The 2020 ACC football season kicked off Thursday evening with Miami defeating UAB 31-14 before a reduced capacity home crowd.

Sports betting has become mainstream in the United States in recent years, but sports fans have known for years of the magical fortune-telling powers of the Las Vegas bookmakers. They already hit the nail on the head in game one of the ACC's season, with Miami listed as a -16.5 point favorite hours before kickoff.

Now the action is set to really get underway Saturday with six ACC games, including four head-to-head conference matchups.

Today, we kick-off a new weekly series for the 2020 football season in which we will pick three ACC games against the spread (for entertainment purposes only). Moving forward, we will track each week's picks and will pick a side for each NC State game starting with its season opener on Sept. 19.

Without further ado, here are the Week One picks:

Preseason darling North Carolina was voted to finish third in the preseason ACC standings media vote, and for good reason. They return an All-ACC caliber sophomore quarterback Sam Howell, who had a greater than 5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a freshman in 2019.

The Tar Heels also return four offensive skill players that had over 1,000 all-purpose yards last season, running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams as well as wide receivers Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown.

But other than preseason first-team All-ACC linebacker Chazz Surratt, the defense is still unproven. Las Vegas agrees with an over/under of 65.5.

UNC opened as a -15 point favorite when the lines were originally released according to Oddshark. Considering the line jumped up over a touchdown, the public likely jumped on North Carolina early based on the preseason hype surrounding the Tar Heels.

North Carolina scores plenty of points and wins this game, but a four-possession cover is too much to ask from the young Tar Heel defense against Syracuse redshirt junior quarterback Tommy Devito.

Justin's pick: Syracuse +23

This may be the most intriguing conference matchup of the opening week for the ACC with two interesting storylines for each team.

Notre Dame will be playing in its first conference game in history at home against the Blue Devils. If there will be any home-field advantage in Saturday's games, it will be in South Bend, where the school is permitting a select number of students and faculty into the game.

Duke will roll out starting quarterback Chase Brice, who was a big-name transfer from Clemson this offseason. He teams up with quarterback guru and head coach David Cutcliffe, who has taken over play-calling duties this season for the Blue Devils.

Brice made a name for himself by saving Clemson's 2018 Championship season with a 94-yard game-winning drive against Syracuse in place of an injured Trevor Lawerence.

It's a lot easier to look that good when you're throwing to Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, Hunter Renfrow and Amari Rodgers. Duke doesn't have any of those guys.

Justin's pick: Notre Dame -20.5

Speaking of Clemson, the preseason ACC favorites face the Pack's Week Two opponent as College Gameday goes to Winston-Salem.

It's always hard to make a case that any team will beat a conference opponent by five or more touchdowns, particularly on the road, but here it goes.

Clemson returns the preseason favorite to win ACC Player of the Year and the presumed No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft junior quarterback Trevor Lawerence. The Tigers also return the preseason runner-up for ACC Player of the Year senior running back Travis Ettiene. You know, the actual ACC Player of the Year the last two seasons.

Look, there's plenty of preseason questions you could ask about Clemson. Who will Lawerence throw to without star target Justyn Ross? How will the Clemson defense replace the departures of Isaiah Simmons and A.J. Terrell?

The answer is, it's Clemson. Don't overthink it. There's just another four-or-five-star waiting to step up right behind the.

Wake's defense might be its strength this season with All-ACC caliber defensive lineman Carlos Basham Jr. leading the way. It won't matter though, because the Deacons only return two starters on offense with the recent opt-out of preseason first-team All-ACC wide receiver Sage Surratt.

Clemson will hang 50 in Truist Field and the Deacs won't be able to score more than two touchdowns on the Tigers defense, even if it doesn't have the familiar faces of years past. Let's just hope Clemson's reserves have practiced enough tackling to prevent a back door cover in garbage time. I've already jinxed myself...

Justin's pick: Clemson -34.5

UNC -1600 over Syracuse at home.

*All lines via Bovada and line history from Oddshark.

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