10 Best College Football Predictions Against The Spread Week 3

10 best predictions for the big weekend of college football. Best bets and picks for Week 3’s Saturday games.

10 best predictions for the big Saturday of college football. What games appear to be the best bets and best picks for Week 3’s games?


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I somehow survived last week and all the craziness.

Did I take Alabama to roll past Texas? Yup.

Did I misfire all over the place on the picks for the site’s game previews? Compared to Week 1 and Week 0, big time.

Was I lazy to just assume Kansas would keep being Kansas against the spread? Oh yeah.

But I still went 70%, so as I tell you all of the time after a solid streak, pick a lane – either I’m totally on my game in a blind-squirrel-finds-nut sort of way, or FADE HARD NOW because I’m way overdue for a whiff.

With that said, be careful with some of these – like No. 5 on this list. Let’s ease into it with …

Results So Far: 22-8-1

Click on each game for the preview

10. Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Oklahoma State

LINE Oklahoma State -57.5
ATS PICK Arkansas Pine-Bluff

If you’re a regular reading this, you know how it rolls.

You know that over the long haul, if you lead a good, clean life and do things the right way – pay your fair share of taxes, drive the speed limit, put the toilet seat down, and ALWAYS take the underdog when getting 50 or more – you’ll come out ahead.

Last week, you walked into Michigan Stadium up 52-0.

Michigan 56, Hawaii 10.

Even when Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State kept going against SE Louisiana to start the 2016 season the final score of 61-7 wasn’t covering the 57.5.

Even when the Cowboys took out Lamar 59-3 in 2013 they didn’t get to the line set for UAPB.

Of course Oklahoma State could win this 83-0. Of course it’s silly to invest in any sort of FCS vs FBS game.

But you – along with the Golden Lions – are about to walk into Boone Pickens effectively up 58-0.

You thank the gods for the opportunity, and you go about your day.

Speaking of Michigan …

9. UConn at Michigan

LINE Michigan -47.5
ATS PICK UConn

I will totally admit that I got squeamish over the Hawaii call over Michigan ATS, but it worked.

I’m buckling a little bit on this one, too – 47.5 ain’t 50 – but there seems to be a limit to how much the Wolverines like to thrash teams.

It put up 51 on Colorado State, and it hung 56 on Hawaii, but in both games the machine slowed down.

The question here is whether or not UConn is going to put any points on the board. All you’re looking for is one score, and that might be enough.

Head coach Jim Mora Jr. is doing an okay job so far – there’s a running game, and last week in the 48-14 loss to Syracuse, the passing attack actually worked.

Michigan will win easily, but again, you’re just looking for ONE UConn score – even something like 52-6 gets this for you.

8. Colorado at Minnesota

POINT TOTAL 46.5
ATS PICK Over

It’s the tried and true belief when it comes to relatively low college overs.

Can one side take care of it all by itself? In this case, maybe.

Colorado has been absolutely miserable so far giving up 38 at home to TCU and 41 up the road at Air Force. In both games the two teams easily got past 47 points.

The concern is that Minnesota slams the door shut on the Buffs – like the 30-0 win last year – and coming up with just 38 points against New Mexico State is a tad concerning. However, the Gophers should get to at least 30 here, and closer to 40.

The Gopher D has been great against two bad teams – Colorado should be able to put a few points on the board to help the cause. There’s a shot you might not need them.

On the opposite end is …

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7. Nevada at Iowa

POINT TOTAL 39.5
ATS PICK Under

This is totally obscene.

You don’t go under on 39.5. OF COURSE YOU DON’T. However, until Iowa proves it can score, you keep riding this train until it stops.

If the Hawkeyes figure it out and hang 55 on the board, you tip your cap and go on your way. However, considering their two games so far have combined to see a total of 27 points, you’re insane to not give this one more try.

Nevada’s offense was fine against New Mexico State, Texas State, and Incarnate Word, but there’s a strong chance it doesn’t score against the Hawkeye D – or, it at least doesn’t do a whole lot more than 10ish or so.

6. Tulane at Kansas State

LINE Kansas State -14
ATS PICK Kansas State

Wow did this drop like a rock.

It started out with Kansas State -19 and then the world hammered the hell out of the Green Wave.

Here’s the issue. Tulane has looked fantastic so far, but that’s partly because it played UMass and Alcorn State. The team was bad in 2021, and now it’s all of a sudden back to being potentially bowl worthy?

Maybe, but Kansas State has been too sharp and too fabulous so far at home, beating South Dakota and Missouri by a combined score of 74-12. The running game should work fine against the Green Wave front that gave up 200 rushing yards to UMass.

There Wildcats were good enough to beat Mizzou by 28 …

NEXT: College Football Pick Against the Spread No. 5: FCSapalooza

College Football Expert Picks, Predictions: Week 3

Week 2 college football expert picks and predictions highlighted by Miami at Texas A&M, Penn State at Auburn, Michigan State at Washington

College football expert picks, predictions for Week 3, highlighted by Miami at Texas A&M, Penn State at Auburn, and Michigan State at Washington


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* next to the pick means the team will win, but not cover.
Click on each game for the game preview and CFN Prediction

Florida State at Louisville

Line: Florida State -2, o/u: 54.5

Eric Bolin, RazorbacksWire.com: Florida State
Evan Bredeson, CornhuskersWire.com: Florida State
Tony Cosolo, ColoradoBuffaloesWire.com: Florida State
Jeff Feyerer, CFN: Florida State
Pete Fiutak, CFN: Florida State
Cami Griffin, LonghornsWire.com: Florida State
Dan Harralson, VolsWire.com: Louisville
Phil Harrison, BuckeyesWire.com: Florida State
Jeremy Mauss, MWwire.com Florida State
Kevin McGuire, NittanyLionsWire.com: Florida State*
Big Game Ben Niewoehner, CFN Florida State
E, CFN Florida State
Tyler Nettuno, LSUTigerswire.com Florida State
Zack Pearson, TarHeelswire.com Florida State
Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire.com: Louisville
Nick Shepkowski, FightingIrishWire.com: Louisville
Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners.com: Florida State
Joe Vitale, UGAWire.com: Louisville
John Williams, SoonersWire.com: Florida State
Clucko the Chicken (a coin flip), CFN: Louisville
CONSENSUS PICK: Florida State

Week 3 College Football Expert Picks
Florida St at Louisville | Air Force at Wyoming
UConn at Michigan | Oklahoma at Nebraska
Purdue at Syracuse | Georgia at South Carolina
Cal at Notre Dame | BYU at Oregon
Penn St at Auburn | Ole Miss at Georgia Tech
ULM at Alabama | Miss State at LSU
Toledo at Ohio State | Texas Tech at NC State
Michigan St at Washington | La Tech at Clemson
UTSA at Texas | Miami at Texas A&M
San Diego State at Utah | Fresno State at USC
Eastern Mich at Arizona StResults So Far
NFL Week 2 Expert Picks

NEXT: Air Force at Wyoming Expert Picks, Predictions

USC vs Fresno State Prediction, Game Preview

USC vs Fresno State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 3 game on Saturday, September 17

USC vs Fresno State prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 3, Saturday, September 17


USC vs Fresno State How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 17
Game Time: 10:30 pm ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles CA
How To Watch: FOX
Record: USC (2-0), Fresno State (1-1)
Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

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CFN 1-131 Rankings | Bowl Projections
CFN Week 3 Expert Picks | Week 3 Schedule
NFL Expert Predictions | NFL Predictions
What 12-Team Playoff Would Look Like
Top 10 Coach Hot Seat List: After Week 2
Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

USC vs Fresno State Game Preview

Why Fresno State Will Win

The Bulldogs were one stop away from holding to beat Oregon State. The passing game was good, the running game continued to be great, and the defense held up up until it absolutely needed a big play, and …

Yeah, the defense isn’t going to handle USC. However, the offense should be able to keep up.

Stanford was able to pound away on the USC defensive front averaging five yards per carry, and that’s after a Rice offense that shouldn’t have been able to do anything averaged 4.3 yards per carry.

In a perfect world, Jake Haener and the Fresno State passing game trades shot for shot with Caleb Williams and the Trojan O, but grind, keep grinding, and own the clock.

Keeping Mr. Williams on the sidelines matters, and not turning the ball over so far this year matters, and …

CFN Expert Picks, Week 3

Why USC Will Win

Fresno State’s defense hasn’t been able to generate a turnover – that matters.

The Bulldogs have been strong defensively, but they’re about to deal with a whole other level of problems against a Trojan offense that only stopped because it wanted to.

It ripped up Rice at will – to go along with a slew of pick-sixes – and it did whatever it wanted to against Stanford until it got sleepy and turned off the fun a tad too early.

Williams is connecting on 80% of his passes, Travis Dye stepped up the running game against the Cardinal, and Fresno State’s defense won’t be able to handle any of it.

If Haener and the Fresno State O blink, USC will pull away.

Week 3 Schedule, Predictions, Game Preview

What’s Going To Happen

Fresno State will get its shots in, but get ready to hear a lot of, “the USC defensive line was challenged to step up its toughness.”

It won’t really matter.

Fresno State will get its points and yards in, and it won’t be nearly enough.

USC will need a drive or two to warm up, everyone on social media will freak out, and then the avalanche will come as Williams and the attack find a groove to get up and pull away.

Haener will make things fun late – he’ll keep bombing – but the USC secondary will hold up.

CFN Week 3 Predictions

USC vs Fresno State Prediction, Line

USC 44, Fresno State 31
Line: USC -12.5, o/u: 74.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
USC vs Fresno State Must See Rating (out of 5): 3.5

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