Although we went 1-2 on our best bets of the week last weekend, we still managed to finish 11-6, putting us to 12-9 on the year. That gives us a profit for this college football season so far. Now, with Week 2 underway, let’s dive in with every SEC and top 25 game plus the best bet of the week. Remember, we don’t bet FCS games.
Wake Forest -10 vs. Vanderbilt; Under 56
Although the Demon Deacons only beat the Elon Phoenix 37-17, the Commodores only beat the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 35-28 and the Alabama A&M Bulldogs 47-13. Wake had control of last week’s game and let Elon back in due to second-half turnovers. They’ll cover with ease here, and take the under, as neither offense has looked good.
Ball State +42 at Georgia; Under 52
Last week was all the proof I needed to see that the Bulldogs don’t have an offense. For as bad as the Cardinals are, Mike Bobo and Carson Beck have a lot of kinks to work out. As a result, I’m seeing something like 42-7 here, where Ball State gets a TD late after Georgia slogs to a blowout.
Tulane +7.5 vs. Ole Miss; Under 67
Nobody knows what to make of the Rebels this season, but the Tulane Green Wave impressed everybody last week against the South Alabama Jaguars. They are still the best Group of Five team in college football, and so they’ll put up a fight in this one. Add in their experience on defense and all of Ole Miss’ transfers, and that’s why this hits the under.
Miami +4 vs. Texas A&M; Under 51
Honestly, both teams are overrated. However, people are giving the Aggies far too much credit for what they did to the New Mexico Lobos last week. That’s truly an awful team, and it’s still better to bet on the Hurricanes playing at home in this one. A&M may win, but four is too much, and don’t believe int he Bobby Petrino offense just yet.
Arkansas -38 vs. Kent State; Over 58.5
The Golden Flashes just lost 56-6 to the UCF Knights, and the Arkansas Razorbacks still have K.J. Jefferson. As a result, yes, Arkansas will cover this unusually high spread, even for college football. They may cross the 58.5 mark themselves, but they’ll cross 50 again, so take the over on this one assuming Kent State gets a late score.
Alabama -7 vs. Texas; Under 54
There’s no proof we should believe in Steve Sarkisian or the Longhorns yet. The Crimson Tide have major issues, but they still have an elite defense, and they’re playing at home. Although Jalen Milroe is being overrated, they should still cover this game. Look for Milroe to come back down to earth, though, as Bama wins with dominant defense, so take the under.
Missouri -20.5 vs. MTSU; Over 48
Both teams looked awful last week, but it’s hard to see the Tigers not beating the Blue Raiders by at least three touchdowns. Vegas is overreacting to their 35-10 win over an FCS school last weekend. Eli Drinkwitz’s team should still be able to cruise against MTSU off lots of big plays on defense. Over/Under is a little too low, so take the over.
Mississippi State -9 vs. Arizona; Under 60.5
Zach Arnett is 2-0 as coach of the Bulldogs. While the Wildcats are well-coached, playing in Starkville, Miss., on a Saturday night will be too much. They will make a ton of sloppy mistakes, which will result in another Mississippi State win and cover. This isn’t the same team Mike Leach coached, as they’ll win with defense, again, so take the under.
Cal +6.5 vs. Auburn; Over 54.5
If this game were in the South, I’d go with the Tigers, but a touchdown is too much to give them when they’re playing the Golden Bears on a Saturday night on the West Coast. The time change and hostile environment will mess with them, so while they may win, they’ll struggle. Still, with Hugh Freeze, take this over with ease.
Week 2 best bets
Wake Forest -10 vs. Vanderbilt
I’ve already lost money betting on Vandy once this college football season. There’s no way I’ll make that mistake again. Wake is a much more sound football team, and despite what Vol fans may think of him, Dave Clawson is a good coach, so even with a new quarterback, take them to cover.
Auburn at Cal, the Over 54.5
How is this so low? Auburn dropped 59 points last week, and Cal scored 58! Sure, Justin Wilcox, another former UT coordinator, does a good job with his defense out there, but it’s hard to see both teams not at least hitting the 30-point mark. Go all in on this one above every other bet you can make this week.
Colorado -3 vs. Nebraska
It’s trendy to take the Buffaloes to come back down to earth, and the Cornhuskers play a totally different, physical brand. However, getting them at home, and Prime’s marketing of this once great college football rivalry to keep his gets motivated will be enough for them to cover. Colorado has too much speed for Nebraska to handle, so this spread is way too low.
