Ohio vs Louisville NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
Louisville is getting about as much preseason buzz as the program ever has heading into this season and it is for good reason.
Ohio Bobcats (0-0) vs. Louisville Cardinals (0-0) Sunday September 1
Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium – Louisville, KY
3:30PM
Moneyline: Louisville -1200, +800
Spread: -20.5
O/U: 58
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They are relatively unopposed in the newly formed American Athletic Conference and they have the kind of schedule that could easily lead to an undefeated season – whether that makes them a true BCS contender though remains to be seen.
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However, all that good feeling could come to a halt quickly if they stumble out of the gate against Ohio.
The Bobcats are a physical team with a very good coach and a very experienced quarterback. I am not sure they have the athletes to beat the Cardinals straight up but if Louisville is rusty and lets them hang around they are more than good enough to win.
Ohio
Ohio is a good team in the MAC. They may not have broken out like Northern Illinois has lately but unlike almost every other program in the league they have a coach in Frank Solich who has seen the big time up close as a coach(he was the coach at Nebraska if case you forgot).
Solich wants his teams to be physical and in RB Beau Blankenship he has one of the least heralded runners in the country – 1600+ yards last season. He is a senior in fact all their projected starters save one are seniors which is why I am not worried about by the fact that they have only two returning offensive linemen. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Senior QB Tyler Tettleton is another unheralded player who is both tough and talented. He won’t be intimidated by Louisville at all. Ohio should be able to put points on the board, the real question is can they stop their opponents too.
Louisville
The Heisman campaign for Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater starts right now.
If he wants to get ahead of the competition he has the perfect spot with a national game on Sunday against an opponent with a mediocre defense. You might not have noticed but he threw for 3700 yards last season and Louisville actually had the top passing offense in the former Big East.
Louisville has to win these kinds of games handily if they are going win over the minds of the people and computers that control the BCS. That means dominating in this opening game. That puts a lot of pressure on the defense but this is an area of strength with 8 starters returning.
Louisville has a lot to prove but it is possible they have the team to do so.
They should definitely win the game but I don’t think they are going to produce the kind of jaw dropping performance needed to impress the nation.
That is why Ohio is the strong play.
Spread Pick: Ohio +20.5
O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Louisville 38 – Ohio 31
