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The Miami Hurricanes (3-0) travel to meet the USF Bulls (2-1) Saturday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college football odds around the Miami vs. USF odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Hurricanes have been impressive on offense in the 1st 3 games, as portal transfer add QB Cam Ward has transformed the team into a juggernaut. Miami has scored at least 41 points in each of the 1st 3 games, helping to cash the Over in each of the outings. The Canes are also 2-0 against the spread (ATS) in the 1st 2 games against FBS opponents.
The Bulls have managed to pick up 2 wins in 3 outings, with the lone setback at 42-16 loss at Alabama. At 1st glance that looks like an ugly win, but USF was down just 21-16 late in the 4th quarter before Bama exploded for 21 points in the final 5:50 to pull away. Still, the Bulls hung on for the cover as 30.5-point underdogs.
Dual-threat QB Byrum Bowen is capable for the Bulls, and he has helped USF rack up at least 48 points in 2 of 3 games to date, including a 49-24 win at Southern Miss last Saturday as a 13-point favorite as the Over (58.5) connected.
Miami is No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Miami at USF odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college football odds. Lines last updated Friday at 3:23 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Miami -1000 (bet $1,000 to win $100) | USF +625 (bet $100 to win $625)
- Against the spread (ATS): Miami -17 (-110) | USF +17 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 65.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Miami at USF picks and predictions
Prediction
Miami 41, USF 27
Moneyline
Miami (-1000) will cost you 10 times your potential return, which is way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. You would need to risk $100 for every $10 won. There is never any sense betting such heavy favorites like that.
PASS.
Against the spread
Initially, Miami -17 (-110) felt like the lean, as it has racked up some gaudy point totals, including the 41-17 win at Florida to start the season.
However, USF +17 (-110) is worth a look since it is at home. The Bulls have the tools on offense to hang around, led by the multi-talented Bowen. Perhaps if USF scored TDs in the 1st half at Alabama rather than having to settle for 2 FGs, we’d be having a much different conversation. It took Bama to the mat in Tuscaloosa, it just couldn’t finish, though.
The Bulls didn’t struggle with red-zone efficiency last weekend, but that’s because it faced a tomato can. USF gets a shot at another ranked opponent this weekend, and it should be able to keep this within 2 scores since it is at the RayJay.
Over/Under
OVER 65.5 (-105) is the lean, but go with a half-unit play at most.
Ward has helped the Hurricanes offense go from mediocre to great, but pump the brakes a bit. Florida, Florida A&M and Ball State are a combined 0-4 against FBS opponents this season, so this is truly Miami’s biggest test to date.
The Bulls have allowed 66 points to 2 FBS foes, so the Hurricanes should roll up some more healthy totals, but it’s the USF offense which is expected to do enough to help get this one across the finish line for an Over.
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