College Football Week 2 Early Odds, Picks & Prediction: Louisville vs. UCF (2022)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 2 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Louisville vs. UCF.

And check out our other game previews for Week 2:

• Alabama vs. Texas
• USC vs. Stanford
• Baylor vs. BYU
• Kentucky vs. Florida
• Mississippi State vs. Arizona
• Ohio vs. Penn State
• Duke vs. Northwestern
• Boise State vs. New Mexico State
• Maryland vs. Charlotte
• Hawaii vs. Michigan
• Virginia vs. Illinois
• Oregon State vs. Fresno State
• Iowa State vs. Iowa
• UAB vs. Liberty
• Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh
• Ohio State vs. Arkansas State
• Texas Tech vs. Houston
• TCU vs. Tarleton State
• Arizona State vs. Oklahoma State
• UNC vs. Georgia State

Check out Thor Nystrom’s Week 2 College Football Power Rankings >>

College Football Week 2 Early Odds, Picks & Prediction: Louisville vs. UCF

Louisville Cardinals at Central Florida Knights (-6.5), Total 61.5

Kickoff: Friday, 7:30 ET

Not many teams had a worse opening week than Louisville, who was drubbed 31-7 on the road by Syracuse. Now, the Cards are catching close to a touchdown on the road against UCF, who cruised past South Carolina State, 56-10.

Now, those are two polar opposite results. But they have to be taken with context. Louisville managed to move the ball and averaged 6.2 yards per play against Syracuse. The problem was they couldn’t convert on those opportunities. Specifically, Louisville turned the ball over on downs on Syracuse’s 2-yard line, and quarterback Malik Cunningham threw a pick on Syracuse’s 35.

There’s no doubt that Cunningham had an awful day with two picks and a lost fumble. But he’s one of the most talented QBs in the ACC and should bounce back against the Knights. If nothing else, Louisville should be able to run the ball better against a UCF defense that struggled to defend the run last year and lost all three starters along the defensive line.

Speaking of the Knights, it’s hard to take much away from their opening win. They out-gained South Carolina State 600-91 but committed 10 penalties against a lousy opponent.

This game feels like a classic overreaction spot that leads to a buying opportunity. I’ll give Cunningham and the Cards a chance to bounce back.

The pick: Louisville +6.5

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

Prop Bet Analyzer: View top rated props and historical prop performance by player >>

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