson vs North Carolina

Fans of the college football sportsbook might deliberate as to whether we are starting to see the Tar Heel team many expected, but there is no doubt that North Carolina has a more "fortified" look right now. On Saturday they will play host to the Clemson Tigers in an ACC game that will kick off at 3:30 PM ET at Kenan Stadium (artificial turf) in Chapel Hill, NC. With consecutive wins over Rutgers and East Carolina, UNC likes to think it is building up some momentum. In the odds established in the college football sportsbook, the Heels are a 2.5-point favorite, with the total posted at 53 points.

Clemson Tigers (2-2 SU, 1-2 ATS) at North Carolina Tar Heels (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS)

Live at Kenan Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, October 9 –  3:30 PM ET
TV:  ESPN Game Plan

College Football Sportsbook Odds:
North Carolina -2.5
Clemson +2.5
Total  53

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Here are some of the trends as they impact the college football lines on this game:

• Clemson has won nine of its last 13 games SU
• Clemson has lost five of its last seven road games SU
• Clemson has played four of its last six road games OVER the total
• North Carolina has lost four of its last six games SU
• North Carolina has won 13 of its last 19 home games SU

Key stats for Clemson — The Tigers are second in the nation in net punting, as Dawson Zimmerman has averaged more than 46 yards per kick. Their defense has also proven the ability to penetrate, with twelve sacks (eleventh in the nation) and 36 tackles for loss, which ranks fourth. Still, they have covered just one of three games in the college football sportsbook odds.

Key stats for North Carolina — The Tar Heels are almost at the other end of the spectrum in terms of the "net punting" stat, ranking 113th in the country in that category. They’re also ranked 91st in tackles for loss. Quarterback TJ Yates is 68% accurate, with seven TD passes and just one interception.

Here are some of the head-to-head trends that may influence our selection against the college football sportsbook odds:

• North Carolina has covered six of the last nine meetings
• Clemson has won five of the last six meetings SU

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Bettors in the college football sportsbook may not be overly impressed by what North Carolina has done the last couple of games in beating Rutgers, which is having all kinds of problems on offense, and East Carolina, which has had its share of difficulties on the defensive end. Still, you can’t dispute that even the losses against Georgia Tech and LSU were winnable for UNC. Clemson is probably going to have to do something to stop the run, as they are allowing 181 yards a game.

That’s because they are going to encounter a running attack that might be more potent now that Shaun Draughn, one of the many Tar Heel players who has sat out time because of suspension, looks like he may be a little more comfortable. Draughn ran for 137 yards against East Carolina last Saturday, and a lot of people remember the back-to-back games against Florida State and Virginia Tech last year when he traversed over 200 yards. As he combines with Johnny White, a fellow senior who had 140 yards against ECU, it gives college football sportsbook bettors a lot to think about.

What makes this an extra concern is that TJ Yates has done a pretty decent job of minimizing his mistakes. Yates, with just one interception, makes it tougher for Clemson to get cheap opportunities. North Carolina has gotten one of its safeties back last week (Da’Norris Searcy, who returned an INT for a TD) and has another (Deunta Williams) coming back on Saturday. Both of them were All-ACC selections last year. His program may be dirty, but things are filling out for Butch Davis. We’re laying the points with North Carolina in the college football sportsbook for this week.

JAY’S PLAY:  NORTH CAROLINA -2.5 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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