Pinnacle +5½ -104 BET365 +5½ -110 SportsInteraction +5½ -110 BetOnline +5½ -110 Bookmaker +5½ -110

Posted at 2:45 PM EST. 

VIRGINIA TECH +5½ -110 over North Carolina

Friday, September 3rd, 2021 – 6:00 PM EST

Lane Stadium – Blacksburg, VA

Streaming Subscribers: ESPN

6:00 PM EST. One could not be blamed for doing a double-take when looking at the preseason rankings and wondering if they'd found an old college hoops poll by mistake. Why? Well, it's not often Tar Heels football is the class of Tobacco Road. It's one thing to be ranked in the Top-25, but North Carolina comes into 2021 as the #9 team in the nation. To say expectations are high would be quite an understatement.

So why all the hype in Chapel Hill? The Heels are coming off a high profile Orange Bowl appearance, but as lovely as that accolade was, UNC was smacked around by Texas A&M in a 41-27 final. It is hard to put stock into much of what happened in 2020, as the entire season was one colossal clusterfuck. Furthering the hype on the Hill is the return of Sam Howell, an early-season favorite to be in the Heisman Trophy running. With those great preseason expectations comes a ton of responsibility for Howell. All the pressure is on the Tar Heels, as they enter the season as the odds on favorite to win the ACC, a fact that is no secret to anyone. This is the highest that North Carolina has been ranked since 1997, when Mac Brown was in his first term with the team. As a result, you are going to pay a premium in this market to back them.

The Hokies did not have any problems putting up points (31 points per game) or yards (440 yards per game) in 2020 and one could make the case they had the best running game in the conference. Va Tech will return seven starters on offense from last year, but one new face will be 2019 Oregon transfer Braxton Burmeister, who has a strong arm and should be motivated to prove he belongs as a FCS starter at a Power Five school. Burmeister competed for playing time last season, but the job is now his with both Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) and Quincy Patterson II (North Dakota State) transferring for what they believe will be greener pastures. 

In October of last year, the Hokies' (5-6) season took a downward spiral after their 56-45 loss to these Tar Heels while UNC would post an 8-4 mark. Both Brown (who is in his third season in his second turn in Chapel Hill) and Virginia Tech bench boss Justin Fuente (year six) return this season, so there will be few secrets in this game. However, as a home pooch, especially in a season opener after a rough year and a half, the Hokies have some real curb appeal to anyone looking for inflated points. Furthermore, this number suggests Va Tech has a real shot to win this game.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A cheaper and better alternative to CABLE

TV Programming

A GREAT OFFER FOR SPORTSWAGERS READERS:

We’re offering a better and cheaper alternative to cable TV. You will literally save thousands of dollars. If you’re sick of paying a fortune for programming that you don’t even want or need, this is for you. All pro sports -- EVERY GAME, tons of college football and basketball games and tons of regular programming (non-sports). Over 2500 channels all in HD for a mere $20 per month. You have to be nuts not to get it.