Week 3 best bets: NFL picks and predictions for Sunday’s games

Looking at the best bets for the NFL’s Week 3 Sunday slate, with money line, ATS and Over/Under picks and predictions.

Week 3 of the NFL season is underway and we head into another full Sunday slate. SportsbookWire.com runs through Sunday’s schedule, with NFL picks, predictions and best bets against the money line, spread and Over/Under. Check out our staff picks and predictions before locking in your Week 3 bets.

Week 3 started with the Carolina Panthers’ 24-9 road win over the Houston Texans. Carolina moved to 3-0 to stay atop the NFC South while Houston slipped to 1-2. The Green Bay Packers will visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football and the Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football to wrap up the week.

Also see: Week 3 player prop picks and predictions

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook.

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5 Best College Football Predictions: Money Line Picks Week 4

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best money line picks going into Week 4? Here you go. Enjoy.

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best money line picks going into Week 4? Here you go. Enjoy.


Week 4 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews 
Week 4 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
Week 4 College Final Thoughts, Betting Advice
Week 4 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
Week 4 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread

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Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.

Results So Far ATS: 2-3

It’s value time with high risk and high reward, but without being totally insane. Go 1-4, and you’re happy. Go 2-3, and you’re really happy. Go 3-2 or better, and your week is made.

This is more about helping to confirm or deny what you already believe, and it’s all about value, so …

5. Georgia Southern at Louisiana

Money Line: Louisiana -475, Georgia Southern +365
PICK: Georgia Southern
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Desperately begging for all forgiveness here for being so crass in the time of a global pandemic, but how much will the COVID issues on the Ragin’ Cajuns matter?

Georgia Southern went through problems of its own a few weeks ago, and it’s just now starting to get its team back. However, Louisiana struggled last week just to get by Georgia State in overtime and now it’s missing star RB Elijah Mitchell, among others. If the team is struggling with the Eagle option,  and if the timing isn’t there, +365 could be a gift.

Week 4 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread

4. NC State at Virginia Tech

Money Line: Virginia Tech -250, NC State +200
PICK: NC State
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

How sure are you that Virginia Tech is going to be ready to rumble right out of the gate?

NC State needed way too much to get by Wake Forest in its opener, but the offense worked and the defense got a game under its belt. As we’ve seen so far in 2020, conditioning is everything, and that one game might make a difference.

Virginia Tech is good enough to play for the ACC Championship if everything breaks right, and NC State hasn’t won in this series since 2004, but if you’re a believer that the Pack is getting back to pre-2019 form, +200 is a decent number.

Week 4 Expert Picks & Predictions: College

3. Georgia Tech at Syracuse

Money Line: Georgia Tech -295, Syracuse +235
PICK: Syracuse
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Syracuse was the shot for the starts last week at a +1000 against Pitt, and while it didn’t come close to working out, at least the Orange didn’t embarrass themselves – they at least covered.

Georgia Tech beat Florida State in a weird clunker of an opener, and hung around with UCF for just over a half, but it’s the home opener for Syracuse against a team its own size. Pitt is good this year and North Carolina is great – the Orange should be a whole lot better this week.

They’re a better play as an underdog – +8 if you can get it – but a +235 in a relatively even game is great.

NEXT: The Top 2 Best Money Line Picks For Week 4 Are …

5 Best College Football Predictions: Money Line Picks Week 3

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best money line picks going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best money line picks going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.


Week 3 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews 
Week 3 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
Week 3 College Final Thoughts, Betting Advice
Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
Week 2 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
Week 3 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread
Week 3 5 Best College Picks: Point Totals

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Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.

This is when you get to have some fun.

They’re the college football money line picks that can turn a clunker of a weekend into something remember – especially if you dove in hard on the Sun Belt vs. the Big 12 last weekend.

Below are the five best value pick ideas for the money line bets. Hit one of them, and yay. Hit two, and you’re good. Hit three or more, and kaboom – but only invest the same amount on every game if you’re buying in bulk.

Remember, value is a big part of this. High risk, high reward, but without being totally insane. This is more about helping to confirm or deny what you already believe, so …

5. Boston College at Duke

Money Line: Duke -225, Boston College +190
PICK: Boston College +190
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Duke didn’t do much of anything in the opener against Notre Dame, but the defense did a decent job of keeping the game close. Boston College has yet to play, but it has good enough lines and enough talent under new head man Jeff Hafley to pull off an upset. At the very least, this should be a low-scoring game with BC never quite out of it, if at all.

Week 3 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread

4. Liberty at WKU

Money Line: WKU -600, Liberty +450
PICK: Liberty +450
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

The Liberty starting 22 is good enough to hang with just about any Group of Five program, and a few Power Fivers. They have yet to play, and WKU has a game under its belt with last week’s loss to Louisville, but this shouldn’t be a shootout and the game shouldn’t get out of hand. Watch out for the Flames to still be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: College

3. Syracuse at Pitt

Money Line: Pitt -2000, Syracuse +1000
PICK: Syracuse +1000
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

This is all about the high-end value if it happens to hit.

The Orange looked awful, off, and clunky in the 31-6 loss to North Carolina to open the season, and Pitt looked amazing from the start in a blowout over Austin Peay from the FCS world.

Don’t believe in any of them.

There’s a reason Syracuse is +1000 – the offensive line is awful going against one of the nation’s top defensive fronts. However, the Orange gave the Panthers a battle in a 27-20 loss last year. It wouldn’t be that insane to pull this off.

NEXT: The Top 2 Best Money Line Picks For Week 3 Are …

5 Best College Football Predictions: Point Totals Week 3

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best point total picks going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.

What five games appear to be the best bets and the best point total picks going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.


Week 3 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews 
Week 3 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
Week 3 College Final Thoughts, Betting Advice
Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
Week 2 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
Week 3 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread

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Results So Far, Point Totals: 8-5

Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.

We’re down to just 15 FBS vs. FBS games this week, so we’re turning the 10 Best Point Total Predictions piece into the top five – so we have to nail them cold.

The five point totals that appear to be a wee bit favorable are …

5. Syracuse at Pitt

POINT TOTAL: 49.5
PICK: Under
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Do you really believe in the Pitt offense just because it went off on Austin Peay? The point total is way, way, way low, but the offense struggled and sputtered to get past 30 points in 12 of the 16 games before whacking around the Governors.

The Syracuse offense went off last year in the last three games, but it sputtered and coughed in a 31-6 loss to North Carolina to start the season, and don’t believe that it’ll be able to crank up 24 points or more until you see it.

These two combined for 47 last year in a 27-20 Panther win, and that’s about what it should be this time around.

Week 3 10 Best College Picks vs. The Spread

4. Liberty at WKU

POINT TOTAL: 52.5
PICK: Under
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

WKU has everything in place to be an under machine. The defense is good enough to come up with a big season, and the offense is still questionable. The Hilltoppers only came up with 21 points in last week’s loss to Louisville to make it 11 games in last 14 without hitting the 30 point mark.

There’s an offense in place, but even if it goes off, the D could keep Liberty to around 20 or so. If you take out losses to Louisville and Florida Atlantic since the start of November of 2018, WKU has allowed fewer than 30 points in the last 13 games against FBS teams.

Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: College

3. Boston College at Georgia Tech

POINT TOTAL51.5
PICK: Under
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

You can’t go wrong assuming the under on Georgia Tech no matter what it is.

The Yellow Jackets got by Florida State last week by scoring 16 points.

The program has gone 15 straight games without scoring more than 28 points, and failed to get to 30 in 19 of the last 24. It might be able to pull this off against a Boston College team playing its first game, but until proven otherwise, assume the under.

NEXT: The Top 2 Best Bet Point Totals For Week 3 Are …

10 Best College Football Predictions Against The Spread: Week 3

What ten college football games appear to be the best bets and the best picks against the spread going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.

What ten college football games appear to be the best bets and the best picks against the spread going into Week 3? Here you go. Enjoy.


Week 3 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews 
Week 3 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
Week 3 College Final Thoughts, Betting Advice
Week 3 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
Week 2 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL

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Results So Far ATS: 6-7

Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.

As we said last week, please … be kind.

Normally there are at least 50 FBS games to choose from at this time of year, and this week we have 16 after a few cancellations. This season we – along with everyone else – are flying a bit blind when it comes to teams just starting their seasons, so …

Whatever. No excuses.

The ten lines that appear to be a wee bit favorable are …

10. Wake Forest at NC State

LINENC State -1
ATS PICK: NC State
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

It’s not the big primetime ACC game – that’s Miami at Louisville – but it’s one of the few late games on a smallish Saturday night. Wake Forest rolled in last year’s game 44-10, but NC State should have a far stronger defense, a much more effective offense, and it’s far more experienced. 2009 was the last time the Wolfpack lost a season-opener at home.

Week 3 College Final Thoughts, Betting Advice

9. Houston at Baylor

LINE: Baylor -4
ATS PICK: Baylor
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

This is just pure, unadulterated snobbery, even if the Big 12 hasn’t exactly shown up large so far.

Houston has been prepping for this game for the last year – at least it spent most of last season tuning up for 2020 – and Baylor has a new head coach in Dave Aranda, a whole slew of new defensive parts, and just enough question marks to be concerning.

However, you’re getting the Power Five program only giving away four points at home, and while that didn’t exactly matter last weekend against the Sun Belt, there are still enough good parts from last year’s Baylor team to open up with a win.

Week 2 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL

8. SMU at North Texas

LINESMU -14
ATS PICK: SMU
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Texas State was able to hang around with SMU in the opener to cover in a way-too-close 31-24 game, and North Texas went ballistic on a Houston Baptist team that gave Texas Tech a nightmare of a time.

The over on the 68 is the better play, but get ready for SMU to be a whole lot sharper than it was against the Bobcats with the passing game able to pull away late.

Over the last nine meetings between the two, North Texas is 5-4 +14 – with a few outright wins – but SMU won by 22 last year and should have the firepower to pull away late this time around.

Week 3 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews

7. Duke at Notre Dame

LINE: Notre Dame -25.5
ATS PICK: Notre Dame
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

Let’s Try This Again, Part 1.

More like, You Owe Us For Last Week.

Notre Dame was sluggish against Duke – it didn’t cover the 20 in a 27-13 win – but the USF defense isn’t nearly as strong as what the Blue Devils brought, and the Irish offense should be a bit sharper.

And that’s one of the other themes/beliefs throughout all of this. In this weirdest of offseasons, it’s going to take a bit for some of these teams to get their legs and their timing. Expect Notre Dame to get both of those back against a USF team that will have to run to keep this close, and won’t.

6. Tulsa at Oklahoma State

LINE: Oklahoma State -23
ATS PICK: Oklahoma State
Bet on this, BetMGM latest line

This is a pick assuming that Oklahoma State really is just that good this year.

Tulsa really does have the experience, the offensive pop, and the upside to make this a bit of a battle, but if Oklahoma State is okay from the start, it has the talent and firepower to be a real, live contender for the Big 12 Championship and potentially the CFP.

I’s a bit concerning that the Cowboys only won by 19 last year – and again, this Tulsa team is better –  but for what it’s worth, the OSU program blew past the 23 in the previous three games.

NEXT: Top 5 Picks Against The Spread, Week 3