ACC/SEC Challenge: UNC vs. Kentucky, Duke vs. Florida leads clash of conferences

The week after Thanksgiving can be a bit of a slog both in real life and in sports. I get it. But the ACC/SEC challenge’s arrival on Tuesday brings with it some good cheer and some great action to help rally the spirits. 

The event will take place over two days and features 16 games across the country — starting with a loaded nine-game slate (!!) on Tuesday and concluding Wednesday with seven more games.

The first day of the challenge features four games in the 7 p.m. ET tipoff slot led by No. 13 Tennessee at Syracuse and Texas A&M at Pittsburgh. The night gets better as it goes along and features No. 15 Florida visiting No. 4 Duke before eventually getting us to the nightcap at Rupp Arena, where No. 16 North Carolina visits No. 18 Kentucky.

That’s a mouthful! That means there’s a ton of action on deck. So I’ve sounded the horn and rallied the troops to prepare accordingly with picks for every game straight up and against the spread below.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | All times ET

7 p.m. on ESPN2, fuboTV (try for free):  Two teams coming off a trip to Vegas – and two teams traveling vastly different directions. Vols were 2-1 at the Players Era with a huge win over Houston and a close-shave loss to Kansas. Syracuse was 0-3 and it is coming off a 31-point loss to Iowa State. Give me the better team and I will lay those points. Pick: Tennessee -7.5 — Boone

7 p.m. on ESPNU, fuboTV (try for free): We have ourselves an old-fashioned clash of styles: Texas A&M with its blistering pace and 3-point heavy style travels to Pittsburgh to take on a Pitt team that is among the slowest in the country and reliant on an array of shots beyond just 3-pointers. In BuckyBall we trust: Aggies steal one away from home. Pick: Texas A&M -3.5 — Boone

7 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free): Virginia Tech lost its last two and South Carolina’s lost two of its last three entering this one. So neither are in tip-top shape at the moment. But the Hokies have at least showed us they can be up for big games – they defeated Providence and Colorado State in November – even if they haven’t been lately. I like the underdog ATS here with Virginia Tech. Not sure I can pick ’em straight up so I’ll stop short of that. If I played it it’d be taking the points on the dog. Pick: Virginia Tech +1.5 — Boone

7 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (try for free): No team may have two losses age better this season than Wake’s one-point losses to Michigan and Texas Tech, respectively. Demon Deacons have looked every bit the part behind a rebuilt team centered around Juke Harris and Tre’Von Spillers. That continues Tuesday vs. an OU team that has been riding the early-season rollercoaster. Wake straight up for me here – and I’ll lay those points. Pick: Wake Forest -4.5 — Boone

No. 15 Florida at No. 4 Duke      

7:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): This game has lost a bit of its luster after Florida’s flailed to a 5-2 start. But the defending champion inside Cameron Indoor in a matchup between two top-15 teams? Sign me up. I like laying the points on the Duke side because it is playing incredibly well of late and Cameron Boozer is strutting into this one coming off a career-best 35-point explosion vs. Arkansas. This team – and its star – have an immense level of confidence that can’t be understated. I don’t think they’ll take the opponent lightly even if the Gators aren’t as lethal as last season. On their home floor, Blue Devils get it done with a statement. Pick: Duke -8.5 — Boone

9 p.m. on ESPNU, fuboTV (try for free): The first real test for Missouri (8-0) comes Tuesday with a trip to South Bend. Notre Dame’s 5-3 record won’t intimidate but its competitiveness against quality competition should. It was a thorn in the side vs. Kansas, Ohio State and Houston, and I’d expect more of the same as the Irish return home from a rough week in Vegas. Give me ND to win and cover. Pick: Notre Dame -2.5 — Boone

9 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free): Oddsmakers have this one as nearly a toss-up and that’s how I see it, too. For me: Tie goes to the home team in this spot.  The Rebels have lost just once at home to an unranked opponent since Chris Beard took over in 2023 and that trend continues. Expecting big games from Ilias Kamardine and AJ Storr as they shake off consecutive losses to Iowa and Utah from last week. Pick: Ole Miss -2.5 — Boone

9 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (try for free): Coming off a 36-point beatdown at the hands of Texas A&M on Friday, Florida State limps into this one tail tucked and, presumably, out to prove a point. That’ll be tough to do vs. this Georgia team that is third in scoring margin nationally and first in turnover rate forced defensively. But FSU gets its home venue to try and get back on track – and I expect it does. Taking the points here with the home dog. Pick: FSU -1.5 — Boone

9:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): Kentucky’s metrics look great (No. 11 at KenPom, No. 15 in the NET) but it is 0-2 with a scoring margin of -25 vs. ranked opponents and 5-0 in its other games – all opponents ranked 208th or worse at KenPom. To put it plainly: We know very little about this UK team but its opportunities to shine this season have thus far made it look dull. In Rupp Arena, that trend changes Tuesday – but I like UNC keeping it close and covering the number. Pick: UNC +6.5 — Boone

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times and is up more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated spread picks the past six years.