Syracuse vs UNC Odds: North Carolina’s Post-Bye Struggles?
The Tar Heels Haven't Won After A Bye Week Since 2018

The North Carolina Tar Heels will come off their bye week to try to earn their 5th consecutive win to begin the season.
They’ll welcome a Syracuse Orange team to town that lost their first game of the season to Clemson.
North Carolina’s non-conference schedule was impressive. They played South Carolina, Appalachian State, and Minnesota, earning wins in all three games. They also earned a 41-24 win against Pittsburgh on the road before the bye week.
On the other hand, Syracuse began the season red-hot, with four straight wins. But when the Orange finally played a difficult opponent, Syracuse struggled to find momentum and lost to Clemson, 31-14.
Can Syracuse regain momentum on the road against North Carolina?
Take a look at the Syracuse vs UNC odds for this exciting ACC matchup on ESPN.
Syracuse Orange vs North Carolina Tar Heels 
Day/Time:
Location: Kenan Stadium
Streaming: ESPN
Syracuse’s Turnovers
The Syracuse Orange will need to limit turnovers moving forward.
Syracuse’s defense played lights out against Clemson. But when Garrett Shrader and the Orange offense turned the ball over, Clemson took advantage.
Clemson scored 21 points off three Shrader turnovers last week.
In a 31-14 loss to the Tigers, those three turnovers were ultimately the difference in the game.
Before Clemson’s game, the Orange had tied or won the turnover battle in all their other games. The offense gave the defense a lot of field to work with and never put them in bad positions.
But Saturday’s game against Clemson was different. That’s why the Orange lost. Look for Shrader to protect the football and make better decisions. Syracuse will make adjustments for this bout against North Carolina.
Will History Repeat Itself?
Historically, the North Carolina Tar Heels have struggled coming off the bye.
Since 2019, the Tar Heels have had four seasons where they’ve been at least .500. We won’t count 2020 because it was a COVID schedule.
But in the other four games after a bye, North Carolina has gone 0-4, with three of those losses coming against Notre Dame.
This time, they won’t face Notre Dame. They’ve got Syracuse instead. The Orange are a quality opponent, but they’re not Notre Dame.
In games after a bye week, the defense has struggled majorly. The Tar Heels have allowed 41 points and 258 yards per game on the ground. They’ve also averaged just 15 first-half points and continue to lose the time-of-possession battle in these games.
North Carolina fans should be concerned.
Take a look at the Syracuse vs UNC odds for this fun ACC matchup below.
Syracuse vs UNC Odds
The North Carolina Tar Heels are -8.5 favorites against the Syracuse Orange for Saturday’s game. The total is 58 in a matchup where oddsmakers expect a close game.
Syracuse has gone 3-1-1 against the spread to begin the season. The Orange won their first three games as favorites against Colgate, Western Michigan, and Purdue. However, against Army, the Orange pushed as -13 favorites and finally didn’t cover against Clemson last weekend.
The total has gone Under in Syracuse’s last four games. They’ve now hit the Under in four of their first five games to begin the season.
On the other hand, North Carolina has earned a 3-1 record looking at the NCAA lines football against the spread. They’re also 4-0 straight up. North Carolina covered as a touchdown or less favorite in three games. But as -18 against Appalachian State, North Carolina needed overtime and won by just six.
The total for the Tar Heels games has gone over twice and under twice to begin the season. However, back to last year, North Carolina has watched seven of their previous ten games go Under. Some of the teams last year reached 76 and 80, with how bad the defense played last season.
Syracuse Has The Advantage!
The Orange haven’t done a great job blocking in the run game. But they’ve earned 190.6 yards per game on the ground this NCAAF season.
On Saturday, they’ll face a Tar Heels defense that has allowed 125 yards per game on the ground. The run defense is the worst portion of North Carolina’s defense. That’s where Syracuse will want to attack.
LeQuint Allen has added 363 yards rushing on 76 carries. He’s scored six touchdowns and has averaged close to five yards a carry.
Meanwhile, Garrett Shrader has also rushed for 340 yards as the quarterback. Shrader has scored six touchdowns on the ground and eight more in the air this season.
He typically makes good reads but gave up three turnovers, ultimately turning that Clemson game upside down for the Orange. His QBR of 75.6 proves he’s a reliable quarterback who can play better.
Still, the Tar Heels have a quality secondary and an effective pass rush. They’ll get to Shrader occasionally. It’s up to Shrader to keep those turnovers down and give the Syracuse defense a lot of field to work with on the other end.
North Carolina’s Potential Struggles
The North Carolina Tar Heels have scored at least 31 points in every game this season. But they also haven’t faced a defense like the Syracuse Orange.
Drake Maye was a potential Heisman candidate at the start of the season. But he’s only thrown five touchdowns in four games this season. He’s also added four interceptions. Still, in four games, Maye has thrown for 1187 yards, averaging about 400 yards per game in the air this season.
However, Syracuse has one of the best secondaries in college football. They’re also super dominant against the run. The Orange have allowed only 297.2 yards per game this season through the first five games of the year.
The Orange has been balanced. Just look at their NCAAF scores before the Clemson game. The defense has played lights out, and the offense has done well.
The defense is notable in the college football ratings. But like North Carolina’s defense, Syracuse will also have its most challenging test of the season defensively.
If Syracuse can limit turnovers, they’ll pull ahead on the road against North Carolina. The Orange have a lethal defense that can stop even Drake Maye, who is projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft next year.
Take Syracuse at -+8.5.
For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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