The North Carolina Tar Heels had a resurgent season and proved to be one of the best teams in the ACC. The season started with fireworks in non-conference play with a wild win over in-state-fo Appalachian State and a tough loss to Notre Dame. North Carolina went on to win six straight games, putting a stranglehold on the ACC Coastal Division lead. The season ended on a downturn with upset losses to Georgia Tech and NC State.
The win streak was enough to get the Tar Heels into the ACC title game, though. Unfortunately, North Carolina got hammered by Clemson. As a second-place finisher in the ACC, the Tar Heels still got a solid bowl game as they will face Pac-12 opponent Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. The game will be played on Dec. 28 in San Diego, Calif.
North Carolina vs. Oregon Betting Odds
Oregon, in many respects, had a similar season to North Carolina. The Ducks had an early season loss to a good Power Five opponent in non-conference followed by a long win streak. Oregon finished its season going 1-2 down the stretch, pushing it out of contention to be in the College Football Playoff and not getting to play in the Pac-12 championship game.
College football odds at NC sportsbooks have Oregon favored over North Carolina by double digits, and the total is one of the highest of the bowl season.
Sportsbook Spread Moneyline Total Points DraftKings NC Oregon -10.5 (-110)
North Carolina +10.5 (-110)N/A Over 72 (-115)
Under 72 (-105)Caesars NC Oregon -10.5 (-110)
North Carolina +10.5 (-110)N/A Over 72 (-110)
Under 72 (-110)FanDuel NC Oregon -11 (-110)
North Carolina +11 (-110)Oregon (-520)
North Carolina (+385)Over 71.5 (-110)
Under 71.5 (-110)BetMGM NC Oregon -10.5 (-110)
North Carolina +10.5 (-110)Oregon (-400)
North Carolina (+310)Over 71.5 (-110)
Under 71.5 (-110)PointsBet NC Oregon -10.5 (-110)
North Carolina +10.5 (-110)Oregon (-430)
North Carolina (+325)Over 72.5 (-115)
Under 72.5 (-105)
Where can you wager?: Gambling options in and near North Carolina
Point Spread
NC Online sportsbooks have the line favoring Oregon by 10.5-11 points in almost every case. This is not shocking after North Carolina’s rough finish to the season and the game being played much closer to Oregon on the West Coast. The best point spread value for Oregon to cover is -10.5 with -110 odds at multiple sportsbooks. The best value for North Carolina to cover is +11 with -110 ods at other sportsbooks.
Moneyline
For those that favor the Tar Heels, there is significant value on the moneyline for the Tar Heels to win the game straight up. The best value is +385 a FanDuel Sportsbook. Remember, Bowl Games are an excellent time for upsets as teams sometimes, after a long season that ended poorly, will not show up to play their best. North Carolina, with a freshman quarterback, is building towards next season, and one should expect the Tar Heels to play well.
Total Points
The over/under is between 71.5 and 72.5 points at most sportsbooks. Needless to say, with two explosive offenses, the points in this game should be plentiful. North Carolina played in four games this year with over 72 points scored. Oregon played in five games in which 72 or more points were scored.
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North Carolina Bowl Game History
The Tar Heels are 15-21 all-time, having played in 36 bowl games in program history.
| Season Year | Bowl Game | Result | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Meineke Car Care Bowl | L 17–19 | Pittsburgh |
| 2010 | Music City Bowl | 2OT W 30–27 | Tennessee |
| 2011 | Independence Bowl | L 24–41 | Missouri |
| 2013 | Belk Bowl | W 39–17 | Cincinnati |
| 2014 | Quick Lane Bowl | L 21–40 | Rutgers |
| 2015 | Russell Athletic Bowl | L 38–49 | Baylor |
| 2016 | Sun Bowl | L 23–25 | Stanford |
| 2019 | Military Bowl | W 55–13 | Temple |
| 2020 | Orange Bowl | L 27–41 | Texas A&M |
| 2021 | Duke's Mayo Bowl | L 21–38 | South Carolina |
Tar Heel Bowl Game Fun Facts
- The Tar Heels are 3-7 in their last 10 bowl games.
- North Carolina is 1-2 in its last three bowl games since Mack Brown took the program over for the second time.
- Mack Brown was 3-2 in bowl games during his first stint as North Carolina’s head coach. Making him 5-5 overall as the Tar Heels head coach.
- A win in the Holiday Bowl will give Mack Brown his 100th career win at North Carolina.
The most exciting bowl game as far as on-field action goes in North Carolina history has to be the 2010 Music City Bowl — a 30-27 double overtime victory over Tennessee. The Tar Heels kicked a field goal with one second left in regulation to tie the game. One of the deciding factors was the Tar Heels rushing for 157 yards and holding the Volunteers to 27 yards on the ground.
Probably the biggest win in a high-profile bowl game for the Tar Heels came in 2001. North Carolina, aided by a 131-yard rushing performance from running back Willie Parker, beat the Auburn Tigers 16-10 in the Peach Bowl.
North Carolina online sports betting coming soon
Before long, North Carolinians interested in placing online bets at the best college football betting sites in NC will be able to do so. Online sports betting in North Carolina is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2024.
AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
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