Belichick's Tar Heels Host Undefeated Miami in Week 9

Bill Belichick will take his North Carolina Tar Heels to the field against the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes on Saturday. The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This matchup marks the first time Belichick has coached against a top-ranked team in his college career.

Miami enters the game as a 14-point favorite according to current betting odds. The Hurricanes are 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. They have won 11 straight regular season games, including a 53-23 victory over Pitt last week. North Carolina is 4-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Tar Heels lost their previous game 31-30 in overtime to Syracuse.

The total points line for the contest is set at 53.5. Miami has allowed just 2.4 yards per rush this season. The Hurricanes also have nine takeaways, which equals the number of passing touchdowns they have allowed. Their scoring defense ranks 11th in the nation. North Carolina ranks 112th out of 138 FBS teams in total offense.

North Carolina's defense has held back-to-back opponents under 60% completion percentage. The Tar Heels average the fourth fewest penalties per game in college football. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah averages more than three passing touchdowns per game. The SportsLine projection model simulates the game 10,000 times and projects Mensah for under two passing scores.

The model favors the under in 53% of those simulations. North Carolina has won five straight matchups against Miami. The teams last met in 2023. The SportsLine model is on a 68-59 record for top-rated college football picks this season. That record has returned nearly $400 for every $100 wagered by players following those selections.

The Hurricanes are 5-2 against the spread this season. North Carolina is 4-3 against the line. The model indicates one side of the spread hits in over 60% of the simulations. The specific side is available through the SportsLine service. The game features the only undefeated ACC team against a squad that has already matched its win total from the previous year.