It’s South Carolina vs North Carolina on August 31st, 2019 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
It’s a new era in North Carolina as Mack Brown returns to college football coaching. The former Texas coach looks to resurrect a Tar Heels program that has faltered in the last two seasons. Brown inherits a team that has experience and good young talent. The running backs are their main strength, they have a talented receiving corps and a new offensive coordinator in Phil Longo calling the shots. On defense, most of their tacklers return and the line has its upside. However, unless proven otherwise, it’s the defense that is North Carolina’s waterloo.
South Carolina enters this match as the football betting favorites to beat the Tar Heels. They need to live up to that billing because what follows next for them is Charleston Southern and Alabama, not easy games to win. The main concern with the Gamecocks isn’t the team really but the schedule which means they need every win they can get early on. Their defense is very good with the linebackers fantastic and their second is made up of grizzled veterans. Now if they could only pick a pass or two in this game, it’s going to be crucial. North Carolina’s defense but South Carolina’s running game should be able to grind away and win.
Who Wins?
South Carolina is 6-1 SU in their last seven games played in August but they are 1-5 SU in their last six games against an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference. North Carolina is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games played and 1-6 SU in their last seven Saturday games played. Head to head, South Carolina is 3-0 SU in their last three meetings.
This game looks to be fun. I think South Carolina will be wobbly out of the gate and North Carolina will play well early. The Gamecocks defense will rise to the occasion and their offense will score enough points to get the job done. Prediction: South Carolina
Other Bets To Make
South Carolina is 4-2 ATS in their last six games played and 5-1 ATS in their last six week 1 game played. North Carolina is 1-4 ATS in their last five games played in August and 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games played in week 1. Head to head, South Carolina is 2-1 ATS in their last three meetings.
South Carolina
-7.5 (-110)
North Carolina
+7.5 (-110)
Odds were taken from Mybookie.ag as of 8/23/19
The defensive side is where North Carolina has to get better. Against a South Carolina team that has star recruit Sam Howell, that is going to be a problem. I think the Gamecocks win by at least two touchdowns here. Prediction: South Carolina -7.5
The total has gone over in four out of the last six games paid by South Carolina. The over is 4-2 in their last six games played on a Saturday. The total has gone under in four out of the last five games of South Carolina as favorite. The over is 7-3 in the last 10 games played by North Carolina and the total has gone over in four out of the last five games when playing as the betting underdog. Head to head, the under is 3-0 in their last three meetings.
South Carolina
O 63 -110
North Carolina
U 63 -110
Odds were taken from Mybookie.ag as of 8/23/19
Although I think they will come up short, North Carolina can keep up with the South Carolina offense and this will lead to plenty of points on the scoreboard. These teams combined to score 57.44 points per game last season. Head to head, they combined for 34.34 points per game in their last 10 meetings. I like the under here. Prediction: Under 63