Miami vs. Louisville Week 3 Pick
ACC rivals square off at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday night when No. 18 Louisville hosts No. 17 Miami at 7:30 p.m. ET. Will the Hurricanes pull off the small upset or is there a better play tonight for bettors?
Game Snapshot
115 Miami Hurricanes (+2.5) at 116 Louisville Cardinals (-2.5); o/u 64.5
7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, September 19, 2020
ABC, Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
Miami Hurricanes Game Notes
According to pro Football Focus, Miami redshirt senior QB D’Eriq King did not throw a single turnover-worthy pass in the opener against UAB. Sure, sure, UAB is not the toughest of opponents for a team like Miami. That said, throwing 24 passes without putting any of them in harm’s way is a tricky task versus any opponent. King (5’11/202) didn’t put up the flashiest numbers through the air, but him being a dual-threat (he ran for 89 yards versus UAB) and simply avoiding turnover-worthy plays makes him a major upgrade at the position for the Hurricanes. If King can keep up the ball security against Louisville this weekend, Miami should be able to stick around with a superior opponent.
Louisville Cardinals Game Notes
Louisville redshirt junior QB Micale Cunningham completed 19-of-34 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception while also rushing for a touchdown in Saturday’s 35-21 victory over Western Kentucky. A bit hit-or-miss in the completion department, but when Cunningham “hit” on Saturday, it was lethal. Cunningham (6’1/200) cruised to just over 10 yards per pass despite barely completing half his passes. He relentlessly went for the big play and earned it more often than not. In turn, each of Louisville’s top two receivers earned a 60-plus yard play on the night. Cunningham is coming off a season in which he threw 22 touchdowns to just five interceptions and he already looks to be back in form. Catch Louisville again next week against Miami (FL).
Miami vs. Louisville Week 3 Betting Prediction
The Hurricanes are 25-10 against the spread in their last 35 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game and have covered the number in 13 of their last 16 games when playing in the month of September. They’ve also covered the spread in four of their alt five games when facing an opponent with a winning record, although it’s important to note that Louisville is only 1-0 so it’s a small sample. Speaking of the Cardinals, they’re 4-9 against the spread the last 13 times they’ve been favored at home and are 4-10 against the spread in their last 14 conference games. They’re also an unsightly 8-20 at the betting window in their last 28 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 3 BETTING PREDICTION: MIAMI HURRICANES +2.5