ACC football comes to Thursday night as the high-flying 8-1 Louisville Cardinals welcome the 2-7 Virginia Cavaliers to Cardinal Stadium as they look to solidify their spot in the race to clinch a championship game slot.
Who emerges victorious on Thursday night? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Louisville vs. Virginia prediction.
Louisville vs. Virginia Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Louisville vs. Virginia odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Louisville -20.5 - Moneyline
Louisville -1350, Virginia +800 - Over/Under
50.5 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY - Predicted Weather at Kick
51 degrees, 7 mph winds, cloudy - How to Watch
ESPN, FuboTV
Got a lucky feeling about Louisville? Can you cash in on the Cavaliers? If you’re going to take advantage of the Louisville vs. Virginia odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
After their one-score win a year ago, the Cardinals hold a narrow 6-5 head-to-advantage over their ACC foe. The close nature of the overall record in the matchup is reflected in most of the previous encounters. However, history doesn’t necessarily inform the future with a vast disparity between Virginia and their opponent on Thursday night.
Louisville has been a different class this season, and they should live up to their billing as a significant favorite in this matchup. They’ve lost just once when favored, and their strengths on offense and defense should ensure they’re too much for Virginia to cope with. The 20.5-point spread line might seem high, but the Cardinals have won their last two by more than that.
Furthermore, Jeff Brohm’s team are 2-1 covering a double-digit spread, with a 1-0 record in that scenario against ACC opposition. Having said that, and even with the scoreline suggested by our Louisville vs. Virginia prediction, there’s a buyer beware attached. The Cavaliers have covered their last two — against Miami and North Carolina — when a double-digit ‘dog.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Louisville Depth Chart | Virginia Depth Chart
- QB Jack Plummer, Louisville ($11,000)
- QB Tony Muskett, Virginia ($8,600)
- QB Anthony Colandrea, Virginia ($8,600)
- RB Jawhar Jordan, Louisville ($10,200)
- RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville ($8,400)
- RB Kobe Pace, Virginia ($7,100)
- RB Maurice Turner, Louisville ($6,700)
- RB Perris Jones, Virginia ($6,600)
- RB Mike Hollins, Virginia ($5,800)
- WR Malik Washington, Virginia ($9,700)
- WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville ($9,100)
- WR Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, Louisville ($8,000)
- WR Malachi Fields, Virginia ($7,400)
- WR Chris Bell, Louisville ($7,200)
- WR Jadon Thompson, Louisville ($6,400)
- WR Jimmy Calloway, Louisville ($6,100)
- WR Kevin Coleman, Louisville ($6,000)
- TE Nate Kurisky, Louisville ($5,300)
- TE Joey Gatewood, Louisville ($4,900)
- TE Sackett Wood Jr., Virginia ($4,800)
There are two college football games on Thursday to compile your DFS team from in Week 11. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “superflex” that can be any of the above. Or you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
Starting your Louisville vs. Virginia picks at the quarterback position, the nature of the Cavaliers passing offense should encourage you to steer clear. True freshman Anthony Colandrea and transfer Tony Muskett have split time under center, and while both are talented in their own way, they’re not high-scoring options from a fantasy perspective.
Between the two, they’ve tallied less points than Louisville starter Jack Plummer. He’s the obvious choice as your QB here, especially since Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns QB Zeon Chriss misses a favorable matchup against Southern Miss after suffering a suspected leg fracture. Virginia does have a top-tier fantasy option in WR Malik Washington who leads all ACC wide receivers with 141.3 fantasy points.
Second to Washington in the ACC is Louisville WR Jamari Thrash who has been the go-to guy for the Cardinals passing offense. He’s missed time with injury this year, but when he’s in full health, he’ll get you points for fun. As will RB Jawhar Jordan, who is a must-start every week, but especially with the matchup that he’s got in this all-ACC clash on Thursday night.
Prediction for Louisville vs. Virginia
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Louisville vs. Virginia odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Has Virginia got what it takes to cause a surprise on Thursday night? Or will Louisville continue its collision course with the ACC Championship Game with another comfortable victory over a conference foe?
The expectation for Virginia was low ahead of the season, and there have certainly been struggles for Tony Elliott’s team. Currently ranked in the bottom 40 teams in college football for both scoring offense and defense, they’ve failed to forge an offensive identity and haven’t been able to pressure opposition quarterbacks anywhere near the level they did in their 10 games a year ago.
Right now, the Cavaliers are averaging less than a sack a game, which is contributing to allowing a 62.4% completion for opposition quarterbacks. Stopping the run has been a major problem, allowing the most rushing touchdowns in the ACC while giving up the second most yards per carry. When you face a back of the quality of Jordan, you simply can’t be that porous.
Don’t be surprised to see WR Thrash and RB Jordan pace another 30+ points offensive performance for a Cardinals team averaging 32.9 points a game. Meanwhile, the Louisville defense has given up just three points in their last two games and has pitched two shutouts this season, and in Ashton Gillotte, they boast one of the best backfield penetrators in the nation.
Between their high-scoring offense and their dominant and disruptive defense, Louisville has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball. Virginia quarterback Colandrea is an exciting and talented young passer who can drive the ball downfield but has thrown an interception in every game with over 20 pass attempts. Add turnover margin to Louisville’s advantage.
Prediction: Louisville 34, Virginia 10