The California Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1 ACC) are favorites to beat the University of North Carolina Tar Heels (2-3, 0-1 ACC), according to the latest college football lines and odds offered by sportsbooks.
Cal v. UNC college football betting pick, odds and lines: Who is favored to win?
According to data independently collected and viewed by Write for California, the latest college football betting odds for Cal v. UNC is between Cal -9.5 and Cal -10, as of Thursday morning.
The Cal -9.5 line implies the California Golden Bears are about 10-point favorites over the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
According to data independently collected and viewed by Write for California, the latest point totals for Cal v. UNC college football “over-or-under” total score bets are between 46.5 and 47.5, as of Thursday morning.
The Cal -9.5 line and 46.5-point total imply the California Golden Bears will beat the University of North Carolina Tar Heels with a scoreline of about 28-18.
According to data independently collected and viewed by Write for California, the latest Cal v. UNC college football “moneyline” bets offered range between Cal -380 and Cal -420 and UNC +280 and UNC +325, as of Thursday morning.
Moneyline bets pay out based on the Cal v. UNC college football game’s result, regardless of the point “spread” handicap or margin of victory.
A bet on Cal’s most favorable moneyline of Cal -380 pays a $100 profit with a $380 wager. In contrast, a moneyline bet on UNC’s most favorable moneyline of Cal +325 results in a $325 profit with a $100 wager.
Cal v. UNC college football: What you should know
The California Golden Bears are 2-0 against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. In the last meeting, played in Berkeley, Calif., Cal beat UNC, 24-17, to start the 2018 college football season.
Last week, both Cal and UNC sat idle with a bye. North Carolina travels to California this week for its first away game in Atlantic Coast Conference play this season.
According to Vegas Insider, which analyzes and aggregates sportsbooks’ college football odds and lines, the Cal v. UNC college football line opened earlier this week at about Cal -12.5. Over the week, the spread moved about three points against Cal, meaning more bettors believe North Carolina can pull off the upset on the road. Circa Sports’ line opened this past Sunday at Cal -13.
Vegas Insider reports the Cal v. UNC moneyline opened early this week at about Cal -470 and UNC +360. The site also reports the Cal v. UNC total opened at 48.5 points. Circa Sports’ total for over-or-under score bets began at 44.5 points.
The California Golden Bears are 3-2 against the spread in the 2025 college football season, while the University of North Carolina Tar Heels are 1-3.
Cal has had two “over” results and three “under” games in the 2025 college football season, while UNC is an even 2-2 in its games so far.
According to Vegas Insider’s analysis, the number of bets placed on Cal v. UNC have been overwhelmingly in Cal’s favor. Sixty percent of all bets with a point handicap have been on Cal, and 93% of moneyline bets were placed on the Golden Bears. Sixty-two percent of total score bets have been on an “over” result, per the odds aggregator.
This is shaping up to be the Annual Inexcusable Wilcox Loss of this season:
1. It’s October
2. Coming off a bye week
3. Healthy favorites to win
4. Opponent is in disarray
we have the chance to turn their season around