Well, if Coach Rick got anything right last week it was the crazy part. Louisiana waltzed into Jack Trice Stadium and promptly beat Iowa State.
Coastal Carolina – not North, South or even East Carolina – clicked its heels and wound up leading Kansas 28-0 early on and went on to pound the Jayhawks 38-23.
Will there be more “crazy” in Week 3? Probably.
College Football Week 3 Best Bets – CFB Betting Sites
(#14) UCF vs. Georgia Tech Picks
One of the nation’s most prolific offenses finally gets a chance to play as No. 14 UCF travels to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech. The Knights finished second in the nation in total offense (541 yards per game) last season and return several of the cogs that made that attack go in 2019.
QB Dillon Gabriel returns as do his two biggest receiving threats – Marlon Williams and Tre Nixon. Three running backs – Otis Anderson, Greg McRae, and Bentavious Thompson – combined to rush for 1,859 yards and 20 touchdowns. All three are back.
Georgia Tech surprised some people with a 16-13 win over Florida State on the road last week. In the second year under head coach Geoff Collins, the Yellow Jackets defense is much improved and the offense will get better with Jeff Sims (277 yards passing, 64 rushing vs. FSU) at quarterback.
Georgia Tech is a 7-point underdog at home. The defense will play well. The Yellow Jackets are only 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games and UCF is known to score. The Knights have only covered the spread three times in their last ten games. The best bet here is to play the total and favor the defense.
BEST BET: UNDER 62
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USF vs. (#7) Notre Dame Picks
Coach Rick liked Notre Dame at home last week against Duke, but favored by 20, the Irish won by just two touchdowns. Now, once again the Golden Domers are a double-digit favorite. This time it’s a 26-point spread.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish have won 19 in a row at home and this weekend’s game marks the third straight home game in which the Irish are laying 20 or more.
South Florida won its first game last week against FCS The Citadel. The Bulls played without three starting offensive linemen, but still managed to run for over 300 yards. USF was underwhelming in a 27- 6 victory.
Still, USF has managed to cover the spread in six of their past seven games. While Notre Dame has won 19 straight home games, they have done so by an average margin of 22 points. Saturday’s spread? 26. This is one of the best college football predictions this week.
BEST BET: SOUTH FLORIDA +26
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(#17) Miami vs. (#18) Louisville Picks
The marquee matchup of the week features No. 17 Miami at No. 18 Louisville in an ACC conference clash. Both teams won their first games of the season and show promise on offense. Miami, under new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and QB D’Eriq King, put up 31 points in a win over UAB.
Louisville scored 35 in its win over Western Kentucky. The Cardinals covered the 12.5-point spread winning 35-21. It would have been an even bigger cover had Louisville not fumbled a punt snap and allowed a blocked punt that led to two WKU touchdowns.
When the Hurricanes and Cardinals played last year, they combined for 79 points. Miami’s offense is better than last year and Louisville’s offense put up 487 yards and five touchdowns last week.
Here’s another nugget for you. Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick (4 catches for 110 yards and a TD last week) played for none other than your own Coach Rick in high school a few years ago.
Louisville is only 4-10 ATS in its last 14 conference games and Miami has won 17 of its last 19 games played in September. With two explosive offenses in this one on Saturday, Coach Rick likes the Over which just happens to be 6-0 in Louisville’s last six games.
BEST BET: OVER 60.5
