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UConn vs North Carolina Prediction, Odds & Spread for Fenway Bowl (Dec. 28)

Darren Cooper

By Darren Cooper in College Football

Published:


Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell (12) passes the ball in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
  • UConn (8-4) meets North Carolina (6-6) in the 2024 Fenway Bowl in Boston Saturday at 11 a.m.
  • There will be a former NFL coach on the sidelines for the Tar Heels, but it won’t be Bill Belichick.
  • We’re on to the Fenway Bowl with our prediction, preview and look at the best odds for this Fenway Bowl match-up.

UConn (8-4, 6-4-2 ATS) will have a decided homefield advantage when it takes on North Carolina (6-6, 2-9-1 ATS) in the Fenway Bowl Saturday.

North Carolina made big news this month by hiring NFL legend Bill Belichick as its new head coach, but Belichick won’t take over the program until this game concludes. Former Cleveland Browns coach Freddie Kitchens is the Tar Heels interim coach.

UConn is in a bowl game for the eighth time, the second time under former NFL coach Jim L. Mora in the last three years.

Check out our betting guide to the Fenway Bowl, including a look at the best odds, opt outs and a prediction for Saturday.

UConn vs North Carolina Odds

Teams Spread Moneyline Total
UConn +2.5 (-105) +114 O 52.5 (-112)
North Carolina -2.5 (-115) -135 U 52.5 (-108)

Odds as of Dec. 27 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Be sure to check the top DraftKings Sportsbook promos before making a bet on any crazy college football bowl game. 

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UNC is favored by 2.5-points at our favorite sportsbooks, down from 4.5 when it opened.

These are two teams who have had wild seasons in the sportsbooks.

UConn is 2-1-2 against the spread in its last five games. They had pushes in back-to-back weeks against UAB and Georgia State. In fact, UNC had the incredibly rare ‘double push’ against UAB as the spread and the total were right on the nose. How often do you see that?

UNC has been favored in its last three games and lost all three against the spread. Going 2-9-1 against the spread is unheard of.

The total is locked in at 52.5. The best moneyline bets for UNC are at BetMGM at -135 and at FanDuel for UConn at +122.

Feeling Blue

North Carolina had a season full of on and off-the-field weirdness. UNC allowed 70 points to James Madison, and coach Mack Brown talked about asking the players if they wanted him to remain as coach. (Way to lose all credibility there, Mack).

Brown eventually stepped down, and we all know who is taking over.

UNC only beat one FBS team with a winning record. Superstar running back Omarion Hampton (1,660 yards) is prepping for the NFL Draft. Quarterback Jacolby Criswell threw for 2,452 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Defensively, UNC ranked 10th against the run in the ACC and 11th against the pass. They were gashed for over 200 yards on the ground in losses to Boston College and NC State in their last two games.

U Go All The Way

UConn finished 8-4, playing one of the softest schedules in the nation. They beat one team with a winning record, Buffalo. They did play Syracuse close; maybe that counts for something.

The Huskies were excited about quarterback Nick Evers, but he got hurt twice this season, and UConn has had to go with Joe Fagnano, who has played pretty well with 18 touchdowns.

Standout running back Durrell Robinson has already transferred to Auburn, which means the Huskies will go with Cam Edwards as lead back.

UConn has one of the best return men in the nation in Mel Brown, who ranked third in the country at 30.8 yards a return.

UConn vs North Carolina Prediction

  • UConn -2.5 at FanDuel
  • Over 52.5 at FanDuel

This is one of those 2024 bowl games we’ve gotten used to this season. There are a couple of key opt-outs, some replacement players all over, and coaching changes. It’s a delightful mess, because no one knows exactly what to think. But what we have seen is teams play hard.

The biggest storyline in this game is probably where Belichick will sit, and whether he will bring his young girlfriend. We like UConn because they have a little bit more to play for, and UNC’s defense is porous, to say the least.

Darren Cooper

Darren has been covering sports since 1998 and the sports betting industry since PASPA made it official. His goal is to make the activity fun and exciting with insights and perspective. Enjoy.

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