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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Pete Fiutak

College Football Betting Advice, Final Thoughts: Week 7

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. 


Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

This is all for spits, giggles, and entertainment purposes only, however, just in case you dabble …

Week 7 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews 
Week 7 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
Week 7 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
Week 6 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL

College Football Betting Advice, Final Thoughts, Week 7

Before we get started here, whatever you do, take the over on the point total.

All of them.

Same amount, low, on every over on every game, and you’re going to win.

No matter how much I beg, how much I plead, or how much is desperately ask you to take the under, take the over.

I might try to trick you. I might try to reason that there’s no way two teams can put up that many points. I might try to do things that will make you say, “you told me you’d say that,” please, for the love of the 20 of 27 games last week that obliterated the total, and in honor of an Arkansas State-Georgia State game that ate the 72 as a light snack.

Take the over.

Friday Games

After begging you to take the over, why did the number go down on SMU-Tulane from a 70.5 point total to 64.5? Our official prediction has it way under, but that’s wrong – these two teams should blast away, even with the Mustangs missing two key parts of the offense. It would’ve been nice if Tulane could’ve kept the +9 it opened at, but it’s not a bad play at +6.5.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

We still don’t know what Houston is quite yet. It was a hot turnover mess – mmmmmm, hot turnover mess – against Tulane in its opener, but BYU won’t let the other Cougars get away with that. This is a true toss-up, the +170 isn’t that bad on the Houston side (even though BYU should come out angry after getting pushed by UTSA).
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

12:00 ET Gametimes

Clemson might just throttled back a bit on Georgia Tech. The Tigers have been great in the recent years in the series – duh – but they games haven’t always been blowouts. The statement was made against Miami last week. This week, get in, get out, get on with the season. Be careful of a few late plucky scores from the Yellow Jackets – that Clemson -27 hasn’t budged an inch.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

As it turns out, Miami didn’t really beat anyone before facing Clemson. The line against Pitt went from Canes -11 up to 13.5 with everyone worrying about Panther QB Kenny Pickett’s injured ankle. Whatever. John Congemi could be under center and Pitt is covering the double digits.

(In quiet whisper voice …) Pitt +400 on the money line. Give it a thought.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

I have a thing for South Carolina football for absolutely no justifiable reason, other than that it should always be a whole lot better than it is. Auburn isn’t scoring enough and it’s not utilizing its NFL weapons like it should be. The Gamecocks could win this outright, and they’re getting 3.5.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

You try figuring out Kentucky, because I sure can’t. Tennessee was giving away seven at home, but the line dripped to six – this UK team is just funky enough to pull this off. It might be a stay away, but if you like the Wildcats outright, I’m not telling you no.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Navy isn’t good, East Carolina should be a whole lot better than it’s been playing, and this is one of those games that I feel like I’m going to be really, really wrong on one way or another. Navy is on the road and ECU is way overdue, but if Navy goes Navy and comes up with one of those 439-yard rushing days, I’m sorry.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

No pressure, Texas State and South Alabama, but be as good as the weeknight Sun Belt games. All joking aside, these two should rip apart the 58 point total, and South Alabama at home should be stronger – the lines are better. Texas State is fun, but it’s not winning.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Temple got its mediocre opening game performance out of the way last week. USF getting 11 points seems like a whole lot against a team that still hasn’t proven anything, but that’s about right. Eventually, the Owls are going to hammer someone at home for a 27-6 type of win.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

I’m sorry. I know this pick is wrong, but I’m physically incapable of taking Liberty over a Power Five program. Syracuse can’t block anyone, it’s without QB Tommy DeVito and star S Andre Cisco, and this season is quickly falling into the abyss. Go with Liberty because it’s the smart play, but I can’t do it myself. I’m getting points with an ACC team at home.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

West Virginia, no hoo-ha here. You’re at home against a miserable Kansas team. If you’re the team I think you are, you walk into that stadium down 22.5, you thank the public that it’s not the 27 it opened at, and you brush that aside by halftime.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
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Is UTSA … good? It gave BYU a hard time last week, and Army suddenly doesn’t quite look the part. I had a theory that the service academies were at a big advantage early in the season because they were in shape. That wasn’t true for Navy, but it sure was for Army. That advantage seems to be gone. Like I said for the Navy-East Carolina game, don’t be mad if the super-option team rolls up a twisted rushing yardage total, but UTSA +240 on the money line is nice.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

I keep waiting for WKU to be good, and it’s just not – at least offensively. Even so, UAB giving away 13.5 in a game that will struggle to hit the 44.5 point total is a tad obnoxious.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Here’s the deal, Louisville. I’ll start thinking you can do something like cover a 17 point spread on the road against a team like Notre Dame when you do something like cover a 17 point spread on the road against a team like Notre Dame. However, that’s right at the number and what it should be. If it dips back down – it started at 14 and hovered at 16.5  – go ahead and like the Cardinals.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

NEXT: 3:30 to 4:00 ET Gametimes

3:30 to 4:00 ET Gametimes

Ohhhhhhh, no you don’t, Duke. You might be able to pull that winning thing on Syracuse, but you’re not doing it on my 2020 darling NC State team.  I know you, Duke, and you have at least four turnovers waiting to roll against the Wolfpack. The line only dropped a half a point to NC State -4.5 – that’s candy.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

I’m going full Karen and will demand a refund if UCF-Memphis doesn’t blow its nose at the 73.5 point total by some point in the third quarter. Whichever way you like on this one, you’re not wrong with your reasoning, but UCF has had to sit and stew on the Tulsa loss for a bit too long.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
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Okay, we need to talk here. I can’t in good conscience tell you to go with the over on Ole Miss-Arkansas. You’re on your own on this one. I can not, will not, shall not ever take the over on point total of 76. You might be a better person than me, and I know I’m going the speed limit in the left lane while listening to momjean rock, but I’m not that guy. Meanwhile, don’t lose sight of the gift you’re being given of Ole Miss -2.5.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

If you’re that person who’s going to dive into the FBS vs. FCS world, Troy -28 against Eastern Kentucky seems like a big number – the Trojans might go through the motions and win 35-10 – but Marshall beat the Colonels by 59, and West Virginia got them by 46. Troy isn’t going to take this game lightly.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Why do I feel like Texas A&M -5 against Mississippi State is a trap we’re all about to fall into? Mike Leach’s team has been awful since the LSU win, and A&M is on letdown alert after the Florida game, so let me put it this way. If MSU wins this – +175 on the money line isn’t bad – okay, but I’m going to be cheezed if there’s a second straight 24-2-vs-Kentucky-like performance coming and I’m not there for it.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

We have absolutely zero idea what this UMass team is going to be. Check that – we know it’s going to be bad, but Georgia Southern just hasn’t been able to get this thing going yet. The team that – to be fair, was missing half of its players – needed to stop a two point conversion against Campbell is giving away 31 points to anyone? It’s probably right, but that’s too rich.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

As a true believer in all things Bronco Mendenhall, this hurts me. (deep breath) … Wake Forest, at home, with time off to prepare, getting 2.5. Read this at your own peril: Parlay. Wake Forest +2.5, money line +120, over on the 58.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

 

NEXT: 5:00 – 9:00 ET Gametimes

5:00 – 9:00 ET Gametimes

I chronically underestimate Louisiana Tech, but this Marshall team might just be a special brand of Conference USA awesome, especially on defense. It’s No. 1 in the nation allowing 21 points in three games, so even though you’re going over on the 50 – because, you just are – tread lightly.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

As a warning, the next time I get this North Carolina thing right will be the first time. Eventually, Florida State will realize it’s a good team trapped in a horrible team’s body, but not this week. How about this? North Carolina, if you really are the fifth-best team in college football – which it so is NOT – then you truck this FSU team by two touchdowns with ease.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

I’m going to keep picking against you, UTEP, and you’re going to keep making me look silly – and I’m glad. You deserve to have some fun as a program, but … okay, I want in. Give me you, you Miners, +6.5 at home against Southern Miss, and I might even flirt with the +200 on the money line, too.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Wait, I’m Mr. Virginia Tech. I’m the one saying all offseason to watch out for that late-season Clemson date in Blacksburg, and I’m carrying the water for a team that, once it’s healthy, is probably the third best team in the ACC behind Clemson and Notre Dame. Giving up 12, though, to a really, really interesting Boston College team seems like asking a whole lot.

By the way, if you have any sort of a hankering on BC, that +375 is the money line value pick of the weekend.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

And finally …

This could be the first of three matchups between Alabama and Georgia – which is part of the reason why there’s NO buzz whatsoever around No. 2 vs. No. 3 on a national scale.

As I’m writing this, BetMGM still has the line at Alabama -6 over Georgia, even though it dropped to 4.5 just about everywhere else. It opened at 5, and even if Nick Saban was healthy and on the sidelines, I sort of thought the money would be coming in on the Bulldogs to get it down to around 3.5ish around game time.

Even if Saban is able to come back into the on-field coaching mix, Steve Sarkisian is a veteran who knows how to fly the plane, which is why I despise the idea of taking Bama to win but Georgia to cover on just 4.5 – at 6 it seemed a bit more likely. However, considering I think Kirby Smart’s guys could pull this off outright, I still like it.

Georgia at +180 on the money line is a fantastic call if you think this defense is the real deal. Considering I’m sticking with the idea that the Dawgs cover, asking them to win this outright isn’t a huge leap.
CFN Game Preview, Prediction
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

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