Top NCAAF Pick: USC vs. Notre Dame Over 61 (-106) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
Georgia is set to begin the Week 7 college football betting card with a cover as huge favorites, while USC and Notre Dame close our free picks in the mud at South Bend.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
Saturday, October 14, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at FirstBank Stadium
Things could get ugly in Music City if the NCAAF odds for the matchup between top-ranked Georgia and Vanderbilt are any indication. In fact, ugly is just what the game has been for Commodore fans in recent years.
Bulldogs Blank ‘Dores Last 2 Meetings
No surprise that Georgia has dominated the rivalry that celebrates its 130th birthday. The Bulldogs own a 60-20-2 chokehold on the Commodores, with Vanderbilt winning just five times in the last 49 meetings.
One of those Commodore wins came in 2016, Kirby Smart’s first season between the hedges. That loss apparently upset Smart who has coached Georgia to 5-straight wins and covers by a combined score of 233-33. ‘Under’ bettors cashed four of the last six.
Vandy in Throes of 5-Game Skid
Georgia cakewalked to a 51-13 win over Kentucky a week ago, amassing 600+ yards of total offense. The Bulldogs have the top scoring defense in the SEC, and the league’s second-best offense in terms of total yards.
Things turned ugly for Vanderbilt in Week 2 when a trip to Wake Forest ended in a 36-20 defeat. Then came a loss in the final seconds at UNLV as small favorites, and things have gone downhill for the Commodores since then with 3-straight conference defeats. Adding injury to insult is top QB AJ Swann listed as questionable with a bum elbow.
The Pick
Georgia will have a week off following this game before meeting Florida in the Cocktail Party rivalry, and should have no trouble covering the 31½ at Heritage.
NCAAF Pick: Georgia -31½ (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
Louisville Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Saturday, October 14, 2023 – 06:30 PM EDT at Acrisure Stadium
Off to their first 6-0 start in 10 years, Louisville takes aim at win No. 7 at Pittsburgh where the Cardinals have had trouble leaving town with a victory.
‘Under’ Has Cashed 3 of Last 4 in Iron City
Once rivals in the Big East, Louisville and Pittsburgh have been infrequent combatants in the ACC with Saturday’s skirmish just their fourth as ACC foes. The Panthers have the 10-9 edge all-time, and 2-1 as ACC opponents.
Louisville scored a 24-10 win last season as 1-point home chalk, the contest never threatening the 55-point total. Pittsburgh’s 23-20 win in 2020 pushed a 3-point line, and seven of the last nine meetings came up short on the totals.
Is The Ville in Danger of a Letdown?
Louisville moved to 6-0 with an impressive 33-20 win over Notre Dame last week, grinding out 185 yards rushing and forcing the Fighting Irish into committing 5 turnovers.
Pittsburgh had last week off following a fourth consecutive loss to close September, the Panthers unable to get anything going offensively in a 38-21 loss at Virginia Tech as small road chalk.
The Pick
There just isn’t enough offense on the Pitt side to depend on the Panthers to keep up with Louisville and stay within the spread. We’ll lay the points with this free pick.
NCAAF Pick: Louisville -8 (-105) at Bookmaker
USC Trojans vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Saturday, October 14, 2023 – 07:30 PM EDT at Notre Dame Stadium
One of college football’s greatest rivalries is renewed for the 91st time Saturday night in South Bend, and the matchup between Notre Dame and USC should pull in a huge national television audience as well as plenty of action at top sportsbooks.
Irish Have Won Last 5 Meetings in South Bend
Those books see it as a tight affair with Notre Dame favored by 2½ and the scoreboard target set on 60½ points.
The Fighting Irish own a 48-37 advantage in the rivalry, with 5 ties along the way, but it’s the Trojans who own current bragging rights after last year’s 38-27 win in Los Angeles. Southern Cal was favored by 4 in that contest, and the final just got past a 63-point total.
Rain Expected in South Bend
The Trojans may have been guilty of looking ahead to this one after avoiding a huge upset at the hands of Arizona with a triple-overtime win last week. Then again, the Trojans haven’t played very good defense all season.
Notre Dame couldn’t avoid its second loss of the season, falling 33-20 on the road at Louisville as 6½-point chalk. The Fighting Irish turned it over five times, leading directly to 13 points for the Cardinals.
The Pick
There’s rain in the forecast all day in South Bend, and the soggy grounds – plus USC’s suspect defense – should be a plus for ‘over’ bettors.
NCAAF Pick: USC vs. Notre Dame Over 61 (-106) at Bookmaker
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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