The Louisville Cardinals almost saw their College Football Playoff hopes go up in smoke last week when they needed a late touchdown to escape with a win over Virginia. They survived to remain in the mix, but wants to get to convincing victories with a road win over the Boston College Eagles in Week 9 of the season.
Louisville is one of the top one-loss teams in the country and cannot afford a slip-up. The team may have stumbled a bit last week but the oddsmakers are still confident, making the Cardinals heavy favorites against the Eagles.
This matchup in Week 10 of the regular season will take place on Saturday, November 5th, 2016, at 12 p.m. ET at Alumni Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Louisville -25
Boston College +25
Odds Analysis
Louisville didn’t come close to covering a week ago but has still done so on five of eight occasions this season. The Cardinals are 7-1 straight up and there seems to be little doubt they will win this one as well.
However, there is an even split on which side will cover, as 25 points is a high spread and not always easy to cover. The Eagles are 4-4 straight up and only 1-4 in conference games, and they are 3-4-1 against the spread this season.
The scoring total isn’t out yet but should be high because of Louisville’s explosive offense.
Player to Watch
Lamar Jackson -- It’s safe to say that any game the Louisville quarterback is in, the Heisman Trophy frontrunner will be the player to watch. He’s that good and he proved it again last week leading the Cardinals on a late 75-yard touchdown drive to edge out Virginia 32-25.
Jackson capped the go-ahead drive off with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Smith, his 22nd passing touchdown of the season. The sophomore has thrown for 2,522 yards with five interceptions this season.
He is also a threat on the ground, accumulated 996 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. His ability to perform under pressure and his playmaking abilities make him a star that Boston College will have little chance of stopping.
Key Stat
50. That’s how many points this Louisville offense is averaging this year behind its superstar quarterback. The Cardinals rank No. 1 in the nation for points scored.
Jackson is the motor, but he has some key pieces around him in receivers James Quick, Jamari Staples and Cole Hikutini and running back Brandon Radcliff. Included in the team’s seven wins this season are five games where the offense put up 50 points or more.
Boston College’s defense certainly has its work cut out for it this weekend. So far this season, the Eagles have held opposing offenses to 23 points a game, which is a solid number, but it’s rare to face an offense so dynamic.
Free ATS Pick
Louisville was a big favorite last week and underperformed, barely holding on for a win. The Cardinals have usually blown away opponents, so it will be interesting to see if Virginia outlined a good game plan or if it was a one-game blip.
Boston College lost by 46 points to Clemson, a team which is a pretty good comp for Louisville. The Cardinals have the capability to win this one in a blowout, but the question is if it will happen.
Boston College may be able to stick around for a while because its defense can be decent, but Louisville’s superiority will eventually shine through. Take the Cardinals to eventually pull away and cover this spread despite last week’s hiccup.
Keep an eye on the scoring total, because the “under” could be an interesting play if the points number is set too high.
College Football Odds: Louisville 34, Boston College 7
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
