Pitt Opens As 5.5-Point Home Underdog to North Carolina

Pitt opens its ACC schedule this weekend against No. 20 North Carolina, and it feels like the betting odds have opened rather favorably for Pitt.

UNC has opened as a 5.5-point road favorite over Pitt, projecting the Tar Heels to win their fourth straight game — and Pitt to continue its losing skid.

It’s a night game at Acrisrure Stadium this weekend, an 8 p.m. kickoff setting up Pitt and UNC for the fourth straight primetime matchup between the two sides. It will be broadcast on ACC Network, and a TV crew has not yet been announced.

DraftKings also favors North Carolina on the road, holding UNC as a 5.5-point favorite — with a bet for or against the spread holding -110 odds. FanDuel has not yet set betting odds, but that will change by this afternoon. And it will likely be similar to already set odds.

North Carolina has gotten off to a 3-0 start in 2023, with wins over South Carolina, Appalachian State and Minnesota, and the high-powered offense is buzzing as it enters conference play.

Star quarterback Drake Maye is in the midst of a solid start to his third season at UNC, throwing for 891 yards and four touchdowns on 73% completions over three games, but it’s running backs Omarion Hampton and British Brooks who have impressed this season — along with seemingly much-improved defense.

Pitt is 5-11 all-time against North Carolina, dating back to an inaugural 45-29 loss in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 1974. The Tar Heels won six straight one-score games between 2013-18.

Pitt had won the last two meetings before Maye and UNC ran away with a 42-24 win in Chapel Hill last October. Maye threw for 388 yards and five touchdowns, adding 61 yards on the ground, in a dominant effort.

A broadcast crew will be announced tomorrow for the Pitt-UNC matchup.