[NCAAF] North Carolina vs Syracuse Live Free

The Syracuse football team will face North Carolina at noon Saturday (ACC Network) at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

WATCH NOW : https://is.gd/CED6D0

WATCH NOW : https://is.gd/CED6D0

It’s time for our predictions. The panel includes Brent Axe, sports columnist; Stephen Bailey, SU football reporter; Chris Carlson, SU sports reporter; and Nate Mink, SU football reporter.

BRENT AXE

North Carolina 42, Syracuse 27

QB Sam Howell and this dynamic Tar Heels offense eventually will overwhelm a new SU defense and paint the scoreboard. If SU is going to keep it close on the road, even with no fans in the stands at Kenan Stadium, it will have to put the new 3-3-5 to work early and snag some early turnovers. The UNC defense has speed and talent but can be scored on. In any case, take the 22.5 points. That’s a ton of ground to cover in the first game of the season.

STEPHEN BAILEY

North Carolina 34, Syracuse 20

Even in a matchup that Andre Cisco described as “athletes vs. athletes,” I’m having a hard time seeing a true shootout in Week 1 after a truncated offseason. That aside, asking anyone to predict strategy and tactics without really knowing much about either team is an exercise in futility. Yet here we are. So I’ll say the Orange makes a couple big plays to cover the 22.5-point spread, but UNC’s polished offense proves too efficient to spoil the debut of Tony White’s 3-3-5.

CHRIS CARLSON

North Carolina 38, Syracuse 13

I had this one a little bit closer until Syracuse put out a depth chart with a converted fullback starting on the offensive line. Regardless of whether that’s reality or some pre-game gamesmanship from Syracuse coach Dino Babers, North Carolina is going to put up points behind one of the ACC’s better collections of offensive talent. Syracuse’s new defensive scheme is bound to have some busts and North Carolina has the athletes to make it hurt.

NATE MINK

North Carolina 28, Syracuse 17

A sleepy noon kick in front of no fans won’t inspire me to throw a bunch of points up on the board. The challenge will be keeping pace with a Carolina offense that returns most of its offensive line, two 1,000-yard receivers, quick backs and a poised quarterback. There’s intrigue around a new SU defense and the playmakers in the secondary. But there are too many pieces missing up front and newcomers in the front seven to feel good about how SU will defend and run the ball. Wouldn’t expect Mack Brown and his staff to make many coaching blunders that hands the Orange any freebies, either.

Point spread: North Carolina by 22.5.

Over/under: 65.5