(Getty)
With an opportunity to grab sole possession of first place in the ACC, No. 14 Florida State travels to South Bend to take on an always dangerous Notre Dame squad.
Each team found itself in a bit of a funk not long ago, with the Seminoles losing a pair of games on the road and the Irish dropping four straight, but they appear to have righted the ship before this showdown.
Here’s a complete look at the betting info, as well as a prediction for the ACC battle:
Florida State vs. Notre Dame Betting Information
Note: All odds and numbers courtesy of OddsShark.com
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2017
Spread: Notre Dame (-1.5)
Moneyline: TBD
Over/Under: 155.5
Florida State vs. Notre Dame Prediction
When these teams met in Tallahassee a month ago, FSU eked out an 83-80 victory, nearly letting a six-point lead in the final 10 seconds slip away:
One might expect that a mere three-point win at home would suggest–as the oddsmakers do–that Florida State would be the underdog in the same matchup on the road. Remember, though, Notre Dame shot a blistering 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from long range in that one, and while the Irish are one of the best three-point shooting squads in the country, you can’t expect them to repeat that performance, especially against a team that is fourth in the ACC in three-point defense.
Moreover, the Irish have mostly struggled to beat elite teams this year. Against Ken Pomeroy Top-20 teams (Florida State is 13th), Mike Brey’s squad is just 1-6 on the season, including double-digit losses at home to Virginia (No. 2) and Duke (No. 14) in the last three weeks.
Finally, Florida State is surging. After a pair of losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse in late January, all the Seminoles have done is beat Miami on the road by 18, embarrass Clemson by 48 in one of the most impressive showings this season, and dispose of North Carolina State by 24. Already owning a stifling defense, the Seminoles’ offense has been the most efficient in the country (points per possession) over the last two weeks.
Though they can struggle on the road, they’re playing well enough to get the victory here.
Prediction: Florida State 78, Notre Dame 73