Predictions, Odds, and Spread for UConn vs North Carolina in the Fenway Bowl on December 28th

• UConn (8-4) meets North Carolina (6-6) in the 2024 Fenway Bowl in Boston Saturday at 11 a.m.
• There will be a former NFL coach on the sidelines for the Tar Heels, but it won’t be Bill Belichick.
• We’re on to the Fenway Bowl with our prediction, preview and look at the best odds for this Fenway Bowl match-up.

UConn (8-4, 6-4-2 ATS) will have a decided homefield advantage when it takes on North Carolina (6-6, 2-9-1 ATS) in the Fenway Bowl Saturday.

North Carolina made big news this month by hiring NFL legend Bill Belichick as its new head coach, but Belichick won’t take over the program until this game concludes. Former Cleveland Browns coach Freddie Kitchens is the Tar Heels interim coach.

UConn is in a bowl game for the eighth time, the second time under former NFL coach Jim L. Mora in the last three years.

Check out our betting guide to the Fenway Bowl, including a look at the best odds, opt outs and a prediction for Saturday.

UConn vs North Carolina Odds

Odds as of Dec. 27 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Be sure to check the top DraftKings Sportsbook promos before making a bet on any crazy college football bowl game. 

UNC is favored by 2.5-points at our favorite sportsbooks, down from 4.5 when it opened.

These are two teams who have had wild seasons in the sportsbooks.

UConn is 2-1-2 against the spread in its last five games. They had pushes in back-to-back weeks against UAB and Georgia State. In fact, UNC had the incredibly rare ‘double push’ against UAB as the spread and the total were right on the nose. How often do you see that?

UNC has been favored in its last three games and lost all three against the spread. Going 2-9-1 against the spread is unheard of.

The total is locked in at 52.5. The best moneyline bets for UNC are at BetMGM at -135 and at FanDuel for UConn at +122.

Bill Belichick calls joining the University of North Carolina football team a lifelong dream as he’s introduced as the Tar Heels’ new head coach at a press conference on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/mXao60aSiW

— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) December 12, 2024

Feeling Blue

North Carolina had a season full of on and off-the-field weirdness. UNC allowed 70 points to James Madison, and coach Mack Brown talked about asking the players if they wanted him to remain as coach. (Way to lose all credibility there, Mack).

Brown eventually stepped down, and we all know who is taking over.

UNC only beat one FBS team with a winning record. Superstar running back Omarion Hampton (1,660 yards) is prepping for the NFL Draft. Quarterback Jacolby Criswell threw for 2,452 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Defensively, UNC ranked 10th against the run in the ACC and 11th against the pass. They were gashed for over 200 yards on the ground in losses to Boston College and NC State in their last two games.

Mel Brown takes it to the house! 🏠

96 yard kickoff return! pic.twitter.com/cY1s5cK5fn

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) November 30, 2024

U Go All The Way

UConn finished 8-4, playing one of the softest schedules in the nation. They beat one team with a winning record, Buffalo. They did play Syracuse close; maybe that counts for something.

The Huskies were excited about quarterback Nick Evers, but he got hurt twice this season, and UConn has had to go with Joe Fagnano, who has played pretty well with 18 touchdowns.

Standout running back Durrell Robinson has already transferred to Auburn, which means the Huskies will go with Cam Edwards as lead back.

UConn has one of the best return men in the nation in Mel Brown, who ranked third in the country at 30.8 yards a return.

UConn vs North Carolina Prediction

• UConn -2.5 at FanDuel
• Over 52.5 at FanDuel

This is one of those 2024 bowl games we’ve gotten used to this season. There are a couple of key opt-outs, some replacement players all over, and coaching changes. It’s a delightful mess, because no one knows exactly what to think. But what we have seen is teams play hard.

The biggest storyline in this game is probably where Belichick will sit, and whether he will bring his young girlfriend. We like UConn because they have a little bit more to play for, and UNC’s defense is porous, to say the least.

The Fenway Bowl on December 28th is set to be an exciting matchup between the UConn Huskies and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Both teams have had their fair share of ups and downs this season, but they will be looking to end their season on a high note with a win in this bowl game.

Looking at the predictions for this game, it seems that North Carolina is the favorite to come out on top. The Tar Heels have had a solid season, finishing with a record of 8-4 and securing wins against tough opponents like Wake Forest and NC State. On the other hand, UConn has struggled this season, finishing with a record of 2-10 and failing to secure a single win in conference play.

In terms of the odds, North Carolina is currently listed as a 10-point favorite over UConn. This means that oddsmakers believe that the Tar Heels will win by at least 10 points in this game. However, it’s important to note that anything can happen in college football, and upsets are always a possibility.

As for the spread, North Carolina is favored by 10 points in this game. This means that if you bet on North Carolina to win, they will need to win by at least 10 points for you to win your bet. On the other hand, if you bet on UConn to cover the spread, they can lose by less than 10 points (or win the game outright) for you to win your bet.

Overall, the Fenway Bowl matchup between UConn and North Carolina is shaping up to be an exciting game. While North Carolina is favored to win, anything can happen on game day. It will be interesting to see which team comes out on top and ends their season with a victory.