NCAA Football Previews – Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs Virginia Cavaliers
The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles take flight against the Virginia Cavaliers this upcoming Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium in this Conference-USA/ACC matchup. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. and it will be available on ESPN3.com.
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept.24 3:30 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA
Broadcast: ESPN3.com
Virginia at Cavaliers lines by BetOnline.com
Point spread: Cavaliers -3
Over/Under: 53
ATS Report
Southern Miss came into this season as the second-favorite at 3/1 to win Conference-USA this season, but a 26-20 conference loss to Marshall in Week 2 as a 7.5-point road favorite has already dealt a major blow to its chances. Last week it bounced back with a 52-6 romp over D-IAA Southeastern Louisiana as a 30-point home favorite. The total in both of these games stayed ‘under’ the total.
The primary strength of the Golden Eagles’ offense has been a rushing attack that is averaging 187.7 yards a game. Kendrick Hardy has 37 carries for 221 yards, while Jamal Woodyard has gained 153 yards on 26 carries. The most impressive stat for this two-headed attack is that each runner is averaging six yards an attempt.
Virginia started its season with a 40-3 romp over D-IAA William & Mary, but showed real signs of improvement with a 34-31 victory over Indiana as a 7.5-point road favorite. The total in this game went ‘over’ the 55.5-point line. Last week, the Cavaliers came up just short in their upset bid of North Carolina as 10-point road underdogs in a 28-17 setback. The total stayed ‘under’ this time around with a closing line of 47.5 points. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Offensively, Virginia is very similar to Southern Miss with a running game that has averaged 190.7 yards in its first three games. Kevin Parks and Perry Jones have done much of the damage for the Cavaliers with a combined 83 carries for 422 yards. Parks leads the team in touchdowns with five.
The Golden Eagles are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five games and the total has gone ‘over’ in seven of their last nine games as underdogs. The Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games and the total has gone ‘over’ in five of their last six games as favorites. They last met in 2009 with Southern Miss holding on for the 37-34 win as a 13.5-point home favorite. Virginia now gets a chance to return the favor with a win at home that covers the three points.
The Pick: Virginia 23 vs. Southern Miss 17
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