Best Bets

Rice +13.5 (-104) vs. No. 25 Memphis (Fri. 7 pm on ESPN2)
A home team getting two touchdowns in a conference game. A ranked team playing a primetime weeknight game on the road (the week after a big win against a ranked opponent, to boot). This has all the makings of an upset. I’ll be fine with the Owls covering.

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Penn State team total under 12.5 points (-115) vs. No. 1 Ohio State (Sat. 12 pm on FOX)

Until I see different, I am fading every offense against the Buckeyes, period.

Army at Air Force under 49 (-110) (Sat. 12 pm on CBS/Paramount+)
Possessions in a game between two service academies are always at a premium, as both teams are usually near the top in time of possession:

Army is first in the nation at over 36 minutes per game, while Air Force is tenth at over 33 minutes per game. I will take an under in a Commander-In-Chief’s trophy game, damn near every time, especially when the number is almost 50.

FBS Deep Dives

Navy +6.5 (+100) at North Texas (Sat. 12 pm on ESPN2)
North Texas ranks 120th in the nation in rushing defense, facing the best rushing attack in the country (Navy averages 318.1 yards per game). Take the points and run.

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SMU +12.5 (-120) vs. No. 10 Miami (Sat. 12:00 pm on ESPN)
SMU may have been looking ahead to this game last week against Wake Forest, resulting in a 13-12 loss.

Meanwhile, this is Miami’s first game outside the state of Florida this season (six home games, at Florida State). Giving nearly two touchdowns in your longest road trip of the season is a tall task.

No. 20 Vanderbilt +3.5 (-120) at No. 9 Texas (Sat. 12 pm on ABC)
The last time I underestimated Vanderbilt against a “traditional” conference power, the Commodores handled business against LSU.

That game was in Nashville, while this game is on the road in Austin. With that said, Arch Manning being favored against the ninth-ranked team in the country is ludicrous.

No. 2 Indiana -20.5 (-115) at Maryland (Sat. 3:30 pm on CBS)
I was tempted to take an alternate spread here. As I said last week, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is the Dan Campbell of college football when it comes to running up the score, which I understand.

If I had one of the preeminent media voices in college football constantly telling everyone why my team isn’t good enough, I absolutely would take it out on my opponents every chance I could.

Wake Forest +10 (-109) vs. Florida State (Sat. 7:30 pm ACC Network)
Why is Florida State a double-digit favorite against anyone? The Seminoles have covered the spread twice all season — that completely unexplainable win against Alabama in Week 1 and against Kent State in Week 4.

Not only have they lost their last four games, they’re 0-4 ATS in that span, including last week’s 20-13 loss at Stanford as a 17.5-point favorite.

This story was originally reported by College Football News on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.