College Football Odds Provide Exciting Betting Matchups in Otherwise Ho-Hum Saturday

Posted on: September 10, 2019, 01:12h. 

Last updated on: September 10, 2019, 01:41h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Thank goodness for sports betting. College football kicks off its third week on Friday, but the lineup of games through Saturday doesn’t exactly present the most exciting matchups.

college football odds Notre Dame
Notre Dame is spotting its college football week three opponent 35 points. (Image: Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports)

No college football game this week will be contested between two?AP Top 25 teams. ABC’s College GameDay will be at Iowa State, as the Cyclones welcome in-state rival No. 19 Iowa. And to highlight the yawner of the week ahead, the network’s primetime game pits No. 1 Clemson at Syracuse – the Orange being a long 27.5-point underdog.

Four ranked teams are favored by 30 points or more.

Big Favorites

No. 7 Notre Dame is favored by 35 points at home against New Mexico

No. 8 Auburn is favored by 35 at home against Kent State

No. 3 Georgia is favored by 33 at home against Arkansas State

No. 12 Texas is favored by 31.5 away at winless Rice

Thankfully, sports betting is legal in 13 states, and that should keep televisions on and betting fans engaged, as a laundry list of heavy favorites likely run up big leads. With underdogs being afforded considerable points, the lines should keep the action interesting for bettors late into the fourth quarters.

Week Three Odds

For those wanting to watch – and perhaps bet – on a game that should be a bit closer than the aforementioned, week three does have some tighter point spreads.

No. 19 Iowa is spotting home team Iowa State just two points, with the over/under at 45 points. It’s currently the only game with a point spread of a field goal or less. ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, which makes forecasts based on computer simulations, gives Iowa a 57.7 percent chance of winning.

The next shortest week three spread comes with No. 24 USC traveling to BYU. The Trojans are favored by 4.5 points.

Other notable games: No. 13 PSU gives visiting Pittsburgh 17 points, No. 6 Ohio State spots Indiana 16 on the road, and No. 2 Alabama is a heavy 24.5-point favorite in South Carolina at the Gamecocks.

Early Surprises

The Maryland Terrapins opened the year at 1000/1 to win the College Football Playoff National Championship. That implies odds of 0.1 percent, with a $10 bet and the team’s first title netting the fortunate gambler $10,000.

Maryland has been one of the most surprising squads through two weeks. The Terrapins shut out Howard 79-0, and then knocked off then-No. 21 Syracuse 63-20.

Okay, so two good games doesn’t mean Maryland is a serious playoff contender. But oddsmakers nonetheless shortened their title odds down to 750/1. Now No. 21, the Terrapins are seven-point favorites away at unranked Temple, a line ESPN’s Will Harris says is a steal.

Oklahoma entered the season with a much more realistic chance of making the playoffs. But quarterback Jalen Hurts has exceeded all expectations through two weeks. The Alabama transfer now has the fourth- shortest odds of winning the Heisman at 7/1.

Through two weeks of play, Clemson remains the odds-on favorite for the FBS championship at +200. Alabama trails closely at +225.

Following the two heavy national championship favorites, rounding out the top five is Georgia +850, Ohio State +1200, and Oklahoma +1600.