Connecticut Huskies vs North Carolina Tar Heels Prediction, 12/28/2024 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Connecticut Huskies vs North Carolina Tar Heels

Date: Saturday, December 28, 2024

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA

TV: ESPN

Odds/Point Spread: Tar Heels (-5.5)

Total/Over-Under: 54

The Connecticut Huskies (8-4) are hitting the road to Fenway Park on Saturday, December 28, 2024 where they will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6) in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. North Carolina opens this game as 5.5-point favorites. The total has been set at 54.

The Connecticut Huskies head into this matchup 8-4 for this season. The last time they took the field, the Huskies faced the UMass Minutemen and took home the win by a score of 47-42. The Connecticut Huskies ran the ball 41 times and amassed 253 yds, which is an average of 6.2 yards per tote. On the day, they tallied 67 plays which gave them 434 yards. Connecticut surrendered 20 pass completions on 32 attempts for 206 yds, and a completion rate of 62.5%. Against the rush, the Huskies conceded 184 yards on 42 tries, which is 4.4 yards per run allowed.

The Huskies have earned 4,808 total yards over the course of this year. When it comes to scoring, Connecticut has totaled 23 touchdowns via the pass and 22 touchdowns on the ground. They have given the ball to the opposition 16 different times. Connecticut has earned 248 first downs, and they have been called for 65 penalties for 655 yards. Offensively they're maintaining an average of 198.3 yards on the ground which ranks them 25th in the nation. In terms of putting points on the board, the Connecticut Huskies hold an average of 32.3 points per contest.

Concerning passing yards, the Huskies have allowed 2,686 yds which has them sitting in 75th in college football. They have given up 223.8 yards per outing through the air as well as conceding a completion percentage of 61.3%. For the year, they are surrendering 359.1 yards/outing which has them sitting 57th in the country. They have allowed 16 touchdowns via the pass in addition to 16 touchdowns pounding the rock. The opposition is running for an average of 3.8 yards per run and 135.3 rushing yards per contest for the year. For the season, they have conceded 1,624 yards via the ground game in 12 games. The Huskies are ranked 57th in the nation in terms of team defense, conceding 23.8 points per game.

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The Tar Heels step onto the field holding a record of 6-6 for this season. When they last played, the Tar Heels walked away with a loss by a score of 35-30 against the NC State Wolfpack. North Carolina ran the ball for 6.9 yards per carry, finishing the game with 193 yds on 28 attempts. The Tar Heels finished with a total of 468 yards while they ran 62 plays (7.5 yds per play). The Tar Heels passing defense gave up a completion rate of 70.0%, surrendering 242 yds on 14 out of 20 through the air. North Carolina relinquished 46 running attempts for 220 yds (4.8 yds per carry).

Regarding their scoring prowess, the Tar Heels currently rank 36th in the country with an average of 32.3 points per contest. The North Carolina Tar Heels average 423.4 yards per outing, which has them ranked 37th in the nation. The North Carolina offense has accrued 778 yards of penalties on 89 infractions, which is good for 20th in Division 1 in terms of giving up free yards. They have tossed 8 picks while losing 8 fumbles and they have obtained 263 1st downs. Over the course of the season thus far, the Tar Heels have compiled 2,807 passing yards as well as an average of 233.9 passing yards per game, which has them sitting 59th in college football. They maintain an average of 189.5 run yards per game and have run for 2,274 yards overall.

North Carolina has surrendered a total of 1,733 yards rushing (144.4 yards per outing) in addition to 20 touchdowns rushing so far this season. They have given up 17 touchdowns from the passing game in addition to 232.6 yards/game, which puts them in 89th in D-1. They have tallied 6 fumbles and 10 interceptions for the season. The Tar Heels defense has been on the field for 797 plays, which is good for 62nd in Division 1. The Tar Heels are giving up 28.2 points per game, which has them ranked 91st in college football. This year, they have given up 338 total points.

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

Josh's Pick: Take the Tar Heels -5.5

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