Virginia Cavaliers at Maryland Terrapins ATS Bet

Virginia Cavaliers (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS) at Maryland Terrapins (2-0, 0-2), 9/15/23

When: 7 pm ET Friday, Sept. 15

Where: SECU Stadium

TV: ESPN

Point spread: Virg +14.5/Mary -14.5 (Did you know Wagerweb has 20 point CFB teasers?)

Money line: Va +440/MD -600

Over/under: 49.5

Former longtime conference rivals renew acquaintances when Virginia and Maryland meet Friday night in College Park. The Terrapins are off to a 2-0 start to this season, while the Cavaliers are 0-2. The Great Equalizer says these teams are about two touchdowns apart.

Which way are we going here with our free Cavs/Terps pick?

NCAAF Betting Odds

The Week 3 college football betting market opened Maryland at -18.5 over Virginia, with an over/under of right around 48.5. Early betting action then dropped that spread four points, down to 14.5.

Virginia Betting Preview

The Cavaliers are 0-2 on this young season after losing a heartbreaker to in-state rival James Madison last Saturday 36-35. Virginia fell behind to the Dukes 14-0 early but pulled to within 17-14 at the half. The Cavs then used a 21-7 run out of the locker room to go up 35-24 and still led 35-30 late. But UVA then allowed James Madison to drive 80 yards to the deciding score with just under a minute to go.

However, through it all, including a long weather delay in the second half, the Cavaliers covered the spread as six-point home dogs.

Virginia, playing with true freshman back-up Anthony Colandrea at quarterback, pushed the Dukes on total yardage at 395-395. But the Cavs also got out-rushed 167-18, had an early 76-yard gain negated by penalty, then had a punt blocked for a touchdown.

A couple of plays here and there, and UVA might have won that game.

Virginia opened its season two weeks ago with a 49-13 loss at Tennessee. The Cavs were never in that game and whiffed ATS at +27.

Virginia returned 13 starters this season from a team that played 3-7 last year.

Maryland Betting Preview

Maryland, meanwhile, is coming off a somewhat shaky 38-20 home win over Charlotte. The Terrapins, favored by 24 points, fell behind to the 49ers 14-0 four minutes into the game. But they pulled to within 14-9 at the half, took the lead for good midway through the third quarter, then pulled away in the fourth.

But Maryland came up one score short against that spread.

The Terps out-gained Charlotte 530-314 and ran the ball for 243 yards. If not for an early pick-6 thrown by QB Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland might have cashed.

The Terrapins opened their season two weeks ago with a 38-6 victory over FCS Towson State. Maryland led that game 21-0 in the first quarter and 35-3 early in the third, then took its foot off the gas and came up one score short of covering at -38.

The Terps only returned 11 starters this season from a team that played 8-5 last year.

Virginia-Maryland History

These border rivals met every season from 1957 through 2013 when the Terps bolted from the ACC to the Big 10. This is their first meeting since.

College Football Betting Trends

The Big 10 is 4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS vs. the ACC over the last season-plus.

Totals Report

The overs are 2-0 in Cavaliers games this season, which are averaging 66 total points.

The totals are split 1-1 in Terps games this season, which are averaging 51 points.

Free College Football Betting Pick

Virginia actually finished 3-1 ATS last season and nearly pulled a point-spread upset last week. So, the Cavs look like they might be making some progress under Coach Elliot. Maryland, meanwhile, struggled a bit with Charlotte last week as it breaks in a bunch of new starters along both lines. We’re thinking the early line movement on this game had it right; we like the Wahoos plus the points.