NCAAF · 8 months ago

UConn vs North Carolina Wasabi Fenway Bowl | College Football Picks, Best Bets

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

The bowl season continues on Saturday with a full day of bowl action. The day’s first game kicks off at 11:00 a.m. ET from Boston’s Fenway Park as the Connecticut Huskies square off with the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. North Carolina is a narrow favorite (-3), with a total of 52.5. Connecticut enters this game at 8-4 after a successful season under Jim Mora Jr. The Huskies were 2-3 away from home, while North Carolina finished the campaign at 6-6. The program is in transition, with Bill Belichick announced as the new head coach just days ago.

We’ve got you covered with our favorite plays from Saturday’s showdown.

Connecticut vs. North Carolina Preview

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA | UConn-UNC Matchup Page
Time: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ET | Where to Watch: ESPN
Spread: North Carolina (-2.5) | Moneyline: Connecticut (+122)/North Carolina (-146) | Total: 52.5

Connecticut vs. North Carolina Best Bets ATS: North Carolina (-2.5) and OVER

The Connecticut Huskies are 8-4, but it’s fair to peek at their record and examine who they have beaten to reach eight wins. Jim Mora Jr.’s squad has played four power conference teams and went 0-4 with losses to Maryland, Duke, Wake Forest, and Syracuse. The wins came against Merrimack, FAU, Buffalo, Temple, Rice, Georgia State, UAB, and UMass. They deserve credit for winning those games, but North Carolina is a step up in competition, even in its weakened state. The SportsGrid model has a pair of five-star plays on this game, taking North Carolina to win this game by five points plus taking this game to reach 54 points and go over the posted total of 52.5.

Check out SportsGrid’s models CFB Best Bets here.

Connecticut vs. North Carolina Best Alt./Props

Player props are not currently offered in this game, but there are some interesting alternative bets to explore. A few favorites include an alternative spread of North Carolina at -6.5 with odds of +134, UNC’s total points to exceed 27.5, and North Carolina at -142 as the first-half winner. The Tar Heels going over their team total seems like a great bet, as UConn has allowed 23 or more points to each of the four Power Conference teams they have played this season. North Carolina should be fired up to play well as they know new head coach Bill Belichick will be watching, which could lead to a hot start and an easy first-half win.