UVA football set as 2.5-point favorite in ACC championship versus Duke

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

By beating the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday night, the Virginia Cavaliers football team punched its ticket to the ACC championship on Saturday, December 6. The ‘Hoos finished the regular season at 10-2 and, crucially 7-1 in the ACC.

Chaos throughout the ACC on Saturday led to a five-way tie for second place behind UVA. Duke, Miami, Pitt, SMU, and Georgia Tech all went 6-2 in the conference this season. Yet it is the Blue Devils, with the worst overall record (7-5) of the bunch, who will meet the Cavaliers in Charlotte.

UVA is a 2.5-point favorite to win its first outright ACC title, according to Fanduel Sportsbook. The ‘Hoos are -144 to win and -122 t cover with a slightly aggressive 58.5-point over/under set for the ACC’s title bout.

Virginia is 8-4 against the spread this season. Most recently, they comfortably covered the final 8.5-point line against the Hokies. That performance and the 17-point thrashing of the Blue Devils while being listed as 4.5-point underdogs on the road two weeks ago have re-instilled confidence in a team that had not covered in three of the previous four games.

The UVA defense has been incredible throughout the back half of the season, and that has correlated to low scoring affairs. A Virginia game hasn’t hit the over since September 26 when the ‘Hoos battled Florida State in double overtime.

The matchup between Duke and UVA in the Cavaliers’ penultimate game of the regular season provides plenty of insight into the ACC championship. It was a major bounce back game for the UVA offense. It totaled 540 yards of offense including 316 through the air and 224 on the ground. J’Mari Taylor went for 133 and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

If the ‘Hoos can repeat the feat against the Blue Devils in Charlotte, they’ll claim their first outright ACC title and make the College Football Playoff for the first tiem.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos