Middle Tennessee-North Carolina
Sept 7, 2013 at 12:30 PM EST
Line: UNC -17.5
M/L: UNC -950, MTN +625
O/U: 65.5
Odds courtesy of 5dimes
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders began their season nicely with a 45-24 victory over Western Carolina, but they’ll face a much tougher test in North Carolina this week. The Blue Raiders find themselves 17.5 point underdogs against a Tar Heels team with a potent offensive unit.
The Blue Raiders won their first Conference USA game last week large in part due to William Pratcher’s 71 yards rushing. Middle Tennessee would open a 28-0 lead in the game before allowing the first Western Carolina score. The team finished 8-4 last season and Logan Kilgore is one of the best QBs in school history. Kilgore has throw for 2,000 plus yards in the last two seasons and started the year 12-of-18 with one TD. The team feels as though it was robbed of a bowl bid after winning two-thirds its games last year, and dating into last season they’ve now won five of their last six.
North Carolina suffered a 27-10 loss to No. 6 ranked South Carolina last week to start their season. This week should present a chance to rebound from that loss, as college football oddsmakers don’t give Middle Tennessee much of a chance of controlling a team that finished 8-4 a season ago and in a three way tie atop the Coastal Division with Ga Tech and Miami. The team is bowl eligible this year and won’t want to squander away any such chances with a loss to a middling opponent like this one.
Giovani Bernard declared for the NFL draft, but A.J. Blue and Romar Morris will step in to take his carries in what should still be a very good backfield. Bryn Renner threw a school record 28 TDs last season and is back with a talented receiving corp that includes Sean Tapley, Quinshad Davis and Mark McNeill. The team lacks defense and was 53rd in the nation in scoring defense last year, but that likely won’t be a problem against a small school like Middle Tennesee. It is just the chink in their armor should they happen to miss out on making a bowl this season.
MID TEN
UNDER 4-0 in last 4 after accumulating 200+ rushing yards in previous game, 4-0-1 ATS vs teams with losing records, 4-0 ATS in last 4 in Sept.
NORTH CAROLINA
4-0 ATS in last 4 after allowing 200+ rushing yards, 5-0 ATS in last 5 vs Conf USA, OVER 5-0 in last 5 home games.
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