Check out our free SMU Mustangs vs Virginia Cavaliers pick and preview for this CFB week 13 game in Charlottesville. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 13 CFB matchup.
ESPN2 is covering the week 13 matchup between the SMU Mustangs and Virginia Cavaliers, set to kick off at 12:00 ET from Scott Stadium in Charlottesville. The over/under line is currently at 58 points, and the Mustangs are favored at -9.5 points. SMU comes in with a 9-1 record, while Virginia is sitting at 5-5 for the season.
Mustangs vs. Cavaliers Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: CFB
- Teams: SMU Mustangs at Virginia Cavaliers
- Where: Charlottesville at Scott Stadium
- Date: Saturday, November 23rd
- Betting Odds SMU -9.5, SMU -343 | VIR +269 O/U 58
Mustangs Preview:
SMU enters Week 13 with a 9-1 record, and they are 4-1 on the road this season. They are ranked 15th in our power rankings and have a 36.4% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast. SMU is a lock for bowl eligibility, and they have the 13th best odds of making the CFB playoff at 41.3%.
The Mustangs have been favored in six of their ten games, and they have a +17.5 average scoring margin this season. Against the spread, SMU is 5-3, going 3-3 as the favorite and 2-0 as the underdog.
This week’s over/under line is set at 58 points. SMU’s games have averaged 62.3 points, with an average line of 53.9 points. Their over/under record is 5-3, with eight games featuring lower lines than this week’s total.
Mustangs Offense Breakdown
Heading into week 13, SMU’s offense ranks 6th in the nation in scoring, averaging 39.9 points per game. They are also 28th in our offensive power rankings. The Mustangs have a strong rushing attack, averaging 197.4 yards per game on 39.2 attempts.
Brashard Smith leads the ground game with 1,023 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, and an average of 6 yards per carry. Quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown for 2,198 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 107.
Mustangs Team Defense
SMU's defense has been strong against the run this season, ranking 10th nationally by allowing just 100.5 rushing yards per game. In their recent game against Boston College, they gave up 180 rushing yards on 43 attempts and allowed three rushing touchdowns. Through the air, SMU's defense allowed 237 passing yards but also recorded an interception.
Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 54.4% of their passes against SMU, the 19th-lowest rate in the country, and have a passer rating of 74.9, ranking 32nd nationally. On average, SMU has faced 37.2 pass attempts per game, allowing 249.6 passing yards, which ranks 133rd in the country. Overall, the defense is giving up 22.4 points per game, ranking 37th nationally.
Cavaliers Preview:
SMU enters Week 13 with a 9-1 record, and they are 4-1 on the road this season. They are ranked 15th in our power rankings and have a 36.4% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast. SMU is a lock for bowl eligibility, and they have the 13th best odds of making the CFB playoff at 41.3%.
The Mustangs have been favored in six of their ten games, and they have a +17.5 average scoring margin this season. Against the spread, SMU is 5-3, going 3-3 as the favorite and 2-0 as the underdog.
This week’s over/under line is set at 58 points. SMU’s games have averaged 62.3 points, with an average line of 53.9 points. Their over/under record is 5-3, with eight games featuring lower lines than this week’s total.
Cavaliers Offense Breakdown
Virginia’s offense has been centered around their passing game, ranking 29th in passing attempts per game. They are 48th in passing yards, averaging 246.2 yards per game, and 35th in completions. Overall, they are 68th in scoring, with 24.8 points per game, and we have them 85th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 13.
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea has thrown for 2,017 yards with a 61.4% completion rate, recording 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 79. Virginia is 102nd in third-down conversions. On the ground, they average 144 rushing yards per game. Xavier Brown leads the team with 488 rushing yards, averaging 6 yards per carry but has only one touchdown. Malachi Fields has 746 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 49 catches.
Cavaliers Team Defense
Virginia's defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 27.5 points per game. In their recent game against Notre Dame, they gave up 35 points, including three passing touchdowns. The defense allowed 450 total yards, with 236 rushing yards on 37 attempts and 214 passing yards.
Opponents have averaged 258 passing yards per game against Virginia, ranking them 145th nationally. Quarterbacks have completed 60.4% of their passes and have a passer rating of 90.5 against the Cavaliers. On the ground, Virginia's defense is allowing 143.9 rushing yards per game.
Mustangs vs Cavaliers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- Across the SMU Mustangs last ten road games, the team averaged 33 points per game while allowing 20. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 9-1 straight-up.
- Across their last five home contests, Virginia has been good against the spread posting a mark of 3-1-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 28 points per game.
- Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Virginia Cavaliers have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
- Through their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the SMU Mustangs have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 1-2.
SMU Mustangs vs Virginia Cavaliers Free Pick
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: SMU Mustangs -9.5 Be sure to check out our other CFB Football betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.
