Week 1 gave us a lot of intriguing games with breakout stars and intriguing finishes. Week 2 is a slate that doesn’t have a ton of value on it, but we are here to make you some money.
Week 2 College Football Picks and Predictions
What a rebound we had last week. The Stanford Cardinal came out and looked like a real football program, along with Georgia Tech getting a backdoor cover in the final 90 seconds.
Once those games played out on Friday, we had a 4-1 slate on Saturday, including a massive win with Texas State at +27.5 against Baylor. Week 2 is lacking value, but there are seven games worth your money.
Last week: 4-3-0 (0.571)
This season: 5-9-0 (0.357)
Overall record: 86-93-3 (0.480)
For all current betting odds surrounding the college football season, check out our live betting odds and make your plays today!
All lines are via Draft Kings Sportsbook. You can find the best available odds from sportsbooks all over the country below as well.
Nebraska +3 (-105) vs. Colorado -3 (-115)
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This game is a very interesting dichotomy. The Nebraska Cornhuskers hired Matt Rhule to fix the program and prevent them from blowing more fourth-quarter leads. It was something that marred Scott Frost’s tenure, and it reared its ugly head in Rhule’s debut.
Against Minnesota, the Cornhuskers were up 10-3 before allowing a touchdown on fourth down to Daniel Jackson to tie the game. After that, quarterback Jeff Sims threw an interception to Tyler Nubin, and they lost another close game 13-10.
On the other hand, the Colorado Buffaloes burst onto the scene in a big way with a 45-42 win over national runner-up TCU. Yes, this isn’t the same Horned Frogs team that we saw last year, but it was the most impressive game of the year.
Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter balled out in such a big way that they both became instant Heisman Trophy contenders. Sanders threw for 510 yards and four touchdowns and looked every bit the part of a superstar quarterback. Hunter not only played over 150 snaps but also caught 11 passes for 119 yards, and he had an insane interception and a pass defense.
Going into Saturday’s games, Colorado was a 9.5-point underdog. After their eye-opening performance in week one, that shifted quickly.
If you got that early line, good for you!
This is still a great line for Colorado’s 2023 home opener. The only way Nebraska can win this game is by dominating in the trenches, which is the only area where the Buffaloes don’t have ample depth.
Bet: Colorado -3 (-115)
Utah -7.5 (-110) vs. Baylor +7.5 (-110)
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The Utah Utes went into Week 1 without both starting quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, and it didn’t matter. They beat the Florida Gators 24-11 and made it look easy, having gone up 24-3 at the beginning of the third quarter and didn’t surrender a touchdown until the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Bryson Barnes didn’t have to do a whole lot, but he was very efficient, completing 12-of-18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. The running game wasn’t very efficient on the day, with 105 yards on 30 carries.
I noted in my column last week that the Baylor Bears‘ defense being a point of weakness in 2022, especially against teams with efficient passing games.
“The intrigue here is with the defense. Head coach Dave Aranda’s defense was inconsistent last season and struggled more often than you would expect. His units rarely struggle like they did last season. They were really poor against the pass, especially in terms of efficiency. That is what the Air Raid specializes in.”
That came to fruition in a big way against the Bobcats, who jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the first half and never looked back. They were advantageous in all elements on offense and defense. Not having Blake Shapen due to an MCL injury and the rough rushing attack that the Bears displayed against the Bobcats paint a really poor picture for Baylor.
Even if they don’t have Rising or Kuithe this week, they should handle Baylor with ease.
Bet: Utah -7.5 (-110)
Texas State +12.5 (-110) vs. UTSA -12.5 (-110)
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The Texas State Bobcats, under GJ Kinne, are going to be the fun Group of Five team this season. They didn’t just beat Baylor; they grabbed the game by the throat and throttled the Bears the entire game.
T.J. Finley transferred from Auburn and made a difference right away, completing 22-of-30 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns while also running for one more. They controlled the game from start to finish, especially against the run. Holding the Bears to 108 yards rushing on 3.4 yards per carry is an impressive feat.
The UTSA Roadrunners lost their second consecutive season opener last week to Houston, and they struggled at every turn. Not having Zakhari Franklin made an impact, as the passing game struggled. Quarterback Frank Harris ended up throwing three interceptions in the span of five minutes in the third quarter, which led to the game-winning touchdown.
Not all hope is lost for the Roadrunners, as they showed out in run defense, allowing 101 yards at a staggering 2.7 yards per carry, and ran for 208 yards at 5.9 yards per carry. Those two elements are going to help them in their first season in the AAC.
Going into this game, the efficiency and explosiveness of the Bobcats’ offense is going to be too much, and T.J. Finley is going to make them pay like he did against the Baylor Bears. Kinne isn’t just going to get off to a great start against the spread, but they have a real chance to start 2-0 on the money line.
Bet: Texas State +12.5 (-110)
Oregon -6.5 (-110) Texas Tech +6.5 (-110)
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EIGHTY-ONE points, even against an FCS opponent, isn’t something that you see very often. The Oregon Ducks scored 50 points in the first half and benched their starters quickly.
Bo Nix and Bucky Irving both looked explosive in their short amount of playing time.
What was really impressive was the passing game. Nix and the backups combined to complete 33-of-38 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns. They attacked vertically really well, and star wide receiver Troy Franklin looked the part.
On the other side, the Texas Tech Red Raiders lost a brutal game to Wyoming in Laramie 35-33. After starting with a 17-0 lead, they squandered it and allowed the Cowboys to take over the game.
One of the reasons was quarterback Tyler Shough. He looked really good early in the first half as they rattled off 17 points. Once the lead was squandered, Shough struggled to hit receivers downfield, and offensive coordinator Zach Kittley ran five quarterback draws in 10 plays during overtime and didn’t trust Shough at the end.
The Red Raiders’ defense did only allow 270 yards during regulation and 320 overall, but they couldn’t stop them when it mattered the most. They will have their hands full with Oregon, which is a revenge game for Shough and one that he will struggle mightily against a talented Ducks defense.
Bet: Oregon -6.5 (-110)
Wisconsin -6 (-112) vs. Washington State +6 (-108)
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This was an ugly matchup at Camp Randall Stadium last season when the Washington State Cougars beat the Wisconsin Badgers 17-14. Starting quarterback Cam Ward had just begun playing in the Power Five after transferring from Incarnate Word. He looked rough in that game, but the diversity that their Air Raid offense utilized created some explosive plays.
In week one, the Cougars took it to Colorado State early and often with Ward totaling 491 yards and four touchdowns. Their offense is now run by former Western Kentucky offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, and he had the Cougars cooking all night in Fort Collins.
Speaking of the Air Raid, the Badgers are transitioning to a passing attack that is vertical and dynamic. Out goes the power rushing attack, and in comes Phil Longo. They had some issues overall against Buffalo, but they figured it out as the game went along.
One thing that we learned from week 1 was the rushing game for the Badgers isn’t going away. Chez Mellusi (13 carries, 157 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Braelon Allen (17 carries, 141 yards, 2 touchdowns) were the majority of the Badgers’ 314 yards rushing yards.
Tanner Mordecai struggled to throw the football, which could manifest itself as a problem against a Jake Dickert defense. The Cougars found a way to win in Madison, and with a quarterback who is playing confident football, will do so again at home.
Bet: Washington State +6 (-108)
Stanford +29.5 (-110) vs. USC -29.5 (-110)
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Troy Taylor had the Stanford Cardinal looking like a capable football program once again. They went down to Hawaii and controlled the game from start to finish. Quarterback Ashton Daniels was able to make plays with both his arm and legs, and tight end Ben Yurosek looked like the next great Cardinal tight end.
How well the Cardinal performed in the trenches was outstanding. They kept Daniels clean by not allowing a single sack, while the defense sacked Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager six times and allowed -5 rushing yards on the day. A really impressive performance.
The USC Trojans have had a couple of easy games to start the year. They failed to cover against San Jose State while winning easily and easily covered against a rebuilding Nevada team. Caleb Williams is a dominant force on the field who continues to make plays that don’t seem humanly possible.
The Achilles heel for this team will be the defense led by Alex Grinch. They aren’t strong in the trenches, nor will they be forcing turnovers at the same level. Stanford barely failed to cover a 9.5 spread last season, but they won’t have issues covering this spread.
Bet: Stanford +29.5 (-110)
Oklahoma State -3.5 (-110) vs. Arizona State +3.5 (-110)
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys are a team in disarray. In a paltry 27-13 win over Central Arkansas, the passing game was inconsistent and saw head coach Mike Gundy use three quarterbacks, including his walk-on son Gunnar Gundy.
The offense could only muster 13 points in the first three quarters against Central Arkansas and couldn’t surpass 5.0 yards per carry. That is alarming to see from a program that is used to having a solid rushing offense and an explosive passing attack.
The Arizona State Sun Devils are a team in flux with a brand new staff and true freshman four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada under center. They could only muster a three-point win over FCS Southern Utah, and those struggles are likely to continue.
Even with the struggles that Oklahoma State had in Week 1, they are still way more talented and skilled than the Sun Devils, including a 34-17 win in Stillwater last season. If this game was in November, I’d back the Sun Devils, but it’s too early right now to expect them to do much.
Bet: Oklahoma State -3.5 (-110)