NCAAF Pick: Stanford-USC Over 69.5 (-110) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
It’s Friday afternoon and at Bookmakers Review that means it is time to put together our favorite NCAAF bets for Week 2 and deliver our ‘Editor’s Picks” for Saturday’s matchups.
Throughout the season will choose the best bets from our different college football writers, as well as from our YouTube channel, to put them under one roof, so to speak. At the bottom, you can find my prediction for a game that wasn’t talked about by any of our experts.
Without further ado, we break down the NCAAF odds for Week 2 and tell you why we love these bets. Let’s get it on!
Texas Longhorns vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Saturday, September 09, 2023 – 07:00 PM EDT at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Marquee Matchup
Straight from our YouTube channel, football expert Donnie RightSide is all about the Roll Tide mentality, in what should be the marquee matchup of the day. That’s right, it’s only Week 2 and we get a showdown between Texas and Alabama.
While mainstream media is going crazy with the win-loss record between Nick Saban and former assistants, I think the most important conversation around this game should be quarterback play.
Talk of the Town
Before last Saturday, the discussions in Tuscaloosa circled around who’d take over as Bryce Young’s heir as there were question marks around Jalen Milroe. In the Lone Star State pundits and fans were wondering if Quinn Ewers would finally make a case for the Heisman.
After 1 game, Ewers looks awful and Milroe looks like the real deal. With this game being played in Alabama and the spread below double digits, give me the Crimson Tide.
The Pick
“This line is a seven-point favorite for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Do you remember last year when Alabama went on the road to take on Texas and they were laying close to three touchdowns? They squeaked out a victory in that game.
“Quinn Ewers got hurt in that game and now Quinn Ewers is healthy in this one, but you know what? We’re going with the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend and we’ll lay that touchdown.” Donnie RightSide
NCAAF Pick: Alabama -7 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Washington Huskies
Saturday, September 09, 2023 – 05:00 PM EDT at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium
Dominant
Michael Penix Jr. looked great on Saturday against Boise State. It wasn’t just the 4 touchdowns he threw for but the quality of the throws. It is quite a shame that the PAC-12 is imploding but it should be a fun farewell.
Yes, the spread is a 5-touchdown difference but the way Penix Jr. is commanding this offense should make that just an afterthought and college football expert, Willie Bee, agrees in his best bets article.
The Pick
“Penix and a couple of the nation’s top receivers, Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan, were reasons why Washington was seen as the top challenger to USC in the PAC-12 on the college football futures. They didn’t do anything to change our minds in the win over Boise State as Penix connected with the duo 15 times.
With a trip to play Michigan State in Week 3, Kalen DeBoer will come off the accelerator in this one, but the Huskies will still cover with backups in most of the fourth quarter”. Willie Bee
NCAAF Pick: Washington -34 (-108) at Heritage Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack
Saturday, September 09, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at Carter-Finley Stadium
Heisman Contender
The way that Sam Hartman is playing (and knowing the media army behind Notre Dame), I wouldn’t mind making him my dark horse in the Heisman Trophy competition for this season.
The Fighting Irish looked dominant in Week 0 against Navy (42-3) and continued that with a 56-3 stomping of Tennessee State. Yes, the quality of those teams is very far away from that of NC State. However, the Wolfpack didn’t look impressive at all, last week, against a lesser team in the UConn Huskies.
Our NCAAF analyst, Jason Radowitz likes BMR’s computer prediction for this game, which has Notre Dame winning 39-14. Funny enough, our very own Rainman thinks that NC State can pull the upset and win outright, so you get both sides of the coin for this matchup.
The Pick
“North Carolina State only earned a 24-14 win over UConn in their first game. Virginia transfer, Brennan Armstrong, threw for just 155 yards and no touchdowns in his debut for the Wolfpack. The run game was better for North Carolina State, but that ten-point win against UConn was still underwhelming.
“North Carolina State did an excellent job at limiting penalties, but they also allowed UConn to rush for over six yards per carry in that first game. Imagine what Notre Dame will do to this North Carolina State defense.” Jason Radowitz
NCAAF Pick: Notre Dame -7.5 (-108) at Heritage Sports
Stanford Cardinal vs. USC Trojans
Saturday, September 09, 2023 – 10:30 PM EDT at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Offense
Speaking of the race for the Heisman, how about Caleb Williams? The winner from last year was in the headlines this week for a couple of reasons. First, his outstanding play last week. Second for the comments his dad made about him staying an extra season at USC.
Luckily, we’re only concerned with the present and the fact that this Trojans’ offense is humming. On Saturday night, they go against an uninspiring Stanford team whose biggest accomplishment so far this season is covering against Hawaii, last week.
The Pick
The line for the total of this game opened up at 71 and has dropped to 69.5 (depending on where you shop) so we’re already getting some value there. A lot of points? Maybe, but remember that USC led the FBS in games going Over (11-3 record), last season, and was a top-5 team in points per game.
The best part is that for all of Stanford’s mediocrity, the Trojans’ defense can still give up points to a less-than-stellar team such as them.
NCAAF Pick: Over 69.5 (-110) at Bovada
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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