The Virginia Tech Hokies look to continue their home success against the 10th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels when they meet in an ACC Coastal Division matchup at Blacksburg on Friday. Virginia Tech (5-6 in 2020) has won six of nine home games all-time against North Carolina, including a 6-2 mark since the Hokies joined the ACC for the 2004 season. The Tar Heels (8-4 a year ago) last won at Virginia Tech in 2015, a 30-27 triumph in overtime. The last meeting in Blacksburg between the teams saw the Hokies pull out a 43-41 win in six overtimes, the longest game in ACC history.
The game from Lane Stadium is slated to start at 6 p.m. ET. North Carolina's defense allowed 400.9 yards per game last season, while Virginia Tech allowed 447.5. The Tar Heels are favored by 5.5 points in the latest North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 63.5. Before finalizing any Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of more than $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 1 of the 2021 season on a 57-37 run on all top-rated college football picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on UNC vs. Virginia Tech. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Virginia Tech vs. UNC:
- North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech spread: North Carolina -5.5
- North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech over-under: 63.5 points
- North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech money line: North Carolina -230, Virginia Tech +190
- UNC: The Tar Heels are 84-42-4 in season-opening games, including a 37-31 mark since the ACC was formed in 1953
- VT: The Hokies are averaging 40.6 ppg in five meetings against North Carolina under coach Justin Fuente
Why North Carolina can cover
The Tar Heels have won their last two season openers, defeating South Carolina 24-20 in Charlotte in 2019 and 31-6 at home against Syracuse last year. North Carolina has not won three season openers in a row since 2007-2009. Since the return of coach Mack Brown in 2019, North Carolina is 15-10 with eight of the 10 losses by seven points or less with two setbacks coming in overtime. In 13 seasons at UNC, Brown owns an 84-56-1 record. In 33 years as a head coach, Brown is 259-132-1.
Defensively, the Tar Heels return their second-leading tackler from a year ago in senior inside linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel. Gemmel, who is on the 2021 Bednarik and Butkus Award watch lists, started all 12 games at linebacker in 2020. He finished the season with 78 tackles and tied for the team lead with seven hurries. He was second with four pass breakups and tied for fourth with six tackles for loss. Against Syracuse, he had five tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack.
Why Virginia Tech can cover
The Hokies not only have a plethora of returning players on offense, but they also return two of their top three tacklers on defense. Back are junior defensive back Chamarri Conner, the team's top tackler, and sophomore linebacker Alan Tisdale. Conner finished 2020 with 81 tackles, including 60 solo, with one forced fumble. He also broke up four passes, while picking off two others. His best game was an 11-tackle performance, including five solo, in a 40-14 win over Boston College on Oct. 17. He also broke up a pass and forced a fumble.
Tisdale finished the year with 59 tackles, including 21 solo, with four tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. He played nine games, including five starts. He registered eight tackles at Wake Forest on Oct. 24 and matched it against Boston College. For his career, he has 111 tackles, including 46 unassisted, in 22 games played with 9 ½ tackles for loss for 31 yards.
How to make Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 69 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UNC vs. Virginia Tech? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.