It was a tremendous Week 1 of college football last week!
The Ohio State Buckeyes took care of business against the Texas Longhorns at home. They’ll likely get the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll this week. However, the Buckeyes weren’t overly impressive.
The LSU Tigers had the best showing in their road win against the Clemson Tigers. It’s likely that LSU will be in the top five heading into Week 2.
Meanwhile, the biggest shocker of Saturday was Florida State’s win over Alabama. The Seminoles are completely different than last season and will be a tough out in the ACC.
Speaking of the ACC, Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels struggled in their opener against TCU on Sunday. Still, Miami, another ACC team, escaped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The ACC is significantly better than it was in recent years, and the SEC, except for LSU, might be a bit overrated.
That said, let’s take a look at our college football expert picks for Week 2.
Getting Back On Track: This Week’s Picks
In Week 1, there’s a lot of guessing going on. Our bets didn’t go the way we would’ve liked last week. But after watching Week 1, I’ve got a much better idea about the landscape of college football. Remember, if you sign up for multiple accounts with the top sportsbooks, you’ll always have the best odds available.
Let’s get right to it. Here are the top three bets for Saturday’s slate of games for Week 2.
- Duke +3 (-115)
- Iowa +3 (-110)
- SMU -3 (-103)
Illinois vs. Duke (+3)
While Week 1 certainly helped identify contenders and pretenders, it’s not all set in stone. As a matter of fact, many coaches will tell you that the biggest improvement for a team during the season is from Week 1 to Week 2.
The Duke Blue Devils defeated Elon, 45-17, to begin their season. Darian Mensah threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns, and the running game added 6.4 yards a carry on 25 attempts.
Duke looks to have a solid secondary. The lone issue is tackling, but that can be addressed now that there’s game film to review.
On the other hand, Illinois has had a lot of hype heading into the year. The Fighting Illini beat Western Illinois, 52-3, behind Luke Altmyer at quarterback. He completed almost all of his passes and also recorded three touchdowns. Illinois ran the ball more effectively than Duke.
Ultimately, both teams looked fine in their opener. But I’ll back the home team against an overhyped Illinois squad that probably doesn’t deserve to be in the top-15. The run defense and pass rush weren’t up to par last year. You can’t expect it to be up to par this year, either.
Expert Pick: Duke +3 (-115) at Bovada
Iowa vs. Iowa State (-3)
There aren’t many college rivalries better than Iowa and Iowa State.
This year, Iowa State will host the Hawkeyes of Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones have played two games already, including a sloppy win against Kansas State. The Cyclones came home and knocked off South Dakota for their second win of the season last week.
Ultimately, Iowa State has struggled with tackling, and the defensive line hasn’t been productive enough. Iowa should dominate in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
The Hawkeyes limited Albany to nine first downs and just 177 yards of offense last weekend in their 34-7 win. Iowa chose to run it down Albany’s throat, and it worked. Why can’t they do the same against a usually weak Iowa State defensive line?
Expert Pick: Iowa +3 (-110) at Bovada
Baylor vs. SMU (-3)
Sawyer Robertson gets too much credit as quarterback with the Baylor Bears. Robertson threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Auburn last week. He also didn’t throw an interception. But his QBR was 65.6, and he completed only 56.3% of passes. He missed a lot of easy throws and wasn’t able to do anything with his legs in that game.
Meanwhile, Robertson and Baylor will face off against SMU. The SMU Mustangs finished East Texas A&M, 42-13. SMU wasn’t able to get off the field on fourth downs but held East Texas to 6-for-20 on third down. The defense looked very promising.
Of course, Baylor played a much more difficult opponent, but SMU’s offense should be good enough to do exactly what Auburn did to Baylor. Give me SMU at -3.
Expert Pick: SMU -3 (-103) at Bovada
Place Any College Football Bet For Week 2
With some real numbers and data from Week 1, I’m feeling way more confident about our picks for Week 2. If you’re feeling the same way, consider placing any of these three bets on your new sportsbook account.
Don’t be afraid to take advantage of other promotions for the sportsbook that you choose to gain some extra coin!
*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.
