The North Carolina Tar Heels hope to break out of their funk when they square off against the 15th-ranked Oregon Ducks on Wednesday in the 2022 Holiday Bowl. North Carolina (9-4) was on its way to its best season since going 11-1 in 1997, winning nine of its first 10 contests, but has lost three straight - including the ACC championship game against Clemson. Oregon (9-3) also has been struggling as it has lost two of its last three following an eight-game winning streak. The Ducks won two of their previous three appearances in the Holiday Bowl, which hasn't taken place since 2019 due to COVID-19.
Kickoff at Petco Park in San Diego is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Ducks are 13-point favorites in the latest Oregon vs. North Carolina odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 76. Before making any North Carolina vs. Oregon picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The 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 $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Oregon vs. UNC and just locked in its picks and Holiday Bowl 2022 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for UNC vs. Oregon:
- Oregon vs. North Carolina spread: Ducks -13
- Oregon vs. North Carolina over/under: 76 points
- Oregon vs. North Carolina money line: Ducks -550, Tar Heels +400
- ORE: The Ducks are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games following an ATS loss
- UNC: The Tar Heels are 1-4 ATS in their last five overall contests
- Oregon vs. North Carolina picks: See picks here
Why Oregon can cover
The Ducks' offense is capable of getting the job done both on the ground and through the air, ranking 14th (216.3 yards) and 15th (291.5) in the nation, respectively. Three players have rushed for at least 500 yards this season, with running back Bucky Irving leading the way with 906 on 143 carries. Fellow sophomore Noah Whittington has recorded 754 yards and senior quarterback Bo Nix has gained 504 while running for 14 touchdowns - most among all FBS signal-callers.
Nix is second in the country with a 71.5 completion percentage and tied for third among all players with 42 total TDs. He has received exceptional protection from his offensive line as Oregon leads the nation with only four sacks allowed. Nix's favorite target is sophomore wideout Troy Franklin, who has hauled in 56 passes for 867 yards and eight touchdowns - including one in each of his last three outings.
Why North Carolina can cover
The Tar Heels are counting on a return to form by Drake Maye, who has thrown just one touchdown pass and four of his seven interceptions on the year during the team's losing streak. The redshirt freshman is sixth in the nation with 35 scoring tosses, making at least three on seven occasions. Maye also ranks third with 4,115 passing yards and leads North Carolina in rushing with 653 yards.
Maye will be without his favorite target as junior wideout Josh Downs has opted out of the Holiday Bowl in order to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft, but he still has a solid option in Antoine Green. The senior has had a strong campaign, setting career highs with 43 catches, 798 yards and seven touchdown receptions. On the other side of the ball, the Tar Heels are buoyed by junior linebacker Cedric Gray, who is tied for fourth in the country with 137 total tackles.
How to make Oregon vs. North Carolina picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under the total, projecting the teams to combine for 72 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins North Carolina vs. Oregon in the 2022 Holiday Bowl? And which side of the spread hits nearly 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Oregon vs. North Carolina spread to back, all from the advanced model that is up almost $2,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
