A busy Saturday gives us the CBS Sports Classic and an interesting matchup once again between North Carolina and Ohio State. The Tar Heels are a Top 15 team that has mostly taken care of their business in the opening weeks of the season while the Buckeyes are looking to make a statement in Atlanta.
After a great start to the season, Ohio State (8-2) has had challenges in recent weeks, including a tough buzzer-beating loss at Pittsburgh at the end of November. The Buckeyes built up their resume with a nice win at Northwestern and a recent double overtime victory over West Virginia, but this opportunity down in Georgia would really jump off the page.
A tough Thanksgiving outing is all that’s kept North Carolina (10-1) from an unblemished start, as the Tar Heels were dismissed by Michigan State during that matchup. Hubert Davis’s team has solid wins over Kansas and at Kentucky and has largely won without conflict during nonconference play, though this matchup presents their last big opportunity before ACC play begins later this month.
Ohio State vs. North Carolina: When and Where
Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025, 3:00 pm ET
Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
Ohio State vs. North Carolina: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: CBS
Streaming: FuboTV
Ohio State vs. North Carolina: Betting Odds
Spread: North Carolina Tar Heels -2.5, Ohio State Buckeyes +2.5
Moneyline: North Carolina Tar Heels -160, Ohio State Buckeyes +150
Total: 152.5
Ohio State vs. North Carolina: Series History
All time series: North Carolina leads 13-3
Last meeting: North Carolina 89, Ohio State 84, OT (December 17, 2022)
Projected Starting Lineups
Ohio State Buckeyes
Bruce Thornton (21.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.4 apg)
John Mobley Jr. (13.8 ppg, 2.5 apg)
Christoph Tilly (13.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Devin Royal (13.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
Brandon Noel (8.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
North Carolina Tar Heels
Caleb Wilson (19.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg)
Henri Veesaar (16.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg)
Luka Bogavac (11.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Kyan Evans (6.5 ppg, 4.3 apg)
Jarin Stevenson (6.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
This game will be won in the frontcourt and those stars in the paint will be worth watching. Ohio State is one of the most efficient interior offenses in the nation and Thornton is off to a particularly impressive start to his final year. On the other hand, North Carolina rebounds about as well as any team in the nation and the additions of Veesaar from Arizona and Wilson the freshman have been paramount in their success this season. Those battles won’t be all that matters, as the Buckeyes really need to turn around some cold outside shooting to have a chance here.
Will North Carolina continue what has been a largely brilliant start to the season in this high profile matchup in Atlanta? Can the Buckeyes find a way to contain the Tar Heels on the boards and get enough from their offense for a big win on their resume?