Ohio State’s increased playoff spread market nearly cost backers against Texas. A stout goal line stand that turned into a defensive touchdown saved the spread. Yet, oddsmakers could not give a lower point spread versus the Irish on the pre-established number against Texas. Notre Dame likely will go down but look for the same resiliency they have showcased time and time again. They’ve also covered five straight and ten out of their last eleven games. Grab the points.

Ohio State finds themselves as a considerable favorite tonight against Texas. This is all about timing as if this matchup was played a month ago the spread likely would of been in the 2.5 point range. The way Texas nearly lost to Arizona State is concerning, and the Buckeyes confidence matching their high level talent. The opponent continues to not matter as Ohio State rolls once again. Lay it tonight.

Notre Dame put on a showcase performance in their win over Georgia. They will now face a Penn State team that covered their double digit spread against Boise, but gave up over 400 total yards. Expect the Irish to have success attacking the Nittany Lions defense, and make the x-factor plays to move on to the National Championship Game. Take the Irish in what will be a close battle.

We are entering the prime zone of bowl games as New Year’s Eve is upon us. The Washington Huskies were a team that struggled two-fold with the success of last year’s team, and Kalen DeBoer taking the Alabama job. The transition to the Big 10 was tough, but this is where a 6-6 team can shine in a bowl game. Huskies freshman quarterback Demond Williams has had in-season reps, expect the Huskies to have the proper packages. Grab the Huskies.

The magic of a great season can be disrupted with a bowl game layoff. For the Colorado Buffaloes they will be undergoing a major transformation as Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter head to the NFL. BYU has the intel to take away Colorado’s strengths with extra preparation, and were the Big 12 college football playoff front runner for the majority of the season. Look for BYU to end Coach Prime’s Buffaloes season on a poor note. Take the Cougars.

A downgraded American Conference helped East Carolina turn around their season from a 3-4 start. They closed out the year with wins in four of their final five games. Sophomore quarterback Katie Houser showed some growth with eighteen touchdown passes on the season. NC State was a team that was projected fourth in the ACC conference odds, but close losses and inconsistent play derailed the Wolf Pack. Look for the turnover edge to hail with the Pirates and keep them within the number.

Georgia Tech began and ended their season with strong performances. They knocked off Florida State as a 10.5 point underdog, and nearly knocked off Georgia in an eight overtime thriller. On the other side Vanderbilt lost four out of their final five games as the SEC conference wore them down. With extended rest look for Vanderbilt to resemble the team that began the season 5-1. Take the points with Vanderbilt.

The Sun Belt yearly continues to be a cash cow in bowl season. We saw James Madison and South Alabama win and cover ATS with their backup quarterbacks under center. Sam Houston was a great turn around story from last year’s first season in division one. Their comeback win over Texas State down 21-0 in the first quarter was one of the best comebacks on the season. Yet, they faltered against even level competition. Take Georgia Southern to find cracks on the Bearkats defense. Lay the small number

For years the Sun Belt conference has ran through Appalachian State, newcomer James Madison, and UL Lafayette. Marshall was a disastrous team last season that could not get anything out of the quarterback position. That changed this season along with the rising play of tailback AJ Turner and Jordan Houston. Take the points here with Marshall. 

UNLV’s had just two losses on the year, an overtime loss to Syracuse and a loss to tonight’s opponent in Boise State. The Broncos executed at a high level to get the win, including going for it on fourth and goal before the end of the half. They also were able to close out the game with a 14 play drive that ate up the final eight minutes and seven seconds. Expect that level of execution to be difficult to repeat. Grab the points here with UNLV.

After a 3-2 start to the season, Kentucky has dropped five of their last six games. At 4-7, their final game against Louisville is strictly about pride. A strength Kentucky has shown at times this season is their defense, that limited Georgia to 13 points and has kept them in several other games this season even in losses. They’ve also won this matchup five times since 2018. Grab the points here with the Wildcats.

A team that may be the top over achieving team amongst the top four conferences is Duke. They ended a two game losing streak, with wins against teams with backup quarterbacks starting in NC State and Virginia Tech. Saturday, look for Wake Forest to try and end their season on a positive note after three straight losses. Additionally, they have not won a football game at home this season against a division one opponent. Grab the points as the Demon Deacons give their fans something to root for heading into next season.

Illinois has hit a Big Ten road block losing consecutive games to Oregon and Minnesota. Coming out of a bye week can be even more difficult for a team that has reversed course from a strong start. Look for Michigan State to be the looser team and hang around against an Illinois team that has scored twenty one points or fewer in three straight games.

In-conference Liberty has been shaky this season. They nearly lost to New Mexico State and Florida International as heavy favorites, and have dropped two of their last three games. This included losing to a 1-8 Kennesaw State team as 27 point favorites. Saturday, look for Liberty to play like the team we saw last season as they see a UMass team that does not have intel on them. Lay it with Liberty.

Colorado has hit the pinnacle of their season with a 7-2 record, and eyes on getting to the Big 12 title game. As great as they have been, Utah knows their strengths and weaknesses as they came over from the Pac-12 with them. They also nearly knocked off undefeated BYU last week. Look for Utah to carry over the momentum of last week, and at least provide a scare to Colorado. Take the points with the Utes.

The Tulane Green Wave will attempt to remain undefeated in American Conference play as they travel to take on Navy. The Midshipmen after losing two straight games, defeated South Florida last week 28-7. Still, their offense is in neutral and has scored just fifty two points over their last three weeks. That spells trouble against a Tulane team that scores at such an efficient rate. Lay it with Tulane.

Mac-tion continues for the second straight week with a three-game Tuesday slate. Ball State is just 2-6 over their last eight games, and the two victories have been nail biters of two point victories. Yet, look for the offense to get going against a Buffalo team that let off the gas in last week’s win over Akron. In the fourth quarter they allowed three fourth quarter touchdowns, which shows a lack of focus for four quarters. Tail the road underdog here in Ball State. 

Experienced senior quarterbacks are tough to gauge in the market. For Missouri, Drew Pyne is on his third team after experience with both Notre Dame and Arizona State. But Pyne has shown next to nothing filling in for Brady Cook. The huge down grade puts them in a bad spot even against 1-4 Oklahoma in the SEC. Take the Sooners as the road favorite.

Navy began the season 6-0 and then stumbled in a blowout loss to Notre Dame. That rolled over into an embarrassing performance on the road against a poor rice team as two touchdown favorites. Look for Navy to regroup against a South Florida team that has struggled when not facing bottom tier teams. In fact, the closest South Florida has been in a game against a team above .500 was a 21-3 loss to Memphis. Tail Navy.

Texas State came into the season with run the table and have a possible chance for the playoffs. The season has been filled with unfortunate moments that have the Bobcats just 4-4 on the season. New motivation lies with just becoming a bowl eligible team and getting to the ceiling that last year’s team did. Expect the Bobcats to end their two game losing streak and take care of business on the road against UL Monroe.

Late add in tonight’s Mountain West clash between New Mexico and San Diego State. The Lobos have lost consecutive games but have scored 45 or more points in four out of their last five games. Tonight lies an opportunity to put the pressure on an Aztecs team that has had issues in close games. A one point loss to Central Michigan, and a three point loss to Washington State. Take New Mexico as the slight underdog.

Coastal Carolina has spiraled in Sun Belt Conference play with three straight losses. All of them were tough spots against two top level Sun Belt teams in James Madison and UL Lafayette, followed by one of the worst let down spots of the season against Troy last week. The Chanticleers were possibly looking ahead to their upcoming matchup against Appalachian State, who are 0-4 on the road this season. Take the value here on Coastal Carolina ending their losing streak.

TCU has impressed with consecutive wins including on the road against Utah. New quarterback Josh Hoover has excelled in picking up the offense and has been one of the more consistent quarterbacks in Big 12 play. Yet, going to WACO is as tough of an environment as there is. Take the Bears to win their third straight in what should be an up and down game.

Look for UAB to finally get in the win column in an opportune spot against Tulsa. Last week Tulsa was down 35 to 7 against UT San Antonio, when the Roadrunners were ill prepared for the backup quarterback Cooper Legas. Legas came in and led a tremendous comeback with UTSA having multiple injuries to the secondary. UAB should be prepared to attack a vulnerable Hurricane defense and finally get in the win column in American conference play. Take UAB.

Virginia Tech heads to Syracuse rolling on a three game winning streak. For the Orange they have been in the same boat over the last several years in ACC play. A strong hot start to the season gets derailed by a poor loss. Last week’s loss to Pittsburgh was an avalanche of issues for quarterback Kyle McCord. Look for Syracuse’s vulnerability to continue to rise as the Hokies take advantage with a potent offense led by Kyron Drones. Take Virginia Tech.

In Georgia State’s last non-conference game they pulled off a shocking upset over Vanderbilt, 36-32. That happened to be their last win, as they have lost four straight games in Sun Belt conference play. Take a value spot here on the Panthers as they have been in winnable spots their last three losses. The spread here is just a tad too high on the home team in UConn. Take the points with the Panthers.

The Florida International Panthers find themselves as steep favorites considering their overall record of 2-6. Tonight, will mark their fourth straight Tuesday or Wednesday game in Conference USA action. Defensively they hindered Sam Houston last week, and also pushed Liberty in a close loss a few weeks back. Grab the Panthers to break out against an Aggies team that may get off to a slow start post their bye week. Take FIU.

After starting off 3-0, North Carolina has now dropped four straight games. Even with dynamic running back Omarion Hampton with 901 rushing yards, the offense can not make up for a poor Tar Heels defense. The defense has given up 41.5 points in their four losses. Take Virginia to hand the Tar Heels their fifth straight loss.

The Indiana Hoosiers undefeated season is on the line today against a Washington team coming off their bye week. Prior to their bye week they had their latest performance on the season against Iowa, losing 40-16. As potent as Indiana has been, there is pressure on backup Tayven Jackson to fill in as starter minus Kurtis Rourke. Grab the points here with Washington.

The Boston College Eagles are coming off a rough two road games in which they lost to Virginia Tech and Virginia. Defensively they are coming off their worst performance of the season giving up over 500 yards to the Hokies. It’s not a good sign as they face another potent offensive team in the Louisville Cardinal. Louisville may be 4-3 with all three losses against ranked teams in SMU, Notre Dame, and Miami. Lay it with the Cardinal. 

Syracuse will travel off a bye week to Pittsburgh in an old Big East battle in the ACC. Syracuse has just one loss on the year in which they were upset late by Stanford. I expect them to play with a chip on their shoulder similar to when they traveled and took on undefeated UNLV. Look for a late comeback and the Cuse to sneak within the number in their third straight road game.

The Missouri Tigers must avoid a tricky home spot against 2-4 Auburn today. The Tigers may be 0-3 in the SEC, but they have been in close battles including a 27 to 21 loss to Oklahoma, and held with Georgia for the first three quarters. Off a bye week grab the points here with the Tigers.

Coastal Carolina hosts the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns in an early game Saturday. On a spread that has moved up two points, I’ll grab the value on the home underdog. Coastal Carolina’s quarterback Ethan Vasko is coming off a disaster start against James Madison where he completed just five of his eighteen passes. Look for him to regroup against a Ragin’ Cajuns team that has not faced Coastal Carolina since 2020. Grab the Chanticleers.

A tricky spread lies on a UConn team we are accustomed to seeing perform poorly. They are 4-2 on the season, with their wins being against weaker competition. Yet, Wake Forest is a mess defensively. They have given up forty or more points in their last three losses, and over their last five games thirty or more points to the opponent. Constantly needing to score because of a poor defense creates opportunities for the defense in the turnover department. Grab the home team with UConn. 

Florida State will once again be without quarterback DJ U, as Brock Glenn gets his second consecutive start. As poor as the Seminoles season has been at 1-5, they are facing a Duke team that plays to the level of their competition. Outside of their win against Middle Tennessee, their three other division one wins were all comeback victories. Look for that style of play to finally catch up to Duke. Take the road underdog with the Seminoles.

The Marshall Thundering Herd are coming off one of the worst meltdown losses of the season. Leading 23-3 with under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter they ended up losing 24-23. Expect Marshall to regroup against a Georgia State team that is getting over valued from a win over Vanderbilt. In Sun Belt conference play they have been lackluster offensively with consecutive losses. Additionally, they have not left the state of Georgia for a true road game yet. Lay it with Marshall.

Sam Houston has had one of the best turn around season’s in all of college football. Last season they began the year 0-8. Yet, the competition for four of the Bearkats wins has been bottom level against Rice, Hawaii, New Mexico State, and UTEP. The one respectable win came via a tremendous comeback down 22-0 against Texas State. Look for the reality check game tonight, as Western Kentucky does not skip a beat with backup quarterback Caden Veltkamp.

Through the first month of the season one of the pleasant surprises in college football were Washington State. They had a couple of outright upsets as underdogs over Texas Tech and Washington. With their new Mountain West heavy schedule they’ve had difficulties in the conference. San Jose State had a double digit lead late, and Boise State blew them out. Off a bye week look for Fresno State to regroup off a 59-14 loss to UNLV. Take the home team here in the Bulldogs plus the points.

The Washington Huskies travel to Iowa off a big time home victory over formerly tenth ranked Michigan. Traveling on the road in the Big 10 12PM time slot is different for this Huskies team. Yet, look for the Huskies who typically play to the level of their competition to rise above that here. The Hawkeyes may feel the residual effects of last week’s loss to Ohio State early in this one. Take the Huskies plus the points.

The Clemson Tigers offense hit a bit of road block in last week’s 29-13 win at Florida State. It was the first time in a month that the Tigers did not cover the spread. Look for that to quickly revert back as the Tigers are facing one of the weaker defenses in ACC play in Wake Forest. Experience may be there with sixth year senior quarterback Hank Bachmeier but we’ve seen his down play at Boise and Louisiana Tech as conference play stretches on. Take Clemson.

Out in the MAC a battle of two struggling teams will take place between 1-4 Ball State, and 0-5 Kent State. The Cardinals led by freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza have been in multiple close three point losses, including last week’s 45-42 loss to Western Michigan. On the other side Kent State has faced top competition in Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Penn State.  Look for a competitive game here with Kent State covering as home underdogs. 

The Arizona Wildcats began the year with high expectations, but faltered in a big way to Kansas State. After utilizing their bye week they pulled off a complete game upset over the Utah Utes. Expect, the Wildcats to build on that win similar to last year’s run in October. Lay the home favorite tonight against Texas Tech.

The Kansas Jayhawks travel to Arizona State as one of the more disappointing teams in college football. At 1-4, they have found ways to lose games against UNLV and West Virginia that have spiraled their season. Today, look for the Jayhawks to finally over ride their issues against an Arizona State team that is accustomed to tight games. Take the Jayhawks as the rode underdog.

The Washington Huskies have dropped two of their last three games.  Now they will have the tough task of facing a Michigan team that defeated them in the championship last season. Although the coaches and quarterback are different, look for the Huskies fan base to give them a spark. Michigan has been involved in consecutive close games, and left the door open in last week’s win against Minnesota. Grab the home team in the Huskies.

Boston College will have Thomas Castellanos back after he missed last week’s win over Western Kentucky. The offense as a whole has averaged just over 21 points per game over the last three weeks. That tends to wear on a defense especially in conference play where Virginia is coming off a season best forty three points against Coastal Carolina. They also played the Eagles tight last year in what was a three point game. Take the home team to prevail here in Virginia. 

The North Carolina Tar Heels after starting the season 3-0 have stumbled with consecutive losses. James Madison scored 70 points against them, and last week the Tar Heels came up just short against Duke losing by a point. Yet, making the change to Jacolby Criswell was the right move. With a few starts now under his belt, the Tar Heels are prepared for today’s matchup against Pittsburgh. Take the Tar Heels to threaten the outright win as a home underdog, but at least cover the small number.

The NC State Wolf Pack had high expectations coming into the season with the fourth best odds to win the ACC. That has shifted as for the time being the Wolf Pack continue to start freshman quarterback CJ Bailey. As poor as Wake Forest has been on the season, conference play can open the door for a fresh start for the Demon Deacons. Follow the line move here on Wake Forest’s side plus the points.

Texas State has not made it easy on themselves this season. In their first game they had a tough time defeating Lamar, 34-27. A tough loss to Arizona State was followed up by a loss this past Saturday to Sam Houston after having a 22-0 first quarter lead. Yet, Troy has both quarterbacks in Goose Crowder and Tucker Kilcrease questionable for Thursday’s game. Expect the coaches and players to regroup against a Troy team that is down from last year’s that took down the Bobcats. 

New Mexico State has endured one of the toughest transitions from a lower level college football team. Their former coach Jerry Kill retired and they also lost transfer quarterback Diego Pavia. After leading most of their week two game against Liberty, the wheels have fallen off. Look for New Mexico to take advantage with their potent offense and get the road cover in Las Cruces.

As is typical for the Ohio State Buckeyes they are huge road favorites even in conference play. In last week’s win over Marshall the Buckeyes were finally tested in the first half from a defensive stand point. That was the proper tune up to get the Buckeyes defense ready for conference play. They limit Aidan Chiles enough to get the road cover. Lay it with the Buckeyes.

Charlotte’s lone win on the season was a narrow one point win over FCS Gardner Webb. Yet, money continues to bring down their spread today against Rice. It’s a conference opponent that has really struggled on both sides of the football, and is coming off a blowout loss as six point underdogs against Army. Look for the 49ers to lean on last year’s late season matchup in a revenge spot today. Take the underdog here with Charlotte.

South Florida has a tough American conference opener against Tulane. They will travel on the road after facing Alabama and Miami in two of their last three games. Look for Tulane to continue to run their offense through tailback Makhi Hughes. Hughes had 128 rushing yards against Kansas State, and in last week’s win 166 yards against UL Lafayette. The ground attack and consistent offense for two halves gets the Green Wave past the number.

The Navy Midshipmen are now 3-0 thank to last weeks upset over Memphis. Today is a potential let down spot in a neutral site game against UAB. UAB is off consecutive losses but gave Arkansas a battle last week. As talented as their senior quarterback is in Jacob Zeno, they struggled a season ago with just six points against Navy. Take Navy to get past the number and start the season 4-0.

BYU finds themselves ranked after a surprising blowout win at home against Kansas State. Now ranked, this is typically where a team falters. BYU is playing in their first game not after 5PM, and is going up against a team in Baylor that will test their defense. Look for Baylor to respond off of last week’s melt down loss to Colorado.

Arizona State goes into Big 12 conference play with a surprising undefeated record. Their turn around is the real deal but this is a tough conference opener for the Sun Devils. This is their first time slot of the season that is not a night game. They also struggled in their first true road game of the season at Texas State, digging a 21-7 hole. Look for the Texas Tech Raiders to continue their potent offensive scoring that has scored 52 and 66 points at home. Take Texas Tech.

Mid-week my initial thoughts were to take the West Virginia Mountaineers. They are coming off a tough loss blowing a ten point lead last week late to the Pittsburgh Panthers. As down as the Jayhawks have played they are to potent to continue miscues offensively. Expect quarterback Jalon Daniels to finally exhibit two halves of solid play, and for the team to pick up their energy on the road. Take the Jayhawks as the slight underdogs. 

Washington State has had back to back upsets over Texas Tech and Washington to put themselves on the map. Friday expect a test from San Jose State who have one of the top wide receivers in college football. 25 year old Nick Nash has 485 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Quarterback Emmett Brown also has a chance to defeat his old team as he was a backup quarterback at Washington State last season. Take the Spartans to hang within the double digit spread plus the points.

East Carolina has started the season 2-0, and will now face Appalachian State for the third time in the last four years. For Appalachian State it was not the fact that they lost to Clemson last week, but the fact their defense gave up fifty six points in the first half. In last year’s matchup the Pirates led 28-22 in the third quarter before unraveling. Look for East Carolina to finish off the job this season. 

Last season the Washington State Cougars nearly tripped up the Washington Huskies undefeated season, in a close 24-21 loss. This year both teams are different as the Huskies replaced Michael Penix with Will Rogers. In his first two games the Huskies faced Eastern Michigan and Weber State. A different caliber team in the Cougars who should be able to hang around similar to last season. Take the points.

Through their first two games the South Carolina Gamecocks point spreads have been way off. Their first game as nearly three touchdown favorites against Old Dominion they were almost upset, and last week they trounced Kentucky as nine point underdogs. Look for LSU to show up on both sides of the football as they finally showcase their true potential, and the number to be off on Gamecocks games for a third straight week.

We have seen a swift adjustment twice on the Arizona State and Texas State matchup. Arizona State has had the exposure in nationally televised games and won in a big way over Wyoming and Mississippi State. Yet, their tailback Cam Skattebo carried a heavy work load of 33 carries for 262 yards. His durability could be in question on a short week. Additionally, Texas State has an uncanny ability to put up points that is going to test ASU’s defense. Take the home team here in Texas State.

After week one the books adjusted the win total of Arizona State from three to six wins. That’s as drastic of a shift as you will see, and that means bigger spreads as favorites for the Sun Devils. The students are back in Tempe, as last week’s student section crowd set a record since 2010. Look for the crowd to be fired up once again, as Arizona State starts off the season a surprisingly 2-0.

San Diego State is a team that has very little expectations for 2024. Yet, being a six point home underdog is a bit to high in my opinion against Oregon State. The Beavers have had a lot of moves including their former coach heading to Michigan State. Take the Aztecs to have a ball control game plan under quarterback Danny O’Neil.

Both Texas State and UTSA had close calls in their week one games. The Roadrunners nearly blew a double digit lead against Kennesaw State, and Texas State defeated Lamar by just a touchdown. Expect Texas State to clean up the issues they had defensively in the second half against Lamar. Led by quarterback Jordan McCloud look for the Bobcats to pile up the yards in the win.

Each of the last four seasons the road team has won in the Iowa-Iowa State series. Additionally, the games are typically low scoring by the nature of both teams styles. Expect the Cyclones to focus on limiting the Iowa rush attack, as they limited Kaleb Johnson to just twenty eight yards on fifteen carries last season. Grab the points here with Iowa State.

The season for the Michigan Wolverines at one point may hit a wall. Their offense has a lot of work to do, but in week two they can still live off their defense. A defense that has given up just 9.5 points over their last eight home games. Going into Ann Arbor is always tough, and will give the Texas Longhorns problems. Back the Wolverines.

There are offenses that you can depend on even with a susceptible defense in week one. That’s the case with the Memphis Tigers who should be good for a range of 50-55 points with their potent offense. In last season’s opener they won 56 to 14. Expect a similar result that would get us the cover once again. Take Memphis.

South Alabama is entering a new era as former starting quarterback Carter Bradley is now in the NFL. That gives us a bit of line value in the Jaguars season opener against North Texas. New quarterback Gio Lopez has been with the program and capable of leading an explosive Jaguars offense. This is a case where a strong second half will pull away from the number here. Take South Alabama.

South Carolina is a three touchdown favorite in their first game against Old Dominion. The Monarchs as a team and quarterback Grant Wilson had mixed results a season ago. They played competitively as big underdogs against James Madison and upset Appalachian State. Yet, facing South Carolina is too tall of a task even with the Gamecocks transitioning from Spencer Rattler. Lay the three touchdown spread with the Gamecocks.

In collegiate sports I love the angle of attacking a team making the step up to division one. Last season I used the angle for both Jacksonville State and Sam Houston as they covered in their week one matchups. I’ll do the same today with Kennesaw State against a UT San Antonio team making their transition without long time quarterback Frank Harris. Look for one down quarter of play to be enough on a large spread. Grab the points with Kennesaw State.

We have already seen the Big Ten struggle in week one matchups from an ATS stand point, this includes Wisconsin having issues against MAC opponent Western Michigan. Look for Miami Ohio to give Northwestern problems as well. The RedHawks were an excellent defensive team last season, and defeated Northwestern on the road just two seasons ago. Grab the points here with Miami Ohio. 

The Michigan State Spartans bring in a new era with Coach Jonathan Smith. He over hauled the Spartans roster with high end transfers including bringing over quarterback Aiden Chiles. Florida Atlantic also has a new quarterback in Cam Fancher that is eager for a fresh start after a woeful season with Marshall. Likely a double digit result here for Michigan State but on the low end closer to ten points. Grab the points here with Florida Atlantic. 

When one thinks of a college football revenge game, it’s typically related to conference matchups. Yet, early in the season there are several repeat matchups from a season ago. One includes Minnesota who was embarrassed last season 31 to 13 against North Carolina. On their home field look for their defense to fare better this season, and newcomer at quarterback Max Brosmer to deliver. Take the home underdog in the Gophers.

Colorado closed out last season with a steep decline by losing their final six games. Expectations are much different going into this season, and the pressure is on Coach Deion Sanders. They’ll be improved but this spread has rose far to much for an opening season game. Take the points with North Dakota State now getting a double digit spread.

Early in the season there are just matchups that are far to high on a point spread. We saw it in week zero where both lopsided spreads fared to the underdog, in Delaware State and Nevada. That is the case for Western Carolina, who will face an NC State team working in a top level transfer quarterback in Grayson McCall. McCall did not finish out last season with an injury so there will be rust in week one and likely the first few games for NC State. Grab the points with Western Carolina.

In week zero we know that there is going to be a bit of sloppy football on display. That does not bode well for the Nevada Wolf Pack who have won two games each of the last two seasons. Last season Preston Stone in his first year as starting quarterback began the season slow, but in his final six games the Mustangs scored an average of fifty points per game. Take SMU as the big road favorite.

Several times this season the Washington Huskies have side stepped the naysayers via the spread as underdogs, and on the field. Undefeated they have won their last two games outright. Today it ends as Michigan completes their task after a thrilling comeback win over Alabama. Grab the Wolverines.

I’ve shied away from the early bowls due to so many opt outs, but see an opportunity today. Bowling Green from the MAC is getting discredited today based on facing a Power Five school. While Minnesota has had a stingy defense at times, their offense is subpar at best. A five win team that should not be in a bowl, take Bowling Green.

Washington has had an unblemished season but today could be trouble against Oregon. Their prior matchup in mid-October was a game that Oregon let get away late. A late game decision to go for it on fourth down did not pan out, and a missed field goal prevented overtime. Look for Oregon to play as the team that should be undefeated and to take it out on the Huskies. Grab Oregon.

Both Ohio State and Michigan will look to keep their undefeated seasons going Saturday. For all the controversy surrounding Michigan they have continued to not make excuses on the field. Look for a great game from both teams, but the execution to be just a little bit better on the Wolverines side. Grab Michigan as the home favorite.

Pittsburgh has not won consecutive games all season, but don’t rule out a strong showing Saturday. Quarterback Nate Yarnell made the necessary plays against Boston College, and has confidence going into the Panthers regular season finale. Duke may be bowl eligible but they have faded losing four of their last five games. Grab Pittsburgh.

Tulane has the stout resume of a season record of 10-1. In fact, their lone loss occurred against a top fifteen team in Ole Miss. Yet, three of their last four wins have been decided by three points or less. With UTSA healthy with quarterback Frank Harris they present a completely different challenge for Tulane. Grab UTSA.

At this point of the season Washington has showcased they are a great team. They’ve survived close calls and showed the ability to stay with it last week against USC. Tonight though Oregon State should be ready for this moment. A win and they are a top ten team and play spoiler to Washington’s season. Grab Oregon State at home.

BYU has continued to fade in their first season in the Big 12. They’ve lost consecutive games in blowout fashion and scored a grand total of a mere thirteen points. Yet, they do return home where they are 4-0 on the season. They’re also back in their familiar time slot playing in a late game. Iowa State gets the win but BYU covers on the number.

It has been a tough year for Cincinnati as they are 0-6 in conference play. Throughout the struggles the team has stuck with multi-transfer quarterback Emory Jones. Today, he should have some opportunities against a Houston defense that gives up close to 32 points per game. I like the Bearcats in this spot to have a chance to pull off the small upset, but grab the points.

New Mexico State has ripped through Conference USA play thus far with five straight wins. Their performance on the field has been sharper than their 2-3 start to the season, but also lined up with easier opponents. Look for the Hilltoppers to have the edge today led by quarterback Austin Reed. This could also be a look ahead spot as New Mexico State faces Auburn next.

The Miami Hurricanes will face an NC State team that has had a season of ups and downs. A problem for quarterback MJ Morris has been the ability to avoid mistakes. In his first start against Marshall he had three interceptions, and also struggled against Duke. Look for the Hurricanes to put him in disadvantage situations defensively and pull off a decisive road win. Take Miami. 

Texas State began the season with a 4-1 record. Over their last three games they have failed to cover the spread. They blew a lead against UL Lafayette and let a sloppy fourth quarter blow open a close game last week against Troy. Look for late game situation miscues to continue even in their third straight home game.

Old Dominion may be playing at their peak of their abilities. As a home underdog two weeks ago they upset Appalachian State. Then this past Saturday as near three touchdown underdogs they nearly defeated James Madison. Look for today to be a letdown spot against a Coastal Carolina team that is playing inspired football with backup quarterback Jarrett Guest. Take the road team here in Coastal Carolina.

UL Lafayette has a chance to win consecutive games for the first time in conference play. To get it done they will need to win on the road as they did last week against South Alabama. Arkansas State has a knack for hanging in games but UL Lafayette is going in a strong direction upward with freshman quarterback Zeon Chriss gaining confidence. Take UL Lafayette.

It’s rare to see a team that played in last year’s BCS be on the cusp of falling below .500. TCU has been a completely different team since their starting quarterback Chandler Morris went down. They’ve dropped three of their last four games including a 41-3 loss to Kansas State. Take Texas Tech as the small favorite.

Bowling Green comes into today’s matchup against Ball State with consecutive victories and wins in three of their last four matchups. Yet, in the first set of early Mac-tion games look for a bit of sloppy play tonight. Ball State’s ground attack should offset any issues with the passing game. Look for a battle here with Ball State covering the number. 

One of the top matchups outside of the power five conferences comes between Troy and Texas State. Both teams are 5-2 and rested as they have not played since October 14th. Yet, prior to their bye weeks both teams trajectory was changing. The Bobcats had struggled in close matchups in consecutive weeks, while the Trojans had elevated their play. Take Troy as the big road favorite.

Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall is doubtful today after a scary hit late in last week’s victory over Arkansas State. This is an opportunity for Marshall to over ride poor play over the last three week’s that’s resulted in all losses. I expect the Thundering Herd to come out with much more aggression after an embarrassing nationally televised loss against James Madison. Take Marshall

South Alabama had two straight complete blowout victories before their bye week. The margin of victories were not expected by oddsmakers to that degree, but the competition had a combined conference record of 0-8. Look for the Jaguars to still play solid football but to face a different level of a team in UL Lafayette. Take the underdog here.

Duke is coming off an ineffective game offensively as they lost by eighteen points against Florida State. They’ll face a Louisville team that is off extra rest after having a bye week. That combined with Duke’s Riley Leonard’s uncertainty has inflated this line slightly. Grab Duke plus the six.

The UConn Huskies have played better over the last three weeks. They lost by just a point against Utah State, defeated Rice, and lost by three points against South Florida. Saturday’s opponent in Boston College has won three straight games but also has had issues of playing up or down to the competition. Five of their seven games have been decided by three points or less. Grab the points here with the Huskies.

Sam Houston has had a tough start to their debut of division one football. They are winless at 0-7, but have come close to breaking through. They gave conference leader Liberty their toughest battle of the season, and have had two overtime losses. Today, look for the Bearkats to break through against a UTEP team that scores just sixteen points per game. Lay it with the Bearkats.

Coastal Carolina should be in an advantageous spot today against Arkansas State. At just .500 they are playing in their third straight road game. That’s giving us a bit of value on the spread led by experienced quarterback Grayson McCall. McCall is coming off a season high 373 passing yards and should limit his turnovers in this spot. Take Coastal Carolina over Arkansas State.

Appalachian State has been a team on the cusp of making a run. First year starter Joey Aguilar is coming off his first turnover free game over his last four outings. Additionally, the Mountaineers are well rested after last playing on Tuesday October 10th. After three straight games decided by three points or less this will be a much cleaner showcase. Take Appalachian State.