2016 North Carolina Tar Heels Football Predictions and Season Win Total Picks

by Robert Ferringo - 8/2/2016

North Carolina Tar Heels running back Elijah Hood

2015 Record: 11-3

2016 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 9.0

2016 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Under'

I predicted last year that North Carolina would easily beat their season win total and that if I was wrong about this team it would be because they were even better than I thought, rather than worse. That was exactly the case as North Carolina blasted its way to an 11-1 start and a Coastal Division title.

UNC finally lived up to the hype after two underachieving seasons under Larry Fedora. There were two main reasons for UNC's resurgence. The first was an unstoppable offense that averaged 40.7 points per game. The second was a cupcake schedule that saw them face exactly one team - Pittsburgh - that was ranked in the Top 25.

You have to give the Heels credit for beating the teams they were supposed to; that's half the battle in college football. But let's not get too crazy about patting this team on the back when their best wins came against middling, underachieving Miami and Virginia Tech squads.

North Carolina lost quarterback Marquise Williams. But they return the rest of their skill position players, including underrated running back Elijah Hood and slot man Ryan Switzer. Four of their offensive line starters are three-year starters, and new quarterback Mitch Trubisky was a touted recruit that was outstanding in limited work last year. These guys should have no problem putting the ball in the end zone.

Defensively, the Tar Heels were better at generating turnovers than stops. They allowed only 24.5 points per game last year - a massive improvement after yielding 39 per game the season prior - and seven starters are back this fall. North Carolina's secondary is active, athletic and experienced and should be strong once again.

North Carolina isn't going to match last year's double-digit wins…unless they can find a way to upset Georgia in Atlanta in the season opener. (North Carolina is a three-point underdog in that Week 1 matchup.) The Heels have to travel to Florida State and Miami, and they have tough games against rivals Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, two teams that have owned the Heels over the last 10 years.

The Heels have a load of talent this season. But they aren't as tested as they seem. Last year was right place/right time. They will take some knocks this season and settle for an 8-4 regular season and a better bowl than they deserve. Play the Heels 'under'.

2016 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)	Location	Result
Sat, Sep 3rd, 2016	Georgia	05:30 PM	Georgia Dome
Sat, Sep 10th, 2016	at Illinois	07:30 PM	Memorial Stadium
Sat, Sep 17th, 2016	James_Madison	03:30 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium
Sat, Sep 24th, 2016	Pittsburgh	12:00 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium
Sat, Oct 1st, 2016	at Florida_State	12:00 PM	Bobby Bowden Field
Sat, Oct 8th, 2016	Virginia_Tech	12:00 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium
Sat, Oct 15th, 2016	at Miami_Florida	12:00 PM	Sun Life Stadium
Sat, Oct 22nd, 2016	at Virginia	12:00 PM	David A. Harrison III Field at
Sat, Nov 5th, 2016	Georgia_Tech	12:00 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium
Thu, Nov 10th, 2016	at Duke	07:30 PM	Brooks Field at Wallace Wade S
Sat, Nov 19th, 2016	Citadel	12:00 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium
Fri, Nov 25th, 2016	Nc_State	12:00 PM	Kenan Memorial Stadium

All Times EST

*Season Win Total Odds from 5Dimes Sportsbook.

Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past five years, earning nearly $13,000 in total football profit with four of six winning seasons. Robert tallied over $20,000 in football profit between 2011 and 2015, including his amazing 2013 NFL season in which he hit 62.1 percent (95-58). Robert has produced 14 of 22 winning football months and an amazing 37 of 57 winning football months over the past decade. Robert has eight of nine winning NFL preseasons and he is at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 750 totals picks. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System has posted three of four winning seasons and is 122-92 over the last three years (57.0 percent).

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Pick:	CHICAGO BEARS +3
Start:	November 24, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #256 Chicago Bears +3 over Minnesota Vikings (1p.m., Sunday, November 24 FOX) We used the Bears as a free play winner last Sunday and easily covered the spread and should have been an underdog outright winner. Now we will ride them for a second straight week against another NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are 8-2 on the season, yet are only around a field goal favorite. I still do not trust Sam Donald to win consistently over the course of a 17 game regular season. Minnesota is not as good as their 8-2 record would indicate and playing outdoors in Chicago on Sunday will cause issues for them on both sides of the ball. Chicago has been hit or miss this season, but they will be up to play another divisional rival and we expect them to take this down to the wire as well. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Card featuring top plays in college and NFL football. Read More Read Less

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