The North Carolina Tar Heels will be looking to build on their Week 0 win over Florida A&M when they travel to Appalachian State on Saturday. They replaced record-setting quarterback Sam Howell with redshirt freshman Drake Maye, who threw five touchdown passes last week. Appalachian State is looking to take the lead in the all-time series between these teams, which is currently tied at 1-1.
Kickoff is at noon ET. The Mountaineers are favored by 1.5 points in the latest Appalachian State vs. North Carolina odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 56. Before entering any North Carolina vs. Appalachian State picks, you'll want to see the college football predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It enters Week 1 of the 2022 college football season on a 45-32 run on all top-rated college football side picks that dates back to 2021. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Appalachian State vs. UNC. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college football odds for UNC vs. Appalachian State:
- Appalachian State vs. North Carolina spread: Appalachian State -1.5
- Appalachian State vs. North Carolina over/under: 56 points
- Appalachian State vs. North Carolina money line: North Carolina +100, Appalachian State -120
Why North Carolina can cover
North Carolina enters Week 1 with the advantage of having already played one game this season. The Tar Heels were able to get their offense going against Florida A&M, giving them some momentum heading into Saturday's game. Maye became the first quarterback in school history to throw five touchdown passes in his first career start.
The Tar Heels were able to spread the ball around, with 10 different receivers catching passes against the Rattlers. They are facing an Appalachian State offense that is playing under a new offensive coordinator this season, which could lead to some early speed bumps. The Mountaineers have only recorded one win in their last eight games against an ACC opponent.
Why Appalachian State can cover
Appalachian State is going to have a raucous crowd on hand for a rare home game against a Power Five opponent. The Mountaineers have been excellent at home, bringing a six-game winning streak into this matchup. Meanwhile, North Carolina went just 1-4 in its final five road games last season.
The Tar Heels might have picked up a blowout win last week, but it came against a bad team that was without 25 players due to eligibility issues. Appalachian State's offense is led by sixth-year redshirt senior quarterback Chase Brice, who established a school-record 3,337 passing yards last season. His experience gives his team an edge in their season opener on Saturday.
How to make Appalachian State vs. North Carolina picks
The model has simulated Appalachian State vs. North Carolina 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins North Carolina vs. Appalachian State? And which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the North Carolina vs. Appalachian State spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
