Tar Heels and the Orange Open ACC Play
The ACC gets underway this weekend and one of the promising league favorites, North Carolina, hosts Syracuse, picked to finish at-or-near the bottom of the conference. The Tar Heels were picked third in the ACC and are +1000 to win the conference championship while the Orange are +10000. Kickoff is set for 12:-0 p.m. ET at Kenan Field in Chapel Hill, NC and the game will be televised by the ACC Network and ESPN+.
Despite being in the same conference since 2013 these teams have only met once as ACC foes, a 40-37 home Syracuse win in 2018. Prior to that they met twice in the 90s and twice in the early 2000s. Syracuse leads the all-time series 3-2 with a 2-0 mark in Chapel Hill.
Syracuse Outlook: New Schemes
Dino Babers and the Orange entered the 2019 season nationally ranked after their best finish in 17 years but it all fell apart as they went 5-7 and gave up the most sacks in the nation. The Orange have two new coordinators this season with Sterlin Gilbert running the offense and Troy White running the defense.
Redshirt junior QB Tommy Devito completed 63% of his passes last year 2,360 yards and 19 TD but was also sacked an alarming 35 times. The backfield lost Moe Neal (170 att, 846 yd, 7 TD) but retains Abdul Adams (87 rush, 336 yd, 3 TD) with Chris Elmore and
On the perimeter the Orange needed to replace Trishton Jackson (66 rec, 1023 yd, 11 TD) who went to the NFL. Taj Harris (37 rec, 559 yd, 2 TD) and Nykeim Johnson (19 rec, 99 yd) will look to step up and be top targets for Devito. TE Aaron Hackett (23 rec, 205, 6 TD) is an ideal redzone target as well.
The defense will be in transition with at least seven new starters and a new scheme that didn’t get the benefit of much spring practice. The good news is that S Andre Cisco had five interceptions last year and his 12 career picks lead all active FBS players.
North Carolina Outlook: Air it Out
The Tar Heels were a two-pointer away from the biggest upset in FBS last year but they fell 21-20 to Clemson en route to a 7-6 season and a Military Bowl win over Temple. Expectations are high for Mack Brown’s squad this season as UNC is ranked No. 18 and behind just the Tigers and Notre Dame in preseason ACC predictions.
North Carolina returns 10 starters on offense and will need to improve on a 3-6 record in games decided by seven points or less. Sophomore Sam Howell threw for 3,641 yards last year with an astounding 38/7 TD/INT ratio and 61% completion. Howell was the ACC Rookie of the Year and the 38 TDs were a single-season school record.
UNC has two running backs returning as Michael Carter (177 att, 1003 yd, 3 TD) and Javonte Williams (166 att, 933 yd, 5 TD) take some pressure off Howell. Outside its Dazz Newsome (72 rec, 1018 yd, 10 TD), Dyami Brown (51 rec, 1034 yd, 12 TD) and Beau Corrales (40 rec, 575 yd, 6 TD) back.
The Tar Heels were pretty good on defense last year allowing just 23.7 ppg. Former QB Chazz Surratt is now an All-ACC linebacker along with Jeremiah Gemmell and those two led UNC in tackles last year. Senior DE Tomon Fox (6.5 sacks) will need to step up with Aron Crawford and Jason Stowbridge both departing.
Syracuse at North Carolina Betting Lines By Scoresandstats
Syracuse spread: +20.5 money line: +710
North Carolina spread: -20.5 money line: -1250
Over/Under: 63.5 (O -106, U -114)
The pressure is on North Carolina this year but they definitely have the talent for a big season. They can get off to a great start by putting the offense in gear against the Orange and letting the defense go to work. Syracuse will likely improve as the season goes along, but new schemes and young players will be overmatched on the road in week one.
Head to our favorite pay per head bookie site Valley Sports and bet North Carolina -20.5 (-110).
