In a matchup between two teams ranked in the Top 21 overall nationally, the No. 16 Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (-9) are set to welcome the Navy Midshipmen to Notre Dame Stadium. This critical afternoon matchup starts at 2:30 p.m. ET and NBC is scheduled to broadcast the action.
Betting Preview: Navy Midshipmen vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This Saturday game showcases the Midshipmen as a big underdogs and they’re currently being given 9 points. The Midshipmen are also receiving +280 moneyline odds while the Fighting Irish are -360. This matchup should provide several decent live betting opportunities, and Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 54.5 points.
This game’s total has yet to move after it was set initially at 54.5. Having said that, the line opened at -10 and square bettors have been siding with the Midshipmen.
Both of these teams have rewarded gamblers this year as the Midshipmen have gained 4.3 units and the Fighting Irish are ahead 3.0 units.
The Midshipmen have gone 7-1 straight up (SU) in 2019 while the Fighting Irish are 7-2 SU.
The Midshipmen are trying to keep things going following a solid 56-10 win over Connecticut on November 1Their defense allowed the Huskies to rush for 108 yards on 38 attempts. Kevin Mensah had a productive day for the Huskies in that one with 107 rushing yards on 26 attempts. On the offensive side of the ball, Malcolm Perry completed just three-of-6 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. Perry (108 yards on 11 rush attempts, two TDs) also led the ground attack. Ryan Mitchell (one receptions, 74 yards) and Mychal Cooper (one catch, 58 yards, one TD) handled the receiving duties in the win.
Notre Dame just picked up a 38-7 win over Duke. The allowed the Blue Devils to pass for 102 yards and rush for 95 more. Deon Jackson had a productive showing in the loss for Duke, recording 52 rushing yards on 14 attempts. For Notre Dame, Ian Book completed 18-of-32 passes for 181 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Book (139 yards on 12 rush attempts) and Jahmir Smith (58 yards on eight carries) mounted the running game while Chris Finke (five receptions, 49 yards, two TDs) and Chase Claypool (five catches, 97 yards, one TD) led the pass-catching attack in the win.
Navy has run the ball on 88.4 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Notre Dame has a rush percentage of 52.3 percent. The Midshipmen have rushed for 357.9 yards/game and have 36 scores on the ground this year. The Irish are putting up 174.7 rushing yards per game and have 15 total rush TDs.
It appears that the Midshipmen may hold an edge in terms of RB effectiveness. Their backfield has logged 6.1 yards per carry while their defense is allowing a YPC of 3.2 to opponents. The Fighting Irish have ran for 4.9 yards per carry and given up 3.9 YPC to opponents.
The Midshipmen offensive scheme has tallied 98.9 yards/contest in the air overall and has six passing TDs so far. The Irish have put up 246.9 pass yards per outing and have 24 total pass scores.
Defensively, Navy has allowed 109.4 rush yards and 201.3 pass yards per game. The Notre Dame defense has allowed 171.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 155.6 yards per game on the ground. The Irish are giving up an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 4.34 to opposing QBs, while the Midshipmen have allowed a 5.04 ANY/A.
Perry has been more productive than Book of late, as his adjusted net yards per pass attempt stands at 12.12for the year and 14.53 over the past two outings. Book’s ANY/A is 7.59 for the year and 5.23 over his last two games.
When these two teams faced each other a year ago, Notre Dame won handily 44-22.
Navy Midshipmen vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Free Prediction
SU Winner: Notre Dame, ATS Winner: Notre Dame, O/U: Under
Team Betting Trends
- The Navy D has sacked opposing QBs 24 times this year. Notre Dame has recorded 22 sacks.
- The Notre Dame offense has lost five fumbles in 2019 while Navy has lost eight.
- Each team has produced five pass plays of 40 yards or more. The Midshipmen have have made 10 pass plays of 30+ yards while the Fighting Irish have created 15 such plays.
- The Navy defense has allowed seven pass plays of 40 yards or more, while Notre Dame has given up three such plays.
- The Navy offense has created 28 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while Notre Dame has created 14 such runs.
- The Midshipmen defense has allowed nine rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Fighting Irish have given up 12 such runs.
- The Over/Under for Notre Dame’s last game going into it was 50. The under cashed in the 38-7 victory over Duke.
- In its last three matches, Notre Dame is 1-2 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- In its last three contests, Navy is 2-1 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
- Notre Dame has won six of its last seven games SU, with a -31-point loss to Michigan on October 26th accounting for the one defeat over that stretch.
- The O/U for Navy’s last game was set at 54.5. The over cashed in the team’s 56-10 win over Connecticut.
- Navy has averaged 7.4 yards per carry across its last three games and 7.4 over its last two.
- Notre Dame has averaged 4.0 yards per carry over its last three contests and 4.9 over its last two.
