Virginia Cavaliers (1-2) +17, o/u 40 at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-1), 7:30 p.m. Eastern Thursday, ESPN
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
The Virginia Cavaliers, losers of two of their first three games of this season, visit Atlanta for a bout with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the ACC opener for both teams Thursday night at Bobby Dowd Stadium in Atlanta.
Virginia has stumbled out of the gate this season and is coming off a dismal 17-10 loss to the MAC’s Western Michigan Broncos as 10-point home favorites last Saturday. This despite outgaining WM 258-179. The Cavaliers have yet to cover a spread this season.
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Since losing their season-opener to Notre Dame 14-10 as seven-point home underdogs, Georgia Tech has beaten Samford 38-6 (no line on this game) and Troy 35-20 as 17-point home chalk. Thursday’s game will be the Wreck’s fourth consecutive home game to start this season.
UVA lost at Pittsburgh 38-13 to begin its season, then defeated Wyoming 13-12 (as eight-point home favorites) thanks to a missed extra-point attempt. On the season, the Cavs have scored just 36 points in their three games.
Virginia has beaten Georgia Tech each of the last three seasons. Last year, the Cavaliers knocked off the Yellow Jackets 27-17 as three-point home favorites.
The Ramblin’ Wreck returns nine starters on offense from last year’s squad, including four on the offensive line, and five on defense, while UVA returns six starters on offense and five on defense.
Georgia Tech is averaging 205 rushing yards per game so far this season. Those numbers are padded a bit by the performance vs. Troy (320 rushing yards). The Jackets’ margin of victory over the Trojans, however, is a bit misleading; the game was tied at 14-14 after three quarters.
Virginia is being outrushed by an average of 89 yards per game so far this season. The Cavs are averaging 50 rushing yards per game and own a meager 2.1 yards-per-carry average.
Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball is a double-edged weapon, but one that is capable of misfiring. Ball, who will make his 40th career collegiate start Thursday night, leads the Jackets with 194 rushing yards this season (130 alone against Troy), and owns a 5/3 TD/INT ratio. But over his three-plus seasons at GT, Ball has thrown more INTs – 44 – than TDs - 42.
Virginia QBs have thrown one TD pass so far this season and five INTs. Freshman Jameel Sewell played the entire second half last week vs. Western Michigan, and he is expected to make his first career collegiate start Thursday night.
Georgia Tech opened up as 16-point favorites for Thursday’s game. That number bounced up to 17 and hovers right around 16 ½ as of Thursday morning. The weather in Atlanta for Thursday night is expected to be pleasant and a non-factor.
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