California Golden Bears vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Predictions, Picks, Odds, and NCAA Football Week One Betting Preview – September 2, 2017

California Golden Bears vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Preview

Where: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC

When: Saturday, September 2, 2017, 12:20 PM ET

Line: California Golden Bears (+12) at North Carolina Tar Heels (-12); total: 55.5 –  view all NCAA Football odds and lines

TV Broadcast: ACC Network

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Betting on the California Golden Bears (+12)

Both the California Golden Bears and the North Carolina Tar Heels are entering the 2017 season in rebuilding mode, but there appears to be more volatility in the former than the latter.

The Golden Bears overhauled their three biggest coaching positions, with Justin Wilcox (head coach), Beau Baldwin (OC) and Tim DeRuyter (DC) looking to co-exist and turn this 5-7 program from 2016 around. The work that defensive-minded Wilcox and DeRuyter for Cal’s D will be integral for the team’s success, especially after giving up a whopping average of 42.6 points per game to the opposition last season.

There are also four quarterbacks vying for the starting job: Chase Forrest, Brandon McIlwain, Ross Bowers and Chase Garbers. All four men have put in very little work prior to this season, but it’ll likely boil down to the junior Forrest and South Carolina transfer McIlwain given their relative experience on the field. Regardless of who’ll get the nod, though, at least there’s star wide receiver Demetris Robertson, who had 767 receiving yards and seven TDs last season, to make any of these QBs’ jobs easier.

It might take a while before Cal’s aerial attack gets it going, but at least there’s the senior backfield tandem of Tre Watson and Vic Enwere. However, the two combined for just 1,045 rushing yards and six TDs on the ground last season. This means Watson will need to pitch in even more with the passing game following his output of 241 receiving yards and four scores through the air the previous campaign, although he’s still at the mercy of his team’s QB conundrum.

Betting on the North Carolina Tar Heels (-12)

Without a doubt, losing top-flight QB Mitchell Trubisky was a huge blow for the North Carolina Tar Heels. But unlike Cal, UNC only has two play-callers to mull over in LSU transfer Brandon Harris and freshman Chazz Suratt. Harris seems like the front-runner in becoming the team’s starter given his 2,100-yard, 13-touchdown campaign in 2015 for the Tigers. Then again, his 2:1 career TD-INT ratio may be a problem.

As North Carolina’s offense tries to find its footing in the wake of Trubisky’s departure, the team can still count on its defense – with standout veterans Cole Holcomb, Malik Carney and Andre Smith back for another year – to bail them out of sticky situations. UNC’s D allowed 24.9 points per contest last season, which certainly gives the team the edge when compared to that of California’s own stop unit.

More than enything else, the Tar Heels have head coach Larry Fedora at the helm to stabilize their rebuild. Through his first five years in Chapel Hill, Fedora has a 40-25 record and four Bowl appearances. That’s another plus for North Carolina heading into their clash with Cal on Opening Week to say the least.

Writer’s Prediction

The Tar Heels (-12) run away with a 33-17 victory.

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