Wisconsin vs. USF Total Prediction
Can South Florida find a way to put up some points on No. 19 Wisconsin when the Badgers come to town on Friday at 7PM ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
149 Wisconsin vs. 150 South Florida
Friday, August 30, 2019
7PM ET – Raymond James Stadium
TV: ESPN
Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new NCAAF Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Trends
According to the latest oddsmakers, Wisconsin is the favorite in this game, as the Badgers are getting odds of -13 points against South Florida. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 57.5 points. The public betting currently has 69 percent going on Wisconsin as the road favorite. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NCAAF Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Badgers take step back
Wisconsin is coming off a down year by its standards, going 8-5 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten. Paul Chryst is entering his fifth year as head coach. The Badgers were just 4-9 against the spread last season while posting a 7-6 record with the under.
The Badgers have a new starting quarterback taking over this year. Alex Hornibrook struggled in the role over recent years. Jack Coan will get the start on Friday. He threw for 515 yards last season in limited action. Coan only has to be average, as Wisconsin has one of the best backs in the game. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 2,194 yards and 16 yards as a sophomore to be the next in a line of great running backs at Wisconsin. Defensively, Wisconsin allowed 22.6 points and 344.2 yards per game. The defense has just three starters back this season.
USF hoping not to fall back
After a 10-2 record in 2017 under new coach Charlie Strong, the Bulls went just 7-6 last season and 3-5 in the AAC. The Bulls were just 4-9 against the spread in 2018 while posting a 7-6 record with the under.
The Bulls were in the middle of the road on both offense and defense last season. The offense put up just 28.5 points and 437.7 yards per game. The offense has nine starters back this year. Blake Barnett returns at QB. He threw for 2,705 yards and 12 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Leading rusher Jordan Cronkrite is back as well. He rushed for 1,121 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. USF also brings back four starters on the offensive line. Defensively USF has six starters back from a unit that gave up 32 points and 446.6 yards per contest. Their run defense was among the worst in the nation, giving up 247.5 yards per game.
College Football Betting Trends
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has hit the under in five of its last six overall and in seven of its last nine games in August.
South Florida
USF is 5-1-1 with the under in its last seven against the Big Ten, but 5-2 with the over in its last seven non-conference games.
Prediction:
The total seems pretty high for this game. USF isn’t the offensive power it was in previous years. Even with a lot of starters back, I still think the Bulls will struggle with the Wisconsin defense. The Badgers should be able to run the ball well on USF, but that will lead to a grind-it-out game that should feature long Wisconsin possessions and keep the score low. I don’t see either offense really breaking things open, especially with the game being at USF.
College Football Week 1 Prediction: Wisconsin/South Florida Under 57.5