On Saturday afternoon, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-2) host the California Golden Bears (2-0) in a non-conference bout. These teams have had opposite starts to the season. Notre Dame hopes to secure a win in front of its home fans after dropping two straight games to start the year. California outlasted UNLV 20-14 last week. The Golden Bears improved to 2-0 with the win. Drew Pyne will start at quarterback for Notre Dame in place of the injured Tyler Buchner (shoulder).
Kickoff from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend is set for 2:30 p.m. ET. The Fighting Irish are 12-point favorites in the latest Notre Dame vs. California odds, with over/under for total points set at 41. Before making any Cal vs. Notre Dame picks, be sure to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,400 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It enters Week 3 of the 2022 college football season on a 50-41 run on all top-rated college football spread and money-line picks that dates back to 2021. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on California vs. Notre Dame and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college football odds and trends for Notre Dame vs. Cal:
- Cal vs. Notre Dame spread: Fighting Irish -12
- Cal vs. Notre Dame Over/Under: 41 points
- Cal vs. Notre Dame money line: Fighting Irish -455, Golden Bears +345
- CAL: Over is 4-1 in Golden Bears last five games in September
- ND: Fighting Irish are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall
- Cal vs. Notre Dame picks: See picks here
Why Cal can cover
Senior linebacker Jackson Sirmon has been a tackling machine in the middle of the defense for the Golden Bears. Sirmon has good balance and short-area quickness. He reads the quarterback well and owns good instincts. The Tennessee native leads the team in total tackles (17) along with a forced fumble.
Junior defensive end Xavier Carlton is a nice presence off the edge for this unit. Carlton has violent hands and is persistent when rushing the passer. The California native is first on the team in sacks (2.5) with six total tackles. Junior safety Craig Woodson plays sound defense in the secondary. Woodson can come down into the box and wrap up ball carriers but has good coverage skills. He's logged eight tackles and one interception.
Why Notre Dame can cover
Notre Dame has a talented defense with playmakers at all three levels. Junior safety Brandon Joseph has solid awareness and does a good job at getting his head around when the ball is in the air. Joseph owns terrific ball skills and sure hands. The Texas native is currently third on the team in total tackles (12). Junior defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey can be an impact player.
Foskey is extremely strong and physical at the point of attack. He has violent hands with flexibility coming off the edge. The California native had a quality 2021 campaign, recording 52 total tackles, 17 QB hurries and 11 sacks. Junior linebacker Jack Kiser is an instinctive defender for Notre Dame. Kiser understands leverage and angles, allowing him to constantly be around the ball. He's leading the team with 15 total tackles through two games.
How to make Cal vs. Notre Dame picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 42 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins California vs. Notre Dame? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
