Clemson heads to Chapel Hill for the first time in six years, and both teams are looking to bounce back after rough starts to the season. Clemson sits at 1-3, far from the ACC favorite expectations, while UNC is 2-2 with no wins over FBS opponents so far. Despite the rocky start, intensity is guaranteed because both coaches will bring strategy, making this one of the most compelling games of Week 6.

But ahead of the game, ESPN has set the stage. Mark Jones will lead the play-by-play from the booth, joined by analyst Roddy Jones, while Quint Kessenich covers all the sideline action. And kickoff is set for noon ET, giving Clemson its 3rd straight appearance in the early window. Here’s what this ESPN crew brings to the table, backed by years of experience.

Mark Jones and Roddy Jones are a powerhouse duo in the booth. Roddy brings first-hand experience from his Georgia Tech days, including a key role in the 2009 ACC title win over Clemson, and joined ESPN in 2017 after covering ACC football for Raycom. However, Mark’s journey started as a standout basketball player at York University, earning Hall of Fame honors, before launching a broadcasting career that took him from TSN Canada to ABC and ESPN. Now, together, their mix of on-field insight and decades of media expertise makes every game sharper and more compelling. But Saturday isn’t just any game for Dabo Swinney.

It’s his 300th as Clemson’s HC, and he’ll be facing NFL royalty now at UNC. Ahead of the faceoff, at Tuesday’s press conference, Swinney called Belichick a “really nice man” from their offseason meetings, but made one thing clear: the Tigers need the win more. “I wish him all the best, except this weekend,” stated Swinney. “We need a win a lot worse than he does. We need a win in a big way.” Now, only time will reveal the outcome, but who do the experts favor?

Clemson or UNC: which team will come out on top?

Clemson heads to Chapel Hill as the slight favorite, but don’t expect a runaway. SP+ has the Tigers squeaking past UNC 29-22, with a 69% chance to win. On the betting lines, Clemson is a 14.5-point favorite, with the total set at 46.5 points. But the money line?

The moneyline heavily favors the Tigers (-720) over the Tar Heels (+520), yet 53% of bets are backing UNC to either keep it close or pull an upset. So, the matchup is shaping up as a clash where Clemson’s firepower faces a scrappy, motivated UNC squad. And other predictive models echo the SP+ outlook.

The CFB Power Index gives Clemson a 77.5% chance to win and projects a 12-point margin of victory, leaving UNC in just 22.5% of simulations. Surely, the numbers suggest Clemson should win, but don’t expect a walk in the park; this one could stay tense until the final whistle.