The Bronco Mendenhall plan is coming to fruition for the Virginia Cavaliers, who are off to their first 4-0 start since 2004. After playing as a favorite in each of those games the Cavs will be on the other end for their showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in one of two matchups this week between ranked foes. There are no moral victories, but the Irish should feel good about their performance in last week’s loss at Georgia. This Week 5 bout kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 28, from Notre Dame Stadium and will air on NBC.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Virginia Cavaliers +12.5
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -12.5
Over/Under 48.5
Virginia at Notre Dame Odds Analysis
Notre Dame opened as 11.5-point chalk on the college football betting line, which many felt was generous since the Cavaliers were getting a majority of the early action. Sharp action on the Irish pushed the line to -12.5. I guess that 66-14 win over New Mexico in Notre Dame’s only home game so far was convincing. Also, the Irish have covered three straight when laying double-digits at home. There has been movement on the total as well with the opening 51 being bet down to 48.5 with two strong defensive clubs ready to lock horns.
Virginia Odds
The Cavs played as the favorite in their first four games going 2-1-1 against the closing line. They are coming off a near disastrous performance last week when they barely squeaked by Old Dominion, 28-17, as a four-touchdown favorite in what was a classic look ahead situation. UVA regrouped after falling behind 17-0 and dominated the second half holding ODU to just 46 yards. The Cavs haven’t been a double-digit road dog in nearly two years, a sign that the program has developed under Mendenhall’s watch. However, in the previous 14 games when getting at least 10 points on the road the Cavs are 9-5 ATS.
Notre Dame Odds
Last week’s 23-17 loss to Georgia likely ended any chance the Irish had of making a return trip to the CFP. At least they were competitive in this one. Notre Dame’s last two road games against top-10 teams saw them get beat by a combined score of 71-11. Many expected the same with the Irish getting 15.5 points on the closing line. Notre Dame had its chances with a final possession to take the lead, however they couldn’t prevail. Getting back home should help their psyche and their win total. The Irish have won their last 13 home games and most of them haven’t been close.
Key Stats
Notre Dames inability to run the football against Georgia cost them a chance at the upset. And the ground game has been problematic all season. The Irish ran for only 46 yards on 14 carries for a paltry average of 3.3 yards per attempt. Their longest run of the game went for nine yards. For the season Notre Dame averages 148 yards per game, and while that sounds like a decent number, it ranks 86th in the country. Their leading rusher Tony Jones Jr. has 148 yards and Ian Book is the only other player with more than 26. Virginia has been strong defensively yielding just 75 yards per game on the ground and 264 overall for 14th-best in the FBS.
Last Meeting
The teams haven’t played since 2015 so recent history is a non-factor. When the Cavaliers square off against a quality opponent they tend to be a bit more attentive. In their last 16 games against teams with a winning record they are a sizzling 13-3 ATS. The Cavs are trying to become a part of that illustrious group and they’ve improved their win total every year since Mendenhall took over, going from two to six to eight last year. Their current ranking of 18 in the AP poll is their highest since the 2007 season. Still, the Cavs aren’t getting much respect. They are a 12.5-point underdog on the current college football betting line.
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!
