Bowl season is nearly over, with just three games left to go — not counting the College Football Playoff. With the North Texas Mean Green taking on the Texas State Bobcats and the Minnesota Golden Gophers battling the Virginia Tech Hokies on Friday, there are plenty of player props to choose from. But these are the best four.
Friday College Football Player Props
Lincoln Pare Over 80.5 Rushing Yards (-114, FanDuel)
With the Mean Green missing their starting QB, TE, center, and leading WR, it’s fair to assume points could be hard to come by for them. As a result, the Bobcats should lean on their ground game to methodically move the chains and maintain a lead.
With RB1 Ishmail Mahdi joining the Arizona Wildcats through the transfer portal, backup Lincoln Pare (74-411-6 rushing line on the year) should receive the bulk of the workload in the First Responder Bowl. With North Texas ranking 103rd in EPA per rush against and 107th in defensive rush success rate, Pare is in line to produce on the ground.
Drew Mestemaker Over 217.5 Passing Yards (-114, FanDuel)
With Chandler Morris off to the Virginia Cavaliers, freshman Drew Mestemaker will earn his first-ever start against Texas State. The 6’4″ signal-caller is missing key components around him, but so is the Bobcats defense. Starting CB Josh Eaton committed to the Michigan State Spartans, and three DTs with 300+ snaps on the year will miss the contest.
Head coach Eric Morris is a QB guru and loves to air it all — partially because the team has struggled to run the ball. As long as Mestemaker doesn’t crumble under the pressure, he should clear 218 passing yards with relative ease.
Jameson Geers 25+ Receiving Yards (+160, DraftKings)
Minnesota faces a depleted Hokies team, so most bettors likely want exposure to Darius Taylor and the rushing attack. However, Jameson Geers’ receiving yards prop is simply too low. WR1 Daniel Jackson, who accounted for over 30% of the team’s receiving yardage and receptions in 2024, is out for the game.
Starting QB Max Brosmer will have to throw to someone, and the extra looks should help Geers coast past 25 yards. He’s generated 20+ yards in six of 12 outings, including three games where he did so on just one catch. If the risk is still too high for you, take the alternate line at 16+ receiving yards for -125.
William Watson III Anytime Touchdown (+210, FanDuel)
Someone has to score for the Hokies, so why not take the player whose hands the ball will be in the most? Starting QB Kyron Drones ran for a TD in more games than he didn’t (5 to 4) this season, and freshman William Watson III was able to do so in his first career start in the regular-season finale win over the Virginia Cavaliers.
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Watson may not have elite weapons around him, but that should actually lead to more scramble attempts on top of the designed carries he’ll inevitably receive in Virginia Tech’s offense. Maryland’s Billy Edwards Jr., North Carolina’s Max Johnson, and Penn State’s Drew Allar were able to run for scores — why can’t the more dynamic Watson?
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