North Carolina and Clemson kick off their ACC season on Saturday, featuring two offenses that have yet to demonstrate consistent performance here early on. The Tar Heels, led by Bill Belichick, come in with a 2-0 record, while Dabo Swinney's Tigers sit at 1-1 after suffering a lopsided defeat to LSU in Week 1. 

As North Carolina travels to Death Valley, they aim to maintain their unbeaten streak while attempting to break a lengthy losing run against Clemson, who has claimed victory in their last seven encounters, including a decisive 38-10 win last season. Let’s get into our play for this one and then take a look at the current UNC vs. Clemson odds!

UNC vs. Clemson Predictions for CFB Week 3, Saturday, 9/19

Clemson's season has been rocky, starting with a 51-10 loss to LSU followed by a narrow 22-7 victory over Georgia Southern. In contrast, North Carolina has amassed wins against TCU and East Tennessee State, allowing only 13 points in total. 

Although Clemson enjoys the advantage of playing at home and has historically dominated this rivalry, our UNC vs. Clemson picks find it challenging to confidently choose a winner. The likelihood of a low-scoring affair appears high, as both teams have really struggled offensively, with North Carolina's defense excelling at limiting scoring opportunities for opponents.

Given the total set at 43.5, I’m inclined to back the Under. While the Tigers are favored at home, the offenses that both teams will be trotting out lead our UNC vs. Clemson predictions to concentrate on the total points instead.

UNC vs. Clemson Expert Pick: Under 43.5 (-105 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Our UNC vs. Clemson picks will side with the Under. Why?

North Carolina has relied heavily on its defense, securing a narrow 15-10 victory over TCU and a dominant 35-3 win against East Tennessee State, while not allowing more than 180 passing yards or three yards per carry in either matchup.

The Tigers are still trying to find their rhythm at quarterback and have been flat-out bad thus far, scoring only 10 points against LSU and 22 against Georgia Southern, while converting a mere three out of 27 third-down attempts across both games.

Bill Belichick's defensive unit has shown a knack for minimizing explosive plays and compelling opponents to earn every yard. This could lead to numerous possessions for Clemson, which has had difficulty maintaining drives, often resulting in scoreless drives.

The Tar Heels also face their own offensive issues, which is another factor influencing my view on the Under. Billy Edwards Jr. has accumulated 476 yards and two touchdowns over two games, yet North Carolina's offense has not been particularly dynamic. They managed only 15 points against TCU, and while they scored 35 against ETSU, that was against a lower-tier FCS team.

The overall offensive trends regarding this game suggest that it’ll be lower-scoring. North Carolina has yet to hit the Over this season, while Clemson has only done so once, and that instance was entirely due to LSU's offensive firepower. 

While past encounters have seen higher scores, such as last year's 38-10 victory for Clemson, the current offenses lack the same production levels, creating a different atmosphere for this matchup.

Clemson's offensive line has struggled with protection, and North Carolina's defensive front has been effective in disrupting opposing offenses. If the Tar Heels can apply pressure on whoever is behind center for Clemson and force the Tigers into challenging third-down situations, sustaining drives could prove difficult for Clemson.

Honestly, who knows who wins this game? But it doesn’t really matter for us with these UNC vs. Clemson predictions. Both offenses have shown enough weaknesses to make a high-scoring game unlikely, and North Carolina's defense has shown the capability to maintain control of the game.

 

 

 

How To Watch UNC vs. Clemson - CFB Week 3

  • Date: Saturday, September 19
  • Time: 12 p.m. ET
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
  • TV: ESPN/Disney+

UNC vs. Clemson Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

As we prepare to cash in on our UNC vs. Clemson predictions, let's examine the most recent UNC vs. Clemson odds for this matchup provided by FanDuel Sportsbook:

  • Money Line (ML): Tar Heels +134 | Tigers -162
  • Spread: Tar Heels +3.5 (-120) | Tigers -3.5 (-102)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 43.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

 

 

 

UNC vs. Clemson Injury Report & Latest News

North Carolina Injury Report

  • K. Chapman, WR - Out (Undisclosed)
  • C. Sadler, WR - Out (Undisclosed)
  • C. Warren, WR - Out (Undisclosed)
  • J. Washington, TE - Questionable (Undisclosed)
  • M. Abou Jaoude, DL - Questionable (Undisclosed)
  • J. Warren, TE - Out (Undisclosed)

Clemson Injury Report

  • K. McGriff, WR - Out (Undisclosed)
  • C. Vizzina, QB - Probable (Elbow)
  • C. Turner, WR - Out (Personal)
  • P. Streko, RB - Out (Undisclosed)

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