Clemson and North Carolina will meet on Saturday afternoon in a college football game between two desperate programs. These might be the two most disappointing teams in college football so far this season, but one of them has to win this matchup from Chapel Hill. Here, I analyze this conference game in the ACC and give you my Clemson vs North Carolina prediction for Saturday afternoon’s game.
Our Clemson vs North Carolina Pick
- Pick: Clemson -14
- Confidence: ★★☆☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Clemson Tigers vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 4, 2025, 12:00 PM ET
- Venue: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
- Broadcast: ESPN
Clemson vs North Carolina Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson –14 | Clemson –700 / UNC +450 | 46.5 |
Key Storylines
- Clemson’s slide: The Tigers are now 1–3 after losing their first two conference games of the season. They lost on the road to Georgia Tech and failed to bounce back in a double-digit home loss to Syracuse. Their scoring average hovers near 20 points per game and they will need to do more offensively to avoid a third straight loss.
- Belichick’s struggles: North Carolina enters this game at 2–2 but has been outclassed in losses to stronger opponents. The pressure on Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels is rising, as patience will wear thin if the Tar Heels don’t start trending in the right direction against quality competition.
- Clash of coaching legends: This is one of the rare occasions where a coach with multiple national titles faces one with multiple Super Bowl rings. The chess match between Dabo Swinney and Bill Belichick will be very interesting to watch going into this game.
Quarterback Play
Clemson signal-caller Cade Klubnik has been under scrutiny this year. Turnovers have plagued him, and the offense has lacked explosiveness. If he can settle down and avoid mistakes, Clemson should win this game against a struggling opponent.
North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez is listed as questionable to play in this contest. He has three touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season. If he plays, he needs to play better to help the Tar Heels win this contest. But he also might be the best option that North Carolina has at this time.
Betting Trends
- Clemson is 0-4 against the spread so far this season.
- North Carolina is 2-2 both straight up and against the spread on the year.
- Both teams have gone under the total in three of their first four games.
Clemson vs North Carolina Model Projection
Score Projection: Clemson 34 – North Carolina 17
Win Probability: Clemson 78%, North Carolina 22%
Final Thoughts
I don’t feel good about trusting either of these teams to deliver anything for me in betting markets right now. But if I had to choose, I would go with the Clemson Tigers to cover the spread on the road here. The Tigers should take advantage of North Carolina’s quarterback situation and this line could move further in Clemson’s direction if Lopez is unable to suit up for the Tar Heels’ ACC opener.
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