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It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Wake Forest-North Carolina prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Wake Forest-North Carolina.
North Carolina football is ready for a transition, but the Tar Heels need to first finish this season the way they need to. It seems almost certain that this will be Mack Brown's last season as Carolina head coach. Brown, it is worth remembering, did a great job with the Tar Heels in the 1990s. He revived UNC football three decades ago and made the Tar Heels a major player in the ACC when Florida State and Bobby Bowden ruled the roost in the conference. After winning a national championship at Texas, he came back to Chapel Hill for a second go-round with North Carolina. He has had his moments, most notably an Orange Bowl bid in the 2020 season. However, he has struggled to lift UNC beyond the middle tier of college football programs. This season — 5-4 through nine games — has not gone as planned for Carolina and Brown. There is a sense that this highly accomplished head coach has run out of steam, and that it's time for a fresher voice and a younger presence to take over the program and give it a chance to reach a higher ceiling.
Regardless of whether Brown is retained or not, however, there is unfinished business for UNC. Brown will want to qualify for a bowl game, which he can do with one more win. Brown will want to have a postseason game as a fitting final chapter in his career, if this is indeed the end for him. It is hard to see Brown, who is in his 70s, getting another head coaching job after this. It is equally difficult to envision Brown taking a coordinator or position coach job. We could be seeing the final games of a college football lifer's journey. If this is the end, Brown will want to make these final few games count. This is the emotionally potent backdrop to this game against Wake Forest, which is 4-5 and needs two wins to clinch bowl eligibility.
Wake Forest-North Carolina Last Game – Matchup History
The last time these two teams met was in 2022. North Carolina won, 36-34.
Overall Series: North Carolina leads the all-time series, 72-36-2.
Here are the Wake Forest-North Carolina College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Wake Forest-North Carolina Odds
Wake Forest: +10.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +315
North Carolina: -10.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -410
Over: 64.5 (-115)
Under: 64.5 (-105)
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How to Watch Wake Forest vs North Carolina
Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
TV: ACC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Wake Forest Could Cover The Spread/Win
North Carolina has not been a consistently good team this season. The Tar Heels have played well at times but not on a steady level which inspires confidence and trust from a betting standpoint. UNC winning this game is likely, but UNC winning by at least 11 points is far less certain. Wake Forest has to win this game to get a bowl bid. The Demon Deacons will play with enough urgency to at least keep this game very close and cover the spread.
Why North Carolina Could Cover The Spread/Win
North Carolina was a total mess earlier in the season. The Tar Heels have gotten better with time. They have played very hard for Mack Brown, and they will want to wrap up a bowl bid in this game. They're better than Wake Forest and will show it on the field.
Final Wake Forest-North Carolina Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Wake Forest, but neither team is particularly trustworthy. You don't have to bet on this game. As always in betting, pick your spots. You are not required to bet on everything — and every game — that moves.
Final Wake Forest-North Carolina Prediction & Pick: Wake Forest +10.5
