The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-1) visit Scott Stadium Saturday to take on the Virginia Cavaliers (6-3). Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Notre Dame vs. Virginia odds and lines, and make our expert college football picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Notre Dame has just one loss on the season, a home defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Bearcats, and still has CFP aspirations.
The Fighting Irish have continued their success behind the play of graduate transfer QB Jack Coan. All three of their remaining games are against unranked opponents, and they’ll be looking for style points in this one.
Virginia is coming in having given up 66 points to BYU and has scored more than 40 in three straight games.
The Cavaliers have been thriving behind star QB Brennan Armstrong, who faces a tough test against the quality Notre Dame defense.
Notre Dame at Virginia odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 11:45 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Notre Dame -220 (bet $220 to win $100) | Virginia +175 (bet $100 to win $175)
- Against the spread (ATS): Notre Dame -5.5 (-115) | Virginia +5.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 64.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Notre Dame at Virginia odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Notre Dame 38, Virginia 31
Money line
PASS on the money line.
While Virginia has shown that it can stay in games, it hasn’t been able to come out on top when it matters most. The Cavaliers lost to two teams ranked in the top 15 and were downed by UNC as well.
Considering they’ve yet to take down Notre Dame in three previous meetings, I’m not betting they figure it out now. At the same time, Notre Dame is a bit too pricey. The -220 could help boost a parlay, but the risk is certainly there.
Against the spread
BET on NOTRE DAME -5.5 (-115) as a solid bet in this game.
Both teams are coming in 6-3 against the spread. However, Virginia has yet to cover against a quality opponent, having lost by 20 twice and 17 once against top teams. Virginia just doesn’t show much quite as much against elite opponents.
On the other hand, Notre Dame has just one loss and it was to a top-five team. Its beaten Wisconsin by 28, UNC by 10, and USC by 15.
The better side is Notre Dame when considering the trends here.
Over/Under
“LEAN” to the OVER 64.5 (-108) as there’s absolutely zero way I’m betting against the nation’s second-leading passer.
Armstrong has been dynamic this season as he and star prospect Bailey Zappe from Western Kentucky are the only players to throw for over 3,500 yards. The Cavaliers are tied with North Carolina for 11th nationally with 38.9 points per game.
Virginia has topped 40 points in 6 of 9 games, including two weeks ago against BYU, and it’s given up 40 or more in two straight games which is concerning.
At 32.8 points per game, Notre Dame is competent behind Coan as well. Combine the two offenses and the pitiful Virginia defense, and the Under stands no chance.
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow @nathanbeighle_ on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]
