NCAA Football Sportsbook – North Carolina at Connecticut

NCAA Football Sportsbook Odds

North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) at Connecticut Huskies (1-0 SU & ATS)

Saturday, September 12

BetOnline NCAA Football Sportsbook Betting Odds: NORTH CAROLINA -4.5, Total 45.5

Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• NC has won ten of its last 15 games SU
• NC has covered four of its last six road games
• NC has lost 15 of its last 19 road games SU
• NC has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total
• CONN has won 12 of its last 14 home games SU
• CONN has played five of its last six home games OVER the total

Last year U-Conn went to Chapel Hill and dropped a 38-12 decision, making for an easy win in NCAA football sportsbook betting, in a game that was low-lighted by three interceptions thrown by Zac Frazer, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Frazer, a transfer from Notre Dame, came to U-Conn with some fanfare but has thus far not provided much in the way of answers. He had a rough go of it in the season opener against Ohio, throwing for just 127 yards, throwing three INT’s and losing a fumble. One guy who could be waiting in the wings is sophomore Cody Andres, who started two games last year, including a 40-16 win over eventual Big East champion Cincinnati that provided a huge NCAA football sportsbook win for coach Randy Edsall. However, that would not be a panacea, as Andres completed just 46% of his throws in limited action.

One of the things you just know the Huskies are going to be very conscious of is their protection for the punter. In last year’s meeting linebacker Bruce Carter of North Carolina blocked not one, not two, but THREE U-Conn punts (he had five overall in ’08), so if anything they will over-compensate with an elephant scheme, which could lead to some big Tar Heel returns.

North Carolina hardly had to break a sweat in last year’s 40-6 win over the Citadel (not listed in NCAA football sportsbook action), as they surrendered just 153 total yards. Butch Davis thinks he may have more outstanding athletes than at any time in Chapel Hill, and that means something, because everybody remembers what a fantastic group of athletes he had at Miami. He’s using that same blueprint here, and this defense is going to be hard for Connecticut, replacing the great Donald Brown this year, to negotiate yards against.

The Huskies, to their credit, got 257 combined yards from Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon in the opener, but something tells me real estate will be tougher to come by against a Tar Heel stop unit that returned nine starters and has newcomers like Zach Brown, a linebacker who runs a 4.26 forty-yard dash.

We’re ready to lay the points on the road with North Carolina, the 4.5-point favorite in BetOnline NCAA football sportsbook betting action.

JAY’S PLAY: NORTH CAROLINA -4.5 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)