Eckel on ACC: North Carolina @ Duke - what’s wrong with this line?

There are four games Wednesday night in the ACC. Three of them you really don’t care about all that much, unless you’re an alum, or have a kid who’s an alum.

There is only one game you’re planning your night around, one game to watch — and it’s not Pitt at Georgia Tech.

North Carolina (+ 8 1/2) at Duke, 9 p.m.
The Pick: Duke (- 8 1/2)

Some times you look at a line on a game and wonder what’s wrong with this? Case in point was Tuesday night’s line with Clemson being a two-point favorite over Florida State. It made no sense. So Florida St. was an easy selection and won, well, easily. Cha-ching.

Then there are lines you look at it, and say hmm, what’s really wrong with this?

And that’s this line. When was the last time North Carolina was this big of an underdog to anyone, let alone the Tar Heels hated rival? I don’t know the answer, if there is one. If you do, feel free to message me with it.

The point here is the points. The oddsmakers are almost begging you to take North Carolina (20-5). The line was as high as 9 1/2 at one point. And the betting public has responded. As I’m writing this around 2:30 p.m., 68 percent of the action is on the Heels. Guess what? The betting public is usually wrong.

That’s just one reason we’re going with Duke (23-2). The others are they are the better team, the best team in the country and have a player in Zion, that UNC will not be able to contain.

If you want to get daring (we’re not) make it a parlay with the over 163-point total, because again that just seems like a lot of points and the books would prefer you to take the under.