Unranked SMU heads to Louisville to face the #22 Cardinals at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday on ESPN. Can the Cardinals cover the 6.5-point spread as home favorites this weekend? Keep reading for our SMU vs. Louisville betting prediction.
SMU is 4-1 straight up this season and 3-2 against the spread. Their best win came against Florida State, and their only loss came against BYU.
Louisville is 3-1 straight up this season and 3-1 against the spread. Their best win came against Georgia Tech, and their only loss came against Notre Dame.
SMU vs. Louisville Matchup & Betting Odds
319 SMU Mustangs (+6.5) at 320 Louisville Cardinals (-6.5); o/u 55.5
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, October 5, 2024
L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, KY
TV: ESPN
SMU vs. Louisville Public Betting Prediction
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 54% of bets are on SMU. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
SMU Mustangs Game Notes
Mustangs running back Camar Wheaton will miss Saturday’s contest with a knee injury. Wheaton had 83 carries for 410 yards and 5 touchdowns as a member of SMU last season.
SMU running back Zane Minors (undisclosed), defensive end Braeden Flowers (knee), and defensive tackle Mike Lockhart (undisclosed) are all officially listed as questionable to play this weekend. Minors had 2 carries for 10 yards in his team’s 59-7 win over Houston Christian in Week 2 of this season.
Louisville Cardinals Game Notes
Cardinals wide receiver Caullin Lacy will sit out Saturday with a collarbone injury. Lacy had 5 catches for 71 yards in his team’s 31-24 loss to Notre Dame last weekend.
Louisville running back Donald Chaney (ankle), defensive back Aaron Williams (undisclosed), defensive lineman Jordan Guerad (undisclosed), and wide receiver Jimmy Calloway (undisclosed) are all questionable for Saturday’s contest. Chaney is listed as the team’s backup running back and has 22 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown this year. Calloway is listed as the team’s backup Z-receiver on the depth chart and hasn’t accrued any stats this season.
SMU vs. Louisville Betting Trends
SMU is 7-3 ATS in conference games since the start of last season.
The Mustangs are 8-6 ATS after a win since the start of last season.
Louisville is 1-2 ATS after a loss since the beginning of last season.
Louisville is 3-4 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
SMU vs. Louisville Betting Prediction
SMU’s offense has been explosive this season. The Mustangs scored 66 points against TCU two weeks ago, then rung up 42 points against Florida State last weekend. Their quarterback is the dynamic sophomore, Kevin Jennings. Jennings has thrown for 733 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 1 interception this season. He’s also run the ball 34 times for 149 yards and a touchdown in 2024. His backfield mate, Brashard Smith, is averaging 7.3 yards per carry this year. Smith has 70 carries for 509 yards and 7 touchdowns this season, and is currently third in the ACC in rushing this season.
Kevin Jennings threw the ball 32 times in SMU’s lone loss to BYU on September 6th. He hasn’t thrown the ball more than 23 times in the two games since, and the Mustangs won both of those subsequent games by double digits. I think SMU will be able to keep this game close enough that they won’t be forced to chuck the ball all over the field. Because of that, I think they’ll be able to run the ball more, and should stay competitive in this contest throughout. For those reasons, I’m taking the Mustangs and the points on the road in Louisville on Saturday.