Georgia Tech (2-3) at Louisville (2-3)
When: Friday, October 5th 2018
Where: Cardinal Stadium,
Louisville, Kentucky
Time: 7:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Georgia Tech -2/56
The Louisville Cardinals look to bounce back from a heartbreaking defeat last week on short rest and take on the run-happy Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Friday night in Louisville, Kentucky. Despite playing in the same conference for the last four seasons, Louisville and Georgia Tech will be meeting for the first time and both are looking for their first ACC win of 2018. The Cardinals held a three-point lead against Florida State with two minutes remaining last week, but coach Bobby Petrino called for a pass that was intercepted, setting up the game-winning touchdown in a 28-24 defeat. Former starting quarterback Jawon Pass regained his job by throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns for Cardinals, whose only victories came against Western Kentucky and Indiana State. The Yellow Jackets, who struggled to get their running game on track during a 1-3 start, recorded 372 yards on the ground in a 63-17 rout of Bowling Green last week and now aim for their first road victory since the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. The Cardinals are 12-5 at home in ACC play since joining the league, but are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 overall in Louisville. Both teams are just 1-4 ATS this season after five weeks.
The Yellow Jackets had great success running the triple-option last week against Bowling Green after the Clemson defense stifled them the previous week. Quarterback TaQuon Marshall ran for two touchdowns and completed 5-of-6 passes for 160 yards, while backup Tobias Oliver added 115 yards rushing and two scores. Georgia Tech is just above average when it comes to defense, ranking 53rd overall and are led by linebacker Brant Mitchell, who recorded a season-high eight tackles last week. The Yellow Jackets already have matched last season’s total of 10 forced turnovers and are tied for 13th in the nation in that category.
Pass threw the ball 45 times against Florida State, completing 24 of them, and rushed for a score but missed several open targets and threw picks on the Cardinals’ final two drives. Louisville needs to find a running game if it wants to compete in the ACC, as they rank 113th in that category right now, averaging just 120 yards. Hassan Hall led Louisville with 57 yards on 11 carries against the Seminoles. Wide receiver Jaylen Smith recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving performance of his career last week, tying him for 10th on the school’s all-time list. Linebacker P.J. Blue finished with eight tackles, bringing his total over the last two games to 14 for a defense that ranks 71st in points allowed (26.0).
Georgia Tech’s running game will prove to be too much for Louisville to handle. When the Cardinals have the ball, the Yellow Jackets only have to worry about the pass, as Louisville has no rushing attack. The Jackets will force turnovers and easily win this road game.
Pick: Georgia Tech -4
Betting Trends:
- Yellow Jackets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
- Yellow Jackets are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games in October.
- Yellow Jackets are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games following a ATS win.
- Yellow Jackets are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win.
- Yellow Jackets are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Yellow Jackets are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Yellow Jackets are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 conference games.
- Yellow Jackets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Yellow Jackets are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Yellow Jackets are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Cardinals are 7-17 ATS in their last 24 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Cardinals are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.
- Cardinals are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
- Cardinals are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 home games.
- Cardinals are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games on fieldturf.
- Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games in October.
- Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Over is 5-0 in Yellow Jackets last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Yellow Jackets last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Over is 4-1 in Yellow Jackets last 5 conference games.
- Over is 6-2 in Yellow Jackets last 8 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Yellow Jackets last 8 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Yellow Jackets last 8 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Yellow Jackets last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 15-6 in Yellow Jackets last 21 games in October.
- Over is 5-2 in Yellow Jackets last 7 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 7-3-1 in Yellow Jackets last 11 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Over is 19-9-1 in Yellow Jackets last 29 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 Friday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games.
- Under is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 games overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 games following a ATS win.
