College football final thoughts, a few predictions, and some investment advice to make your life a heck of a lot better than it currently is.
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This is all for spits, giggles, and entertainment purposes only, however, just in case you dabble …
Week 4 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews
– Week 4 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
– CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
– Week 4 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
– Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
College Football Betting Advice, Final Thoughts, Week 4
12:00 ET Gametimes
It’s the wrong way to look at games, but being contrarian has worked out well so far this season. Kansas State should get blown out by Oklahoma. It’s had COVID issues over this last week, it’s coming off a loss a few weeks ago against Arkansas State, and the secondary is in trouble. The 28-point line on the OU side is a wee bit rich, though, for a team that can control the ball like K-State can.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Don’t overthink the SEC games. Of course Ole Miss will be fired up for the Lane Kiffin opener against Florida. The Gator D, though, should be the difference to keep the Rebel offense down to make the Florida -13.5 doable . Beware – you’ll have to wait until the fourth quarter to get anywhere near comfortable.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Remembering that it’s the opener for all of the SEC teams, who’ll be ragged and who’ll do better if things get sloppy? It stinks that Kentucky lost a half a point, but covering the 7.5 against Auburn works since no one bogs things down like the Wildcats. If you’re into the money line, UK +250 isn’t bad.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Don’t think too hard – if at all – about the UCF-East Carolina game. We don’t know what ECU is yet, but UCF got its clunker game out of the way. The Knights played like hot garbage in the win over Georgia Tech, and the offense still blew up. 27 points are a ton to give up, but getting to 50 for this O is doable.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Money line people, here you go. Of course it’s icky and wrong to bring the pandemic into all of this, but if Louisiana is still going to get out there and play after losing several key players for this week, then it’s a moral imperative to like the idea of Georgia Southern +370. Teams tend to focus better in times of crisis – I do like the Ragin’ Cajuns – but the ML is the nice value idea.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
People like to talk about things being overrated and underrated. Louisville seems like its properly rated. Pitt is a bit of a mystery still, but it’s been sharp, and the D line should own the Cardinal offensive front. Giving away three might seem like an obvious gift after the fact.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Syracuse can’t really be this bad, can it? North Carolina is good – it might be great. Pitt is good – it might be great. There’s a chance two things can be right at once. Syracuse might be struggling, and those two might be amazing. That’s a long-winded way of saying Georgia Tech is just okay, and the Orange getting eight at home is massive. The +250 money line play isn’t bad, either.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Stay away from Georgia State at Charlotte unless you really feel strongly. Panthers -3 is about right, especially with the way the ground game should work. Charlotte is a whole lot better, though, than it was against Appalachian State.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
NEXT: 1:00 to 4:00 ET Gametimes
1:00 to 4:00 ET Gametimes
Torn on Liberty-FIU. Liberty should be able to tear of FIU if QB Malik Willis and the running game can work like it did against WKU, but everything clicked in that game and it was still close. If you have to, like Liberty giving up 7.5, but this is hardly a rock-solid lock. FIU is an unknown-unknown.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Until LSU can prove to you and the rest of the world that it really can reload and be amazing, don’t jump in head first. It’s a home game for the defending national champs against Mississippi State, but are you really 16-5 points sure that Mike Leach’s team full of veterans can’t handle itself? Last year was a 36-13 LSU win – the Bulldogs can close that gap.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Don’t get hung up on Texas obliterating a miserable UTEP team, but get freaked that Texas Tech struggled with Houston Baptist. Always take the opening games of seasons with 12 grains of salt, but until Texas clunks, giving away 17.5 – it’s still coming down from 19 – isn’t bad.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Army, Army, Army, Army, Army. Cincinnati is good, and it’ll win, and it would’ve been nice to get that extra half point for Army as the line went down from UC -14 to -13.5. No matter. Like the points, and think long and hard about the Knights and that +425 money line. Speaking of money lines …
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Was Oklahoma State’s putrid performance against Tulsa an aberration? West Virginia at +200 might be worth it on the money line to find out. The +6.5 the Mountaineers are getting aren’t enough to get excited. It went up, but 7.5 gets a little more attention, if it happens.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
ULM has been miserable so far, but on general principle, go against UTEP even if it’s getting ten points. This line rocketed up instantly from ULM -6, and it still might be a touchdown too light.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Are you really that sure that the Georgia offense is going to start blowing up? Arkansas might not be great, but it’s experienced, it’s at home, and it has the energy of a new head coach. Even so, the line shot up from 24.5 to 28.5 – that’s a whole lot to give away, even in what should be an ugly mismatch. Throw in the potential quarterback issues, and I’m almost tempted to politely ask you to consider the Hogs. Almost. If you have to get in on this, go with the Dawgs, but see if you can get it under the four touchdown mark.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Have you seen Duke yet? It’s been awful, but we don’t yet know what Virginia is. The line went from Cavaliers -9 to -5 – you’re fine either way. Take the shot that Duke is one of those teams that showed you who they are, and you might have to believe them.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
NEXT: 6:00 – 9:00 ET Gametimes
6:00 – 9:00 ET Gametimes
Don’t get influenced by other games … don’t get influenced by other games … don’t. After a wacky first few weeks, this might be when things go back to normal for some of the Sun Belt teams. South Alabama was who we thought they’d be in the Thursday night loss to UAB. Texas State has been fun so far, but Boston College was fantastic in its opener against Duke. 17.5 might not be a heavy lift for the ACC team.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Don’t just knee-jerk assume that Alabama is a lock at -28 at Missouri. The Tigers have a whole lot of uncertainty, and it’s a new coaching staff dealing with a team that might be the best in college football. But it is the opener for both, and if there’s ever a to catch a team like Bama, it’s this week, but … okay, assume Alabama -28.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
In this wackiest and most unpredictable of years, I’m going to phrase it this way. If you sort of like Vanderbilt in any way against Texas A&M, I’m not going to say you’re nutso. The +1800 money line could be an all-timer of a value call if you’re looking for something irresponsibly fun, and getting 30.5 is a bit obscene here. Oh sure, A&M should win this with ease, but that’s a whole lot of wood to chop.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Talk about the rivalry side of this all you want, and of course there’s emotion involved considering Florida State and Miami played some of the greatest games in the history of the sport – the 1987 version might be my favorite regular season game of all-time – but Miami is playing well, and Florida State’s loss to Georgia Tech is inexcusable. If the Canes don’t win this by double digits, tip your cap and move on.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
I honestly don’t know why I have a thing for this South Carolina team. It’ll be a low scoring game against Tennessee, and the half a point might actually matter. As long as Tennessee -3.5 doesn’t duck down anymore, the Gamecocks at home are the safer play.
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I’ll get into this in the upcoming 10 Best Picks Against The Spread piece, but I’ll sum it up this way. If you took Baylor -17.5 against Kansas in each of the last ten games these two have played, you’d have won nine of them. The past doesn’t mean a lick to the guys out there playing now, but never, ever, ever, ever mess with a streak until a streak messes with you.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Are you really that sure that Virginia Tech is ready to be great right out of the gate? It should be, and it has the potential to be one of the three best teams in the conference, but America sure as shoot likes NC State. The line was VT -11, and it plummeted down to -6.5. State at +200 is another money line flier to consider.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
You know how I mentioned before that the Sun Belt might be reverting back to being the Sun Belt? Troy might be a whole lot better this year, but on gut-feeling – and reading the room a bit – BYU is embarrassed. It’s embarrassed that it missed a game with COVID concerns and problems, and it’s going to come out roaring against the Trojans. The -14 in Provo isn’t bad.
– CFN Game Preview, Prediction
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
