The Duke's Mayo Bowl will feature the two Carolinas facing off for the first time since 2019. It's time to continue our college football odds series with a North Carolina-South Carolina prediction and pick.

North Carolina ended the year 6-6 after what was supposed to be a successful season for the Tar Heels. They started the year out as the 10th ranked team in the nation. That quickly escalated as they lost to Virginia Tech in the first game of the season. The ACC saw some new teams lead the way for most of the season. North Carolina happened to beat No. 9 Wake Forest 58-55 toward the end of the season which was their highlight of the season. Junior Sam Howell is one of the better quarterbacks this year and this could be his final game for North Carolina. If the Tar Heels can defeat their rivals below them, then that can be a momentum builder for next season.

South Carolina ended 6-6 after not having high hopes at all this year. The Gamecocks are coming off a horrible 30-0 loss to No. 23 Clemson in the season finale. It's unclear who the quarterback will be for South Carolina as they used three different QBs for most of the season. It turned out to be a rough offensive year for them as they only averaged 21.3 points per game for the season. That won't win you many games but luckily their defense stepped up for the majority of the season. An interesting stat for the South Carolina defense is that they gave up nearly identical pass (178.8) and rush (178.9) yards this year. It will be interesting to see how Howell attacks this defense.

Here is how FanDuel set the North Carolina-South Carolina line for the Duke's Mayo Bowl.

College Football Odds: North Carolina-South Carolina Odds

North Carolina: -9.5 (-110)

South Carolina: +9.5 (-110)

Over: 58 (-110)

Under: 58 (-110)

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Why North Carolina Could Cover The Spread

North Carolina can cover this spread if their defense steps up and defends better. Just under 10 points is a large spread to win by but the Tar Heels are good enough offensively to get it done. North Carolina averaged 36.4 points per game but allowed 31.6 a game. You never really know what you are going to get with this team but one thing is for sure, and that is the game will be in Howell's hands. If Howell is on his game then there is nothing South Carolina can do. Running back Ty Chandler led the team with 1,063 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those two are going to be the focus of the offense and will need to be on their game to co er this spread. The Tar Heels are 5-7 against the spread this year.

Why South Carolina Could Cover The Spread

This isn't going to be an easy game for them to cover. The Gamecocks offense will need to wake up and find a way to score against the weak North Carolina defense. Whoever the quarterback will be will need to find ways to drive down the field and control the time of possession. The more Howell spends on the sideline is a win for South Carolina. Keeping him off the field should be their top priority because it won't be easy to contain that offense. If they can find a way to keep North Carolina to less than 30 points then they should have a chance to cover this spread. If not, it might be too much for them to keep up.

Final North Carolina-South Carolina Prediction & Pick

I'm taking North Carolina to cover this spread and win by multiple scores. Covering about 10 points is not easy to do, but I expect Howell to end his college career on a high note. If he is on his game then North Carolina should have no problem winning this game with ease.

Final North Carolina-South Carolina Prediction & Pick: North Carolina -9.5 (-110)