Notre Dame vs. Florida State College Football Betting Preview

By: Jim Feist | Tuesday, October 14, 2014
College_Football

A pair of teams that played in the national title game in each of last two years meet Saturday night as Notre Dame and Florida State clash Saturday, October 18, 2014.  The Fighting Irish improved to 6-0 for just the third time since Lou Holtz left in 1996 and the second time in three seasons. 

Coach Brian Kelly has upgraded the Irish defense since he's been here, allowing 12.8 and 22.4 ppg the last two years, and for 2014 they are allowing just 17.2 ppg (8th in the nation).   The under is 21-7-1 under the total when Notre Dame faces a team with a winning record, plus 17-5 under against the ACC. Notre Dame last game against a No. 1 team was against Southern California in 2005. Meanwhile Florida State has won 22 in a row and so far has avoided being a Top 10 upset casualty.  

Florida State needed OT to beat Clemson (23-17) and Saturday led a 2-4 Syracuse team 24-6 at the half before hanging on for 38-20 win. Florida State had 482 yards but allowed 412. The Seminole offense had 2 TOs, and Syracuse 3. The Seminoles are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 home games.    

Check out all of Jim's football selections for tonight and all weekend long, including an NFC Division Dominator Thursday, an AFC East battle between the Jets and Patriots. He is 2-0 with College games of the Month, hitting Texas Tech as his Shocker of the Month Ssaturday, and releases another Game of the Month here at Don Best.com.  

http://handicappers.donbest.com/pro-handicapper-jim-feist-1689/

                           
No. 6 (6-0) Notre Dame: -  37-16-1 run under the total

  • 27-11-1 under on the road.
  • Beat Rice (48-14), Michigan (31-0), Purdue (30-14), Stanford (17-14).
  • 2014 offense: 34.5 ppg (41st), 280.5 yds passing (34th), 163.8 rushing (69th). 
  • Junior QB Everett Golson (16 TDs, 4 INTs) is back after sitting out a year. In 2012 he had (12 TDs, 6 INTs). 
  • Soph RB Greg Bryant (201, 4.6 ypc), Soph WR William Fuller (504 yds).
  • 2014 Defense: 17.2 ppg (8th).  The secondary is strong, led by junior CB KeiVarae Russell, senior S Austin Collinsworth + junior S Elijah Shumate.
  • Beat Stanford: 17-14. Edge in yds 370-205, both 2 TOs. Edge in rushing: 129-47.
  • On fourth-and-11 from the 23 and trailing 14-10, Golson hit TE Ben Koyack alone in the back of the end zone with 61 seconds left. 
  • Defense was 3rd in nation (12 ppg) before last week's 50-43 win over UNC. Yards: 519-510. ND had 3 TOs, UNC 2.
  • Fighting Irish 7-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record, 33-17-2 ATS in October
  • Fighting Irish are 5-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. 

No. 1 (6-0 SU, 1-5 ATS) Florida State: 2013: 14-0, SU, 11-3 ATS.  10-4 over the total

  • Returning: Offense - 7, Defense - 7.    FSU O-line returns 4  starters.
  • Head Coach Jimbo Fisher is off a national title, 34-31 win over Auburn.
  • Offense: 39 points, 141 yards rushing (96th), 324 yards passing (14th). 
  • 6-4 soph QB Jameis Winston: 11 TDs, 5 INTs, 1,605 yds, 66.7%.
  • Senior RB Karlos Williams (353 yds, 4.8 ypc), Senior WR Rashad Greene (576 yds, 15.2 ypc).  RB Dalvin Cook started last week and ran for 122 ydds (5.3 ypc).
  • Defense: tops in the nation in points allowed (12.1 ppg) last year, 20.8 ppg this year (35th).    
  • FSU is on a 1-6 ATS run.
  • Last week QB Winston: 30 of 36 for 317 yds, 3 TDs, no picks.
  • Seminoles are 11-6 ATS after 20 points or less in their previous game.
  • Under is 6-2 in Seminoles last 8 games overall.   15-6 under in Non-Conf games
  • Under is 6-1 in Seminoles last 7 games following a S.U. win.
  • 4-0 under at home. 

Click here for more winning picks from Jim Feist! 


 
 
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