Georgia State Panthers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Odds & Game Pick (2021)
North Carolina started their season with a disappointing 10-17 loss at Virginia Tech last Friday. As a result, they dropped from No. 10 to No. 24 in the recent AP poll. Even though the Tar Heels lost their first game of the 2021 campaign, they still have high hopes for this campaign. They'll look to move in the right direction against Georgia State on Saturday.
Georgia State, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, also lost their first game. They fell to Army in a 43-10 blowout loss. The Panthers gave up 258 rushing yards in that game, so there's a good chance that North Carolina will be able to lean on their running game here. Georgia State only recorded 177 total yards against Army last weekend, so they'll need to step up in that department to keep up with a top-25 team.
Let's cover all the betting angles of this Saturday afternoon showdown.
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Details
- Opening Line: North Carolina -25.5
- Over/Under: 64.5
- Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC
- Kickoff: 7:30 ET
Overview
North Carolina opened as 25.5 point favorites in this game before the spread moved to 26. I wouldn't be surprised if that number increases even more as we head towards kickoff. Meanwhile, the total has jumped to 66 points after opening at 64.5.
It's no secret that North Carolina's offense looked out of whack against Virginia Tech last Friday. Don't expect that to be the case this time around. A bounce-back is in store for Heisman Trophy contending quarterback Sam Howell and company.
How in the world can Georgia State hang around with North Carolina? The Panthers got dominated in all facets of the game against Army last week. Facing North Carolina is a substantial step up in class from that. Georgia State will need to get a few turnovers, build momentum, and establish the run to keep things respectable in this lopsided matchup.
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Trends
- Georgia State is 4-1 ATS in their last five.
- The over is 6-3 in North Carolina's last nine games.
- North Carolina is 1-5 ATS in their last six.
Bottom Line
The Tar Heels are angry and extremely motivated to punish Georgia State in this matchup. There is a sizable talent gap between these teams, and that will show on Saturday. In fact, North Carolina could run the ball on every play and still potentially cover the spread. That's pretty much what Army did against Georgia State last weekend.
Quarterback Sam Howell will right the ship and pad his stats to stay relevant for the Heisman Trophy. I'm either taking North Carolina against the spread or passing on this game.
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Spencer Limbach is a featured writer at BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Spencer, check out his archive and follow him @spencer_jl.