The Louisville Cardinals are currently dwelling on the bottom of the ACC standings. In search of a win to reinvigorate the program, will the Cardinals score a huge upset this weekend when they take a trip to the home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish? Or will Ian Book and continue being undefeated this season?
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Betting Preview for the Louisville Cardinals vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish NCAA Week 7 College Football Game on October 17, 2020
Where: Notre Dame Stadium
When: Saturday, October 17, 2020, 2:30 PM ET
Line: Louisville Cardinals (+16.5) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-16.5) – view all 2020 NCAAF lines
TV Broadcast: NBC
Betting on the Louisville Cardinals (+16.5)
Record: 1-3 Overall / 0-3 Conference
After winning its season-opener against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (35-21), the Cardinals have gone 0-3, as they lost to No. 17 Miami (47-34), No. 21 Pittsburgh (23-20), and to Georgia Tech (46-27). In last week’s loss to the Yellow Jackets, Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham put up a respectable performance, passing for 229 yards and two touchdowns without an interception on 19-of-33 completions, while running back Javian Hawkins racked up 155 rushing yards on 26 carries. However, Louisville was not able to overcome its turnovers, committing three, all via fumbles, in that game. If Cunningham and the Cardinals can limit their turnovers, they could be a surprise package for Notre Dame, which, while dominant this season, hasn’t really beaten nor faced an elite team this season so far. The Fighting Irish have defeated the likes of Duke, USF, and Florida State, all unranked teams. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are battle-tested, having shared the field with two ranked teams to date.
Louisville is 5-4-1 against the spread in its last 10 games overall.
Betting on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-16.5)
Record: 3-0 Overall / 2-0 Conference
Some will question the quality of opponents the Fighting Irish have dealt with the past weeks, but what’s long been established is that Ian Book is a solid quarterback, at the very least. Book had 201 passing yards and two touchdowns without a pick on 16-of-25 completions during the Fighting Irish’s 42-26 home win over the Florida State Seminoles last week. Book is flourishing behind an offensive line that’s allowed just three sacks on the season, second-fewest in the ACC. Speaking of which, Notre Dame’s defense can feast on Louisville’s weak pass protection, which has surrendered 14 sacks this year. The Cardinals’ offensive line doesn’t give Cunningham enough time to scan the field, resulting in misguided throws and five interceptions on the season for the quarterback. Also expect Notre Dame’s ground attack to go hard early against the Cardinals’ defense. The Fighting Irish are averaging 270.7 rushing yards per game, good for fourth overall in the nation. That’s not a good number for Louisville’s stop unit that allowed 192 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground to Georgia Tech.
Notre Dame is 8-2 against the spread in its last 10 games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
Notre Dame wins, 38-24.
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