North Carolina vs. Clemson Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 12

Tar Heels looking to end the Tigers' three-game home winning streak.
Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) runs
Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) runs / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

The No. 20-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels will put their two-game winning streak on the line against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday afternoon. After playing Campbell (FCS) in Week 11, North Carolina jumped back into ACC play and escaped with a 47-45 double-overtime win over Duke. 

As for the Tigers, they’ve won three consecutive home games after demolishing Georgia Tech 42-21. Clemson is bowl-eligible for the 15th-straight season in the Dabo Swinney era.

Can Clemson take down its second Top-25 opponent in the past three weeks? Or will the Tar Heels head into hostile territory and end the Tigers’ win streak?

Here are the odds and our best bet for North Carolina vs. Clemson:

North Carolina vs. Clemson Odds, Spread and Total

Clemson vs. North Carolina Betting Trends

  • North Carolina is 6-4 against the spread (ATS) this season
  • North Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last five games against Clemson
  • Clemson is 18-2 straight up in its past 20 home games
  • The OVER is 4-2 in the Tigers’ last six home games

North Carolina vs. Clemson How to Watch

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
  • Game Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Memorial Stadium 
  • How to Watch (TV): ESPN
  • North Carolina Record: 8-2
  • Clemson Record: 6-4

North Carolina vs. Clemson Key Players to Watch

North Carolina

Omarion Hampton: For the Tar Heels to pick up the road win on Saturday, they must get a big game from the sophomore running back. This season, Hampton has 1,236 yards and 13 TDs on 206 carries. Last week, Hampton recorded his fifth straight 100-yard rushing performance as he had 169 yards and a touchdown against the Blue Devils. Hampton has a tough matchup against the Tigers’ defense that allows 3.4 yards per carry this season.

Clemson

Cade Klubnik: The sophomore quarterback had one of his best performances this season in last week’s win over the Yellow Jackets. Klubnik completed 67.6% of his passes for 205 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. The last time Klubnik had four touchdown passes in a game was against Charleston Southern (FCS) on Sept. 9. The young quarterback will look to build off last week’s success against a Tar Heels’ defense that allows the second-most passing yards per game in the conference (235.5).

If you're betting on college football this weekend, make sure to sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook below! If you use our link below you will get $150 in bonus bets on your first $5 bet on any moneyline if that team wins!

North Carolina vs. Clemson Prediction and Pick

It’s rare for a ranked team, let alone an eight-win team, to be an underdog to a six-win team this late in the season. However, the Tar Heels haven’t looked great over the last month. Granted, UNC has defeated Duke and Campbell, but they have losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia.

In their last five games, the Tar Heels have allowed 32 points per game, which is not a recipe for success. Meanwhile, Clemson has played well at home over the last few weeks (3-0), including a season-defining win over Notre Dame. The Tigers are playing better on offense, which will help them against this Swiss cheese Tar Heels’ defense. However, I believe Drake Maye and UNC’s offense can cover this TD spread.


Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change