The Cal Golden Bears take on the Louisville Cardinals in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, Nov. 8. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Louisville is favored by 18.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1000. Cal, meanwhile, enters as a +18.5 underdog and is +625 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 50.5 total points.
Here’s my Cal vs. Louisville prediction and college football picks for Saturday, November 8.
Cal vs Louisville Prediction
- Cal vs. Louisville Pick: 1H Over 26.5 (-115)
My Louisville vs. Cal best bet is on the first-half over. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Cal vs Louisville Odds
| Cal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+18.5 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | +625 |
| Louisville Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-18.5 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | -1000 |
- Cal vs Louisville Spread: Louisville -18.5, Cal +18.5
- Cal vs Louisville Over/Under: 50.5 Points
- Cal vs Louisville Moneyline: Cal +625, Louisville -1000
Cal vs Louisville College Football Betting Preview
Cal Golden Bears Betting Preview: Can Bears Fire Back?
The Golden Bears are a team I've become very familiar with of late, and they have a unique challenge in front of them, but they may have the room for success offensively.
Cal throws the ball at the 15th-highest rate in the country and does so with a bit of tempo, ranking 45th in seconds per play.
Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has benefited from the volume, but he's been average at best in terms of completion percentage and yards per pass.
While he faces a Louisville defense that ranks ninth in yards per pass allowed and 16th in completion percentage, the Cardinals have one flaw. Louisville hasn't generated much pressure on opposing passers, ranking just 77th in Sack Rate.
Quick passes are the glue of the Cal offense, and Sagapolutele should be able to get his throws off consistently.
The way I see it, Cal's offense benefits our angle in two ways.
The first being that it finds quick offensive success and puts points on the board.
However, it could also have quick possessions that constantly puts the ball in the hands of the Louisville offense, which, as we're about to go over, is due for plenty of success.
Louisville Cardinals Betting Preview: Cards to Cruise on Offense
Louisville's surge in the ACC has been fun to watch, as it has quietly been one of the most consistent teams on both sides of the ball.
In this matchup, we're going to see its offense operate very efficiently against a Cal defense that has struggled to get off the field.
For the Cardinals, it starts with quarterback Miller Moss, who's been unlocked by Jeff Brohm.
The former five-star recruit ranks 36th in completion percentage and has shown a tremendous connection with wide receiver Chris Bell, who's averaging 13.3 yards per reception.
The Golden Bears have been average through the air, ranking 76th in opponent completion percentage and 51st in yards per pass allowed, but their inability to generate pressure will give Moss time to carve them up.
However, it doesn't stop there, as the Cardinals have an even bigger edge on the ground.
Running back Isaac Brown has averaged 8.6 yards per carry this season and should break off more chunk gains against a Golden Bears defense that's 101st in yards per rush allowed.
Cal vs Louisville Pick, Betting Analysis
What we've seen in Louisville games this season is plenty of points, as it has averaged 31.3 per game.
The Cardinals have a perfect dance partner to continue lighting the scoreboard up in this one, as Cal is either going to match them quickly or put the ball right back in their hands.
Look for points to come early and often in this one. Take the first-half over.
Pick: 1H Over 26.5 (-115)
Cal vs Louisville Betting Trends
