No one expected the UNC football program to be considered "favorites" heading into their first ACC contest against Clemson.
Even with Dabo Swinney's team struggling, you're lying to yourself if you thought the Tar Heels would be favorites leading up to this game.
While the hype that was building before the season for this particular game has evaporated (as evident by the noon kickoff time), the same mindset as to how this game will play out remains the same:
Everyone expects Clemson to roll over North Carolina.
The early betting odds have been revealed for the upcoming matchup between the Tar Heels and the Tigers. While they will likely fluctuate throughout the week leading up to kickoff, Clemson, who boasts a 1-3 record to this point, is considered a two-score favorite over the UNC football program.
Right now, the closest spread gives Clemson a 12.5 point edge, while some betting sites have the Tigers as a 13.5 point favorite.
Considering how Bill Belichick's team has done against higher-level opponents, it shouldn't surprise anyone that no one has faith that the Tar Heels can actually make this one a competitive game.
Both teams desperately need a win this week to re-write the narrative of their respective seasons. Defeating Clemson would be a major victory for the UNC football program, securing a win that makes everyone believe that the early season struggles are part of the growing pains of the new regime.
With so much attention surrounding Swinney's future at Clemson, a loss to the Tar Heels would be catastrophic in a season that already is turning into a nightmare for a program that has been a powerhouse among the ACC over the last decade.
If the last few weeks indicate anything, North Carolina's two losses (to TCU and UCF) were by 25+ points. While Clemson isn't playing its best football, the two-score spread might just be one that the Tigers can cover based on how the Tar Heels have performed against FBS talent.