Louisville shoots for a 3-0 start when it hosts North Carolina for a non-conference bout Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm Eastern, ABC/ESPN2). The Cardinals, coming off a 35-7 win over Missouri State, are favored by four points over the Tar Heels, who are 1-1 after losing a tough 28-27 decision to Wake Forest.



View North Carolina vs Louisville Odds and Stats.

Betting Line: Sportsbooks have set the Cardinals as 3.5-point favorites on the Sportsbook line for this contest.

Power Rankings / Prediction: The OddsShark Power Rankings have the Cardinals at No. 16 and the Tar Heels at No. 44 heading into this contest. Handicapping models project a 56-49 result in favor of the Tar Heels.



How They Match Up:
The game also pits Louisville's No. 48-ranked offense, averaging 33.5 PPG, against a Tar Heels defense that ranks No. 30 this week at 14 PPG. The Cardinals aerial game is averaging 295.5 yards per game, more than the Tar Heels secondary allows through the air, 245 YPG per game.

Defensively, the Tar Heels feature the league's No. 8-rated road run defense, allowing 64 yards per game. Louisville, meanwhile, ranks No. 61 in rushing offense at home.

Last time out for North Carolina, they were a 28-27 loser as they battled Wake Forest on the road. North Carolina failed to cover in the match as a 10-point favorite, while 55 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors. A.J. Blue went over the 100-yard mark (106) in his team's latest effort, but Wake Forest still defeated North Carolina by a score of 28-27.

In their last action, Louisville was a 35-7 Sportsbook at home against Missouri State. The game had no spread or over-under wagering, as it involved a non-board school. In their last game, Louisville's aerial attack generated 344 yards and the Cardinals came away with a 35-7 victory over Missouri State at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.


North Carolina Tar Heels Trends:
When playing in September are 5-5
When playing on turf are 4-6
After outgaining opponent are 5-5
When playing outside the conference are 9-1

Louisville Cardinals Trends:
When playing in September are 5-5
When playing on turf are 6-4
After outgaining opponent are 5-5
When playing outside the conference are 6-4

A few Tar Heels at Cardinals trends to consider:
North Carolina is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
North Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
North Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Louisville
North Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Louisville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Louisville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Louisville is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games at home


Next up:
North Carolina home to East Carolina, Saturday, September 22
Louisville at Florida International, Saturday, September 22