Copyright New York Post
Bill Belichick’s first season at North Carolina hasn’t gone exactly to plan. The Tar Heels are 2-5 overall, riding a four-game losing streak, and have yet to win an ACC game. That said, there are some signs that the Tar Heels are starting to head in the right direction. A win over Syracuse as 2.5-point underdogs on Friday night would further that sentiment. UNC vs. Syracuse odds, prediction While you can see signs of life from UNC emerging, the opposite is true of Syracuse. The Orange got off to a 3-1 start and looked like a potential dark horse in the ACC after upsetting Clemson on Sept. 20, but they lost starting quarterback Steve Angeli in that contest and have looked like a completely different team without the former Notre Dame signal-caller. The offense has sputtered with Rickie Collins at the helm, leading to four straight losses by a total of 90 points. The Orange may be in play-out-the-string mode, though a visit from a six-time Super Bowl-winner should be motivation enough. UNC is also mired in a four-game funk, but its two most recent outings have been quite encouraging compared to what we saw from the Heels in two months of the season. North Carolina was a tough-luck loser on the road against Cal in Week 8, and then lost in overtime against No. 15 Virginia in its last game. Betting on College Football? Check out the best College Football betting sites Read our expert’s guide on how to bet on College Football Get the latest College Football National Championship winner odds Things are still very much a work in progress when the Heels have the ball, but the defense has been decent, which gives them a decent shot at completely stymying Syracuse’s struggling offense. That should take pressure off the offense, as it likely won’t take a huge showing to get the job done on Friday night. It feels like a win is coming for Belichick and the Heels, and Syracuse is ripe for the picking. The Play: North Carolina (+120, bet365) Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
