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North Carolina Rutgers Predictions

Written September 10, 2008 by Jack Jones

The Thursday Night Football game for this week on ESPN will take place in Piscataway, New Jersey when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights play host to the North Carolina Tar Heels in non-conference action. Jack Jones breaks down the college football odds and gets you ready for the game. The early spread shows Rutgers as a 5-point favorite at BetUS with a total set at 44.

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Rutgers enters this game without a win after losing 24-7 to Fresno State in their opener on September 1st. It was a disappointing loss for the Scarlet Knights, who had high expectations after winning eight games last season. North Carolina on the other hand enters this game after beating McNeese State, 35-27, in their opener. The Tar Heels will try and end their recent struggles against Rutgers, having lost the last three times the two teams have matched up.

When you consider that North Carolina was playing McNeese State in their opener, you can’t get that excited about the offensive production they had in the game. TJ Yates threw for 221 yards and two scores, but threw an interception on 15-of-26 passing. It wasn’t a bad start for the sophomore who threw for 2,655 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago. He does have a problem with turning the ball over though, being intercepted 18 times as a freshman. Yates likes to go to Hakeem Nicks, who had 74 receptions a year ago and got started with six catches for 110 yards this year. Senior wideout Brandon Tate was the real story though with a school-record 397 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. He led the team with 106 rushing yards and had 93 receiving yards on four catches, but his 82-yard punt return for a touchdown was an exciting way to North Carolina to get their first points on the board.

I’m a little worried about how North Carolina struggled to stop McNeese State, allowing 391 total yards, including 152 via the rush. The Tar Heels gave up 22 first downs and didn’t manage a sack. The good news is that they intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. If you think the Tar Heels can keep up their winning ways against Rutgers then bet North Carolina +5.5 at Bookmaker.

Rutgers didn’t do a very good job of moving the ball against Fresno, with only 369 total yards and a single touchdown. Mike Teel needs to carry more of the load with Ray Rice off to the NFL, but he was only 20-for-39 passing, had two interceptions, and threw for 263 yards in the opener. More is expected out of Teel, who had 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns last year. Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood were the main pass catches, each grabbing six balls after both of them went for more than 1,000 yards receiving in 2007. Kordell Young was the main ball carrier with 94 yards and a touchdown on 26 totes.

The Scarlet Knights also got off to a slow start on defense, giving up 422 total yards, 206 of which came via the rush. The aggressiveness just wasn’t there, as Rutgers didn’t force a single turnover on their way to having 24 points scored on them in the second half. We fully expect the Scarlet Knights to rebound after their poor opener. If you like Rutgers to cover the 5 point spread, bet the game at BetUS.