This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Notre Dame 
vs. Marshall Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 2
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is still looking for the first win of his head-coaching tenure after his squad fell 21-10 against preseason darlings Ohio State in Week 1. The road underdogs managed to keep things close through the first half against the higher-ranked Buckeyes, but the Fighting Irish are now expected to switch into the bully role as three-score favorites against Marshall in Week 2. The first-year Sun Belt Conference members come rolling into South Bend off a 55-3 drubbing of FCS-opponent Norfolk State last week.
Notre Dame vs. Marshall Odds for Week 2
Spread: Notre Dame -20.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 51.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Notre Dame -7000 (DraftKings Sportsbook); Marshall +900 (BetMGM Sportsbook)
The spread didn't move despite Notre Dame's season-opening loss, indicating that the general public isn't going to penalize the Fighting Irish for sticking with Ohio State through 2.5 quarters in Columbus. While the Fighting Irish defense hung tough, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees' unit will need to figure some things out if they want to outpace a Marshall team that hung 380 rushing yards without 2021 breakout running back Rasheen Ali last week.
Notre Dame vs. Marshall 
Betting Picks This Week
While the Buckeyes were without two of their top receivers last week, the Fighting Irish defense still looked incredibly stout, allowing just 5.72 yards per play against what was the nation's most explosive unit (8.1 YPP) in 2021. On the other hand, Notre Dame's offense struggled in both the passing (10-of-18 passing for 177 yards) and rushing (76 yards on 30 rushes) games and was completely shut out in the second half. The Thundering Herd are also coming off a game in which they allowed just three points and 114 total yards, so it's safe to say that the Fighting Irish are in store for another slow, smashmouth-style game in South Bend.
Notre Dame vs. Marshall Prediction
Marshall is a quality Group of 5 opponent, but this should still be a get-right game at home for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish's relatively unproven corps of wide receivers popped in a small sample size last week (three catches for 117 yards on just seven targets), and the running game should have a much easier go of things now that All-American offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson is expected to return against a Thundering Herd rush defense that was one of Conference USA's worst units last year (188.7 rushing yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry allowed). Don't discount the possibility of points scored off of defensive turnovers: Marshall finished last season with a -7 turnover margin that ranked 107th nationally; plus, Texas Tech transfer quarterback Henry Colombi has thrown 10 interceptions across 341 combined passing attempts (2.9 percent) since 2020. Notre Dame's defense, which currently ranks seventh in defensive SP+ at 14.7 after holding preseason Heisman favorite C.J. Stroud to just -0.163 EPA/pass last week, per CFB Graphs, should have no problem getting off the field on third down against Marshall. So, there's a good chance this turns into a defensive shoutout and overall complete performance for Notre Dame.
If you're looking to wager on college football this season, RotoWire has a full suite of betting pages and tools with everything you need from the latest college football odds to weekly college football picks along with updated college football futures and Heisman odds. Be sure to use our college football betting sites page to see what's available across the country and in your state, along with the latest promo codes and sign-up bonuses.
