North Carolina Tar Heels vs Pittsburgh Panthers Matchup

Check out our free Pittsburgh Panthers vs North Carolina Tar Heels pick and preview for this CFB week 6 game in Chapel Hill. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 6 CFB matchup.

ESPN will be covering the week six matchup between the Pittsburgh Panthers and North Carolina Tar Heels, set for 12:00 ET on Saturday, October 5th, at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill. Pittsburgh comes in with a 4-0 record, while North Carolina is 3-2 on the season. The Panthers are -3-point road favorites, and the over/under line is currently at 64.5 points.

Panthers vs. Tar Heels Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Pittsburgh Panthers at North Carolina Tar Heels
Where: Chapel Hill at Kenan Memorial Stadium
Date: Saturday, October 5th
Betting Odds PITT -3, PITT -147 | NCAR +122 O/U 64.5

Panthers Preview:

Pittsburgh enters Week 6 with a perfect 4-0 record, but they face a tough test against North Carolina. Despite their unbeaten start, they have just a 1.8% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast, according to projections. However, their odds of becoming bowl-eligible are high at 96.2%.

The Panthers are 3-0 against the spread this season, with an average scoring margin of +23 points per game. They’ve been favored in just one of their four games and have covered as both the favorite (1-0) and the underdog (2-0).

This week’s over/under line is set at 64.5 points, higher than any of their previous games. Pittsburgh’s over/under record stands at 2-1, with their games averaging 74 points and an average line of 59.8 points.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Pittsburgh’s offense has been impressive, ranking 4th in points per game with 48.5 heading into week 6. Eli Holstein has thrown for 1,186 yards, completing 67.4% of his passes, and has 12 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. His passer rating is 121. Pittsburgh is 23rd in passing yards per game, averaging 330.2 yards.

Overall, Pittsburgh is 29th in our offensive power rankings. They are 37th in passing attempts per game, and 27th in completions. On third downs, they convert 44.2% of the time. Desmond Reid leads the rushing attack with 319 yards, averaging 7 yards per carry. Konata Mumpfield has 315 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.

Panthers Team Defense

Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed 25.5 points per game this season, ranking 39th nationally. Against Youngstown State, they gave up 17 points, allowing 327 total yards, including 238 passing yards, while forcing two interceptions.

Opponents have averaged 231.8 passing yards per game against Pittsburgh, completing 56.4% of their throws. On the ground, the Panthers have given up 115.2 rushing yards per game, ranking 41st in the country.

Tar Heels Preview:

Tar Heels Offense Breakdown

North Carolina’s offense has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 11th in rushing attempts per game and averaging 208.6 rushing yards per contest, placing them 19th nationally. Omarion Hampton has been the standout performer, amassing 658 rushing yards and scoring six touchdowns while averaging 5 yards per carry.

Overall, the Tar Heels are 32nd in scoring, with 34.4 points per game, and they are ranked 67th in our offensive power rankings. Quarterback Jacolby Criswell has thrown for 889 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions, and the team ranks 25th in passing attempts per game. Criswell’s passer rating is 90.

Tar Heels Team Defense

North Carolina's defense allowed 21 points in their recent 21-20 loss to Duke, giving up 396 total yards. Duke ran the ball 40 times for 187 yards and threw for 209 yards on 15 completions.

On the season, North Carolina's defense is allowing 27.6 points per game. They rank 55th in the nation, giving up 123 rushing yards per game, and 109th in passing yards allowed at 232.4 per game.

Panthers vs Tar Heels Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Pittsburgh has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 20 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
When looking at their past three home matchups, North Carolina has an ATS record of 0-2-1 while averaging 16 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
As the betting underdog, the North Carolina Tar Heels have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. North Carolina posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
As the betting favorite, the Pittsburgh Panthers have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-2.