Florida A&M vs North Carolina Odds, Spread and Prediction
- The North Carolina Tar Heels are 34.5-point home favorites over the Florida A&M Rattlers in a college football game scheduled for Saturday, August 27
- It’s the first-ever meeting on the gridiron between these two schools
- Tar Heels coach Mack Brown is 0-8 straight up when coaching against schools from Tallahassee, Florida
The Florida A&M Rattlers will offer the first test for the North Carolina Tar Heels in the post-Sam Howell era. North Carolina’s record-setting quarterback, a three-year starter, is now in the NFL with the Washington Commanders.
Even with Howell last season, the Tar Heels dramatically underachieved. Starting the season off with a top-10 ranking, North Carolina stumbled to a 6-7 campaign. The season’s conclusion was a 38-21 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Florida A&M has proven to be one of the most consistent squads in the Football Championship Series. The Rattlers are a combined 18-6 over the past two seasons.
Still, no one is anticipating that they’ll be giving the Tar Heels a game. North Carolina is a overwhelming 34.5 home favorite. The Tar Heels are 2-6 against the spread over their last eight games.
Florida A&M vs North Carolina Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida A&M Rattlers | +34.5 | O 55.5 (-110) | +1600 |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | -34.5 | U 55.5 (-110) | -10000 |
Odds as of August 25 at Barstool Sportsbook. See the available Barstool Sportsbook bonus code here.
The kickoff for this game at Kenan Memorial Stadium is set for 8:15 pm ET on Saturday, August 27. The weather forecast is predicting partly cloudy skies, 4 mph wind and a temperature of 89 degrees. The broadcast of the game can be seen on the ACC Network.
At odds of -34.5, the Tar Heels are offering an implied probability of victory of 77.53% in the NCAA betting line. A successful $10 wager on North Carolina would deliver a payout of $12.90.
In NCAA future bets, the Tar Heel are +10000 in the National Championship odds.
Maye Be Heir Apparent To Howell
On Monday, Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown was announcing that redshirt freshman Drake Maye would be succeeding Howell under center for North Carolina. He won a battle with sophomore signal-caller Jacolby Criswell for the QB1 spot.
BREAKING: Drake Maye is QB1 for #UNC pic.twitter.com/0m28uuyO6b
— tarheelupdate (@tarheelupdate) August 22, 2022
If the name sounds familiar, it should. Maye’s older brother Luke Maye was a member of North Carolina’s 2017 NCAA Champion men’s basketball squad. His dad Mark Maye played for the Tar Heels football team from 1983-88. He was a two-year starter at QB.
Drake Maye can target the most productive receiver in school history in junior Josh Downs. He set school records last season, catching 101 passes for 1,335 receiving yards. Downs was named to the All-ACC first team last season and to the preseason All-ACC team for this year. He’s also on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.
North Carolina Hurting In Backfield
The run game could prove to be an issue for the Tar Heels. Running back British Brooks, considered the team’s best blocking back, is out for the season with a lower-body injury.
Last season, Brooks averaged 9.5 rushing yards per attempt. He gained 295 yards on 31 carries and scored four rushing touchdowns. Minus Brooks, there isn’t a single back on the North Carolina roster who’s ever started a game. Sophomores Caleb Hood and Elijah Green are also hurt.
#BREAKING: @CoachMackBrown announces that #UNC’s QB1 will be Drake Maye. DJ Jones will be RB1 to replace British Brooks @Sports_Night #ACC #CFB @GoHeels @UNCFootball pic.twitter.com/kQDkkWMHb4
— Evan Abramson (@Evan_Abramson) August 22, 2022
DJ Jones gets the Week 0 start at RB. He had 60 carries for 253 yards last season. Freshmen Omarion Hampton and George Pettaway are his backups.
Receiver Antoine Green is out until at least late September. He underwent surgery for a collarbone injury.
Land A Menace For Florida A&M
Rattlers linebacker Isaiah Land led the FCS with 19 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss last season. Land was the winner of the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the best defensive player in the FCS.
Defense is the name of the game for the Rattlers. Last season, the Florida A&M defense ranked in the top 26 of FCS in 15 defensive categories.
Former Buck Buchanan Award Winner Isaiah Land will have to go up against UNC Tarheels OL this week, but the Buffalo, NY native has a knack for getting after the QB. @isaiahland716 @FAMU_FB @DraftDiamonds pic.twitter.com/SQvfn8Ioal
— Hula Bowl (@Hula_Bowl) August 23, 2022
Those include passes intercepted (26th), third-down conversion defense (21st), passing yards allowed (17th), fourth-down conversion defense (16th), red zone defense (16th), defensive touchdowns (11th), first-down defense (10th), total defense (10th), scoring defense (10th), team tackles for loss (9th), turnovers gained (9th), rushing defense (9th), fumbles recovered (8th), team passing efficiency defense (8th), and team sacks (4th).
North Carolina vs Florida A&M Prediction
The Tar Heels are 5-4 straight up in games played during the month of August. Brown is 26-7 SU as a head coach in season openers. He’s 10-3 SU in the first game of the season in charge of North Carolina.
However, Brown is 0-8 SU in games played against schools from Tallahassee, Florida. Then again, all eight of those losses were to Florida State. The Rattlers and Tar Heels have no previous history as opponents.
Florida A&M University Coach Willie Simmons has Named QB Jeremy Moussa as the Starter for this Weekend game at North Carolina
* Moussa, Grad Transfer from Vanderbilt Commodores Committed to the Rattlers late 2021 pic.twitter.com/WShH6X0KtK— HBCU Premier Sports & More (@HBCUSports1) August 24, 2022
As a true freshman QB at Clemson in 2000, Florida A&M coach Willie Simmons came off the bench and led the Tigers back from a 17-0 deficit for a 38-24 win over North Carolina.
Pick: Florida A&M Rattlers +34.5 (-110).
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An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
