The ACC powerhouse Miami Hurricanes are back in action on Thursday when they host the North Carolina Tar Heels at 8 p.m. ET in South Florida. While the Hurricanes' season appeared bleak after losing their opener to LSU, they have come out firing since. They're averaging 52 points after the loss, and the defense is dominating. Meanwhile, after embarrassing defeats to California and East Carolina, UNC got its first win in a 38-35 nail-biter over Pittsburgh.
The Hurricanes are favored by 17.5 in the latest Miami vs. North Carolina odds, down from an opening of 19. The Over-Under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, has dropped from 57 to 56. Before you make any Miami vs. UNC picks, check out what the SportsLine projection model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. In the past three years, this proprietary computer model has generated a jaw-dropping $4,210 profit for $100 bettors. That was no fluke, either. The model has made some huge calls on its top-rated picks this season, including in Week 2, when it backed (+13.5) against Florida in the Wildcats' first win over the Gators in 31 years. Overall, it's hitting over 60 percent of its top-rated college football picks in the past two weeks and finished Week 4 on a blistering 8-2 run on them. Anybody following it is way, way up.
Now, the model has simulated UNC vs. Miami 10,000 times to produce strong against-the-spread and over-under picks. We can tell you the under hits in 57 percent of simulations, but the model also has generated a strong point-spread selection that hits almost 60 percent of the time. This pick is available only at SportsLine.
The computer model knows Miami head coach Mark Richt has a quarterback controversy on his hands. Senior Malik Rosier is completing just 52 percent of his throws this season. Last week, freshman N'Kosi Perry had three touchdown passes against Florida International while completing 68 percent of his attempts.
Richt has yet to tip his hand as to which way he's leaning, but the 'Canes are more than just pass-heavy. They rely heavily on running back Travis Homer to gain huge chunks of yardage on the ground. Against Florida International, he racked up 114 rushing yards on only 13 carries and found the end zone early on a nifty 35-yard first quarter sprint.
Miami is averaging over 40 points per game this season and hung 77 on Savannah State in Week 2. They're allowing an average of just 13 points over their last three outings.
Just because Miami is ranked and has been on fire offensively doesn't mean it will cover a nearly three-touchdown spread Thursday.
After tossing four picks in his opener against California, UNC quarterback Nathan Elliott has rebounded well, completing more than 70 percent of his pass attempts against Pitt. The junior signal caller isn't much of a threat to scramble, but at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, he has the size and strength to elude tackles from blitzing linemen. His go-to receiver is Anthony Ratliff-Williams, who caught four balls for 84 yards last week. Two other wideouts Elliott will be seeking out are Dazz Newsome, who had six receptions against the Panthers, and Michael Carter.
Who wins North Carolina vs. Miami? And which side covers almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the computer model that has generated a jaw-dropping $4,210 profit for $100 bettors.
