A winning Week 2 (7-6, +$40) brings the season record to 13-13 (-$130).
College Football Betting Picks, Week 3: Tennessee Stops The Florida Streak
College football betting picks for Week 3 as Florida travels to Tennessee, USC trips to Stanford, and Arkansas hosts Alabama. Can Tennessee take down Florida? Will USC roll Stanford? Follow @SBNationCFB
Week 3 offers a strong lot of games, and unlike Week 2, these are actually popular games on which you’ll want to wager. For entertainment purposes only, of course.
Thursday: Rutgers +8 at USF and Under 45.5 Points: I am higher on this Rutgers team than some, and think that USF is slightly overrated due to last week’s huge comeback over Nevada. And I still don’t trust B.J. Daniels.
USC -7.5 at Stanford: This is a bet against Stanford's ability to score with the Trojans. I am sure Stanford will be able to run the ball a bit, but Andrew Luck meant a lot to the Cardinal, and USC will be able to commit extra men against Stanford's run. Stylistically, this reminds me of the NFL playoff game several years back in Indianapolis between the Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs. Everyone knew that Kansas City wasn't much of a threat through the air, the Colts ganged up against the run, and the Colts were too much through the air. I don't think Stanford's defensive backs can hang with USC's receivers.
Florida at Tennessee -3 (+100): Florida had a great win last week over a game Texas A&M team. But that came at a price, as linebacker Jelani Jenkins and cornerback Cody Riggs are both out for a while. Running back Mike Gillislee is also apparently not at full strength. Is Florida mature enough to win back-to-back SEC road games in hostile environments? I'm not sure. What I am sure of, however, is that Tennessee has two very good receivers and a QB with the arm to get it to them. If he can avoid throwing it to the Gators, I like Tennessee to take home the win.
Virginia at Georgia Tech -10: If you handicap this game based on how Virginia played against Penn State, and not on the one-point win it came away with, you’d probably come up with a number similar to mine of -14. Thus, the Yellow Jackets represent value here. Georgia Tech was able to rest up against Presbyterian last week, and should be fresh. Virginia does not have a great defensive line and plays a lot of man coverage, which Georgia Tech has traditionally done well against, though Virginia did do quite well against Georgia Tech last year.
Connecticut -2 at Maryland: I am a big fan of UConn defensive coordinator Don Brown and his eight returning defensive starters. UConn’s defense is the best unit in this game. The Huskies’ offense isn’t any good, and neither is Maryland’s offense or defense. Thus, I will lay the two points with confidence, having the only quality unit on the field on my side.
BYU at Utah Under 47 Points: Utah’s quatrerback just retired. Literally. As in, he will never throw another pass after suffering a third shoulder injury. What didn’t retire, however, is Utah’s excellent defense that I’ve backed all year. On the flip side, BYU’s defense is legit. It’s offense, however, could be a bit overrated after torching an awful Washington State defense on national TV. Savvy bettors grabbed Under 49 here when it opened, but 47 still presents some value.
Miami (OH) +21 at Boise State: Three touchdowns with a Miami (OH) offense that can really score? Absolutely. Boise is a good team, but it does not have the offense clicking on all cylinders like it did in previous seasons.
Cal at Ohio State -16: Cal has been completely underwhelming this year, including an embarrassing loss against Nevada. I went against Ohio State last week not on any notion that the Buckeyes aren't talented, but rather that UCF was. This week, it's different. Ohio State will push Cal around on both lines and will maintain a manageable down and distance for young QB Braxton Miller. Defensively, Ohio State should be able to control a Cal offense that has yet to put it together.
Virginia Tech at Pitt +10.5: This seems like a trap. A noon game in sleepy Pittsburgh. The Panthers have extra time to prepare having played (and lost) on Thursday night. Virginia Tech pretty much has the Coastal Division wrapped up, and Pitt may be able to get its running game going.
Arizona State at Missouri -6.5: This line feels a bit depressed because of Arizona State’s blowout win over Illinois without its starting quarterback. Missouri hung tough with Georgia for three quarters before collapsing. Guess what, Tigers? Arizona State doesn’t have Jarvis Jones or nose guard John Jenkins. Missouri could have a bit of a letdown and still cover this number.
While we’re here, let’s watch some of the many fine college football videos from SB Nation’s YouTube channel:
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