Cal vs. North Carolina Picks
Will this Saturday’s Cal and North Carolina matchup turn into a shootout at 12:20PM ET?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, North Carolina is a 12-point home favorite versus Cal after opening as a 12.5-point favorite. As for the total, the number hit the board at 61.5 but has dropped all the way down to 55.5.
Bet College Football Week 1 Odds
CALIFORNIA: In the team’s final scrimmage before the regular season, redshirt sophomore quarterback Ross Bowers completed 8-of-12 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for another score. “We finished strong so it was good. It was a positive day I thought,” Bowers said. Bowers competed in camp with South Carolina transfer Brandon McIlwain, Chase Garbers and Chase Forrest, who was the front-runner after sitting behind Jared Goff and Davis Webb. Bowers, however, has earned the starter job.
NORTH CAROLINA: Head coach Larry Fedora declined to name a starter for Saturday’s opener against Cal. “I would prefer somebody had separated himself two months ago and we had named a starter and went forward as a starter,” Fedora said on Monday, “but that’s just not the way it is in this situation.” LSU graduate transfer Brandon Harris was considered the favorite this spring but he couldn’t create enough distance between himself and redshirt freshman Chazz Surratt.
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OUR PREDICTION: No matter who starts at quarterback for North Carolina, this game should be a shootout. The over is 4-1 in the Tar Heels’ last five games against the Pac-12. It is also 10-4 in the Golden Bears’ last 14 games overall, is 5-2 in their last seven road games, and is 38-18-1 in their last 57 games in September.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 PICKS: CAL/NORTH CAROLINA OVER 55.5