College football betting isn’t for the faint of heart and week 2 was no exception. 

We live to fight another day and we feel confident that this week’s picks should get us right back to where we want to be. Hold steady and remember to bet smarter, not harder.

Q’s Best Bets (1-4 Overall)
Virginia Tech @ West Virginia – Saturday, 9/18 (12:00 PM EST)
Pick: Virginia Tech +3.5

I’m honestly surprised this line isn’t the other way around. The Hokies have had a great start to the season so far, exposing the former top 10 Tar Heels at home in week 1 then proceeding to beat MTSU by three scores last week (despite a somewhat slow start). Burmeister has proven himself to be a gamer with deceiving dual threat capability and the Hokies’ defense has been solid in both contests this season. West Virginia on the other hand lost to unranked Maryland in week 1 and played Long Island University last week (it was a blowout, but still). By giving Virginia Tech points in this matchup, Vegas appears to be implying that these two teams would be relatively even on a neutral field. While this will be the Hokies’ first test away in a rivalry game atmosphere, I simply think they are the better team and would probably take them straight up in this matchup. That said, I’m confidently taking the points and rolling with the Hokies to bring home the Black Diamond Trophy this weekend.

Coastal Carolina @ Buffalo – Saturday, 9/18 (12:00 PM EST)
Pick: Coastal Carolina -12.5

I’m still ashamed of myself for not listing the Chanticleers as one of my favorite bets last week. Coastal Carolina absolutely dismantled Kansas 49-22 at home, proving once again that they are capable of beating Power 5 teams. Coastal is loaded on offense with Grayson McCall at the helm (82.5% completion rate, 507 pass yards), Reese White leading the backfield (164 rush yards, 5 TDs), super talented WRs and an elite TE in Isaiah Likely. They also boast a stingy defense and a dangerous special teams that blocked a punt for a TD last week. While playing Buffalo away should be a solid test for the Chanticleers, I think Coastal continues to showcase that electric offense this weekend and overwhelm Buffalo in the second half. This team gives me serious UCF vibes and I’m excited to see what overrated Power 5 team they embarrass in a bowl game this year.

Michigan State @ Miami – Saturday, 9/18 (12:00 PM EST)
Pick: Michigan State +7.5

This game should be won or lost in the trenches for the Spartans. Michigan State and Kenneth Walker (321 rush yards, 5 TDs) have been lights out on the ground, averaging over 300 yards per game as a team and pushing teams around at will. Payton Thorne has been consistent under center as well, although untested thus far, and should have no issues exposing Miami’s suspect secondary if needed. Miami has been a different story. Getting blown out by Alabama in a season opener? We’ve all been there. Barely scraping out a win the very next week against App State at home? Well, while that’s not super atypical either it’s still concerning. I think an even more concerning factor are the injuries the Canes sustained in that game to both sides of the ball. Don Chaney Jr (RB) is out for the season with a knee injury and starting LB Keontra Smith is out for several weeks with a leg injury. If the Canes let the Spartans offensive line control the tempo of the game then they could be staring down the barrel of a 1-2 start to the season. I like the Spartans to at the very least cover and possibly win this matchup outright.

DPJ’s Best Bets (1-3-1 Overall)
Arizona State @ BYU – Saturday, 9/18 (10:15 PM EST)
Pick: Arizona State -2.5

BYU starts their season with three Pac12 teams in a row; Zona, Utah and now ASU. They barely beat a lousy Zona program in a down year by 8 points, eked out a nice win against Utah who is certainly a formidable opponent, but the Sun Devils pose a much different threat to a porous Cougar defense. I expect ASU to run all over BYU, this should be either a high scoring affair or an ASU blowout. Herm Edwards has had the Sun Devils playing hard as hell ever since he got to Tempe and they should be in strong position to win the Pac12 South after a W against the Cougars under the lights this Saturday.

Alabama @ Florida – Saturday, 9/18 (3:30 PM EST)
Pick: Totals Points Over 58

Let’s take a look at what happened last year…final score Alabama 52, Florida 46. 98 points in the SEC Championship, an instant classic. While many of those same players are gone, most of which went in the first round of the NFL Draft (Mac Jones, Devonta Smith, Kyle Pitts etc.), this should still be points, points, points all game. We all know that Bama reloads like no other team in CFB history. I don’t expect a one score game like last year but Florida has the firepower to easily cover the 58 after Bama jumps out to an early lead. There is a threat of some rain over the weekend in Gainesville that could slow the game down a bit so I will keep my eye on that. Weather permitting, this game should cover the total by the end of Q3.

Best of the Best Bets – DPJ & Q approved (0-3 Overall)
Purdue @ Notre Dame – Saturday, 9/18 (2:30 PM EST)
Pick: Notre Dame -6.5

The old saying, “the luck of the Irish”, is quickly becoming a trigger for me after starting the season 0-2 ATS thus far. Despite the rough start, this Irish team is better than their first two box scores would suggest and there’s no better time to turn the ship around than against a former 68 year rival in the Boilermakers. Notre Dame’s defense, although suspect at times, is still very talented and should be able to apply the lessons they’ve learned from Florida State and Tulane against an average Purdue squad at home this week. I think the main reason why I feel comfortable holding steady with the Irish this week is their QB, Jack Coan. Coan has remained poised this year despite the ups and downs, throwing for over 600 yards and 6 TDs in his two starts. Hot take, it’s also a very good sign to have a QB under center who’s willing to pop his dislocated finger back into place then immediately step back on the field and throw the game clinching TD to ice the game (which Coan casually pulled off against Toledo last week). I think this line is an overreaction to the close games Notre Dame has played up to this point and I fully expect a thorough beat down in South Bend this weekend to get right. – Q

Virginia @ North Carolina – Saturday, 9/18 (7:30 PM EST)
Pick: Virginia +10

The Cavaliers head south to Chapel Hill, taking on the Tar Heels in what should be a pivotal game for both sides in the South’s Oldest Rivalry. A win for UVA could land them in the top 25, a loss for UNC would put a preseason top-10 team on a 1-2 start. The total is 67, and quite frankly I love the under as well, but more than anything I like UVA to hang around and keep this a one score game. They knocked off the Tar Heels in Charlottesville 11 months ago by 3 points, I’d expect this one to be equally as close. QB Brennan Armstrong appears to have found his stroke in the early season with over 700 yards and 7 TDs through 2 weeks. Lifelong UVA fan Sutton “Bird” White should be sleeping soundly on Saturday night after the Cavaliers pull this one out. – DPJ

Other Action (0-0 overall)

Cincinnati @ Indiana: Cincinnati -2.5

Alabama @ Florida: Alabama -13.5

Auburn @ Penn State: Auburn +7

New Mexico @ Texas A&M: Texas A&M -27.5

Fresno State @ UCLA: UCLA -10

Risky Business (0-0 overall)
We’re adding a new section to our weekly bets moving forward for those of you who really like to roll the dice. Our “Risky Business” section will include any teasers, parlays and underdog money lines that caught our eye for that week. Go big or go home, right?

3 Team – 6 Point Teaser (+180 odds): Notre Dame -0.5, Alabama -7.5, VT +9.5

3 Team – 6 Point Teaser (+180 odds): Virginia +16, Notre Dame -0.5, Alabama/Florida Total Points Over 52

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