North Carolina vs Virginia Tech College Football Betting Tips and Predictions

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Lane Stadium

Sam Howell and the North Carolina Tar Heels go to Lane Stadium on Saturday where they'll take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. Virginia Tech opens this contest as 3-point dogs. The Tar Heels are 4-2-0 ATS and 3-3-0 when betting on the total. The Hokies are 3-3-0 when wagering on the over/under and 1-5-0 against the spread.

In their last game, the North Carolina Tar Heels took on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and ended up getting the win by a score of 38-22. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Tar Heels was Sam Howell who went 33/51 with 376 yards passing and added 4 TD's. He tossed 1 pick in the game. Javonte Williams paced the team in rushing for the game. He had a long run of 32 yards and he added 1 TD for the game. He rushed for a total of 144 yards by way of 20 carries which had him averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Dazz Newsome led the team in receiving yardage with a total of 81 yards on 8 receptions. He averaged 10.1 yards per catch for the game. The Tar Heels rushed the ball a total of 46 times and racked up 211 yards giving them an average of 4.6 yards per rushing attempt. For the game, the Tar Heels totaled 34 1st downs and they had 6 penalties for 61 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. In all, they totaled 97 plays for a total of 587 yards. In terms of defense, North Carolina allowed 11 completions on 24 throws totaling 171 yards, and a completion percentage of 45.8%. Against the run, the Tar Heels allowed 150 yards on 29 attempts which gave them an average of 5.2 yards per rushing attempt allowed. On the day, they gave up 321 yards and earned 2 turnovers.

The Tar Heels come into this game with a record of 3-3 for the 2019 season. In terms of scoring, they are one of the marginal teams in the country with an average of 26.5 points per contest, ranking them 85th in the nation. As a team, they are averaging 163.7 rushing yards per game which is 7th in the conference. For total yards, they sit in 5th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 53rd in the nation with 2,551 yards. The Tar Heels have one of the middle tier defenses in Division 1, allowing 24.3 points per contest ranking them 7th in the ACC. When it comes to passing yards, the Tar Heels have allowed 1,569 yards. Teams are completing 61.2% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 7.1 yards per try. In discussing yards on the ground, North Carolina is allowing 160.8 yards per game ranking them 10th in the ACC and 71st in college football. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 4.6 yards per carry which has them at 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 86th in the nation overall. In total, they have allowed 965 yards rushing through 6 games.

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The last time they took the field, the Virginia Tech Hokies played the Rhode Island Rams and earned the win by a score of 34-17. Leading the way at QB for the Hokies was Hendon Hooker who went 16/27 with 261 yards passing and added 3 touchdowns. He ended the game without an interception. Deshawn McClease paced the team on the ground during the game. He had a long run of 25 yards and he tallied 1 TD for the game. He scurried for 124 yards on 12 carries which means he ran for an average of 10.3 yards per carry. Damon Hazelton was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 93 yards on 5 catches. He notched an average of 18.6 yards per catch during the game. The Hokies ran the ball a total of 39 times and racked up 234 yards which gave them an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Overall, they totaled 67 plays which gave them a total of 495 yards. Overall, the Hokies racked up a total of 25 1st downs and they had a total of 6 infractions for 54 yards which is telling of how their week of practice went. When it comes to their defensive performance, Virginia Tech allowed 26 completions on 48 throws for a total of 286 yards, and a completion percentage of 54.2%. In the running game, the Hokies allowed 24 yards on 15 attempts which is an average of 1.6 yards per attempt allowed. For the game, they allowed a total of 310 yards but weren't able to add any takeaways.

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The Hokies come into this matchup with a record of 4-2. Virginia Tech has made teams respect their running game by averaging 163.7 yards on the ground per contest, which has them at 71st in college football. As a team, they have compiled a total of 982 rushing yards through 6 games, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Hokies average 381 yards per game overall which has them at 90th in college football and 11th in the conference. The Hokies are conceding 27.7 points per contest which puts them at 9th in the conference and 73rd in the country. Their passing defense is one of the middle of the road units in college football. They are giving up 234.7 passing yards per contest. For passing yards allowed per game, the Hokies are ranked 8th in the conference. In discussing points given up, they have allowed 166 points in total. When it comes to yards on the ground, they are giving up 145.8 yards per game which puts them at 56th in Division 1 and 7th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. For the 2019 season, they have given up 875 yards on the ground and 10.8 rushing touchdowns.

Who will win tonight's Tar Heels/Hokies college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Hokies +3

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