Top-ranked Miami Hurricanes (7-0, 5-0 ACC) visit North Carolina Tar Heels (4-3, 2-2 ACC) in a Week 9 ACC matchup at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C., with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Hurricanes, one of three undefeated FBS teams, are 14-point favorites with an over/under of 53.5 points. Miami enters on an 11-game regular-season winning streak after a 53-23 victory over Pitt, while North Carolina fell 31-30 in overtime to Syracuse.
This game marks Bill Belichick's first meeting with a No. 1 ranked team in his college coaching career. The Tar Heels have won the last five meetings between the programs, which last played in 2023. Miami's offense averages over three passing touchdowns per game from quarterback Darian Mensah, but the Hurricanes also boast the nation's No. 11 scoring defense, allowing just 2.4 yards per rush and recording nine takeaways.
North Carolina ranks 112th out of 138 FBS teams in total offense, though its defense has held back-to-back opponents under 60% completion percentage and averages the fourth-fewest penalties per game in college football. The SportsLine Projection Model, after 10,000 simulations, leans toward the Under 53.5 points and indicates one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. The model entered Week 9 on a 68-59 run on top-rated college football picks.
