Louisville vs. Stanford College Football Week 9 Picks (Saturday)
Louisville hosts Stanford on Saturday, October 31, in a Week 9 college football matchup kicking off at 3:15 p.m. ET on ACC Network. The Cardinals enter as 22.5-point home favorites at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, with the total set at 60.5. Can Louisville build enough separation to cover, or will Stanford keep the game within reach? Below, we break down our Louisville vs. Stanford picks and predictions, including the betting odds, key matchup factors and best bets.
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College Football Week 9 Bets & Picks: Louisville vs. Stanford
College football betting expert Scott Bogman will provide his top picks and predictions for every week of college football action. Let’s get ready for this weekend’s games with Bogman’s best college football bets for Week 9.
Louisville vs. Stanford
Stanford is coming off an impressive win against NC State that led to the firing of HC Dave Doren. The Cardinal's offense has been decent over the last two games and was particularly impressive against NC State. QB Davis Warren had five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), RB Micah Ford had over 200 total yards, and WR Caden High posted a season-high 103 yards.
Stanford has been slowly finding its offensive identity after some rough games against top-tier competition, averaging 5.8 points per game against Miami, Duke, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame. However, the Cardinal have looked competent against middling and lesser defenses, averaging 34 points per game against Hawaii, Georgia Tech, Elon, and NC State. NC State is firmly below average defensively, ranking 51st in defensive efficiency in the FBS, 58th in EPA per play, and 44th in defensive success rate among 68 P4 teams.
Luckily, the over shouldn't need much from Stanford, with Louisville boasting one of the highest-scoring offenses in the country (11th, 38.7 PPG). Louisville's offense faces a Stanford team traveling across the country with a miserable defense by any measure. The Cardinal rank last among 68 P4 teams in both EPA per play and defensive success rate. Stanford also ranks 119th in defensive efficiency in the FBS and 127th in PFF defensive grade.
Louisville will run all over this weak Stanford run defense, which ranks 119th with 187.6 rushing yards allowed per game. The Cardinals should find steady success behind RBs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown, along with QB Lincoln Kienholz. Louisville ranks 15th in rushing yards per game (215). These teams are a combined 12-3 to the over, and this game should continue that trend.
Pick: OVER 59.5