The North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0) and Clemson Tigers (1-1) meet Saturday for a Week 3 ACC showdown. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, is set for noon ET (ESPN). Let's analyze college football odds around the North Carolina vs. Clemson odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.
This will be the first ACC game of the season for both sides. Of note, Clemson embarrassed North Carolina 38-10 on the road last season, covering with ease as a 15.5-point favorite as the Over (47.5) cashed. Clemson leads the series 41-19-1, including 20-7 at home.
The Tigers have gotten off to a rough start so far in 2026. They were annihilated 51-10 by the No. 7 LSU Tigers in Week 1, failing to cover as a 10.5-point
underdog. Then, Clemson barely edged the Georgia Southern Eagles 22-7, again failing to cover as a 19.5-point favorite. The Tigers have jockeyed between QB Tait Reynolds and QB Christopher Vizzina, and neither has really done anything spectacular through the first few weeks with 1 combined passing touchdown. Clemson is 0-2 against the spread (ATS) and 1-1 O/U.
North Carolina helped kick the college football season off Aug. 29 with a 15-10 win over the Texas Christian Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland, covering as a 7.5-point underdog. The Tar Heels then throttled Eastern Tennessee State Buccaneers 35-3, but failed to cover as a 36.5-point favorite. QB Billy Edwards Jr., who transferred from Wisconsin, has been the star, throwing for 476 yards and 2 TDs in the first 2 games. North Carolina is 1-1 ATS and 0-2 O/U.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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North Carolina at Clemson odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 11:43 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): North Carolina +138 (bet $100 to win $138) | Clemson -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): North Carolina 3 (-102) | Clemson -3 (-118)
- Over/Under (O/U): 43.5 (O: -108 | U: -110)
North Carolina at Clemson picks and predictions
Prediction
Clemson 21, North Carolina 20
Moneyline
PASS.
Avoid this play. Clemson (-165) has certainly not shown enough to be this favored, even at home.
Against the spread
BET NORTH CAROLINA +3 (-102).
Dabo Swinney named Reynolds the starter for the Tigers' battle with North Carolina, but the Class of 2026 3-star freshman really hasn't shown enough to be trusted. He's yet to throw for a passing touchdown (33 attempts) and has a 60.6% completion rate through 2 games. At the same time, Clemson has a 9.52% sack rate and sits 113th in college football. Without much time, Reynolds should struggle, which, in turn, will mean Clemson won't be able to pull away.
While North Carolina hasn't shown much on the offensive end either, it is 1-0 ATS as an underdog and has allowed just 6.5 points per game. Having been a Big Ten starter at Maryland as a junior, Edwards Jr. has big-game experience, and that should be a factor Saturday. Having been clapped last season on the road, North Carolina should be in for a revenge game as well. Bill Belichick's second season is going much better and expect a close game Saturday.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 43.5 (-110).
There is no reasonable explanation for the Over here. Neither quarterback has shown the ability to keep possessions alive, and neither offense creates explosive plays. North Carolina and Clemson both run the ball over 48% of the time (North Carolina 48.33% and Clemson 50.78%). That should keep the clock running.
The Tar Heels are 0-2 O/U while Clemson is 1-1 O/U, with the Over only hitting in the Tigers' first game because of a dominant LSU offense. North Carolina doesn't have that firepower and should also struggle to put points on the board.
Betting odds calculator
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: North Carolina Tar Heels at Clemson Tigers odds, picks and predictions
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