Now that’s what I call a step in the right direction! Our week 3 bets hit at a rate of 62% higher than week 2 and we’re onwards and upwards from here.

DPJ and I are hitting our stride so do your bank account a favor and hop on the train. Week 4 is chock-full of juicy matchups so enjoy our favorite picks of the week and always remember to bet smarter, not harder.

Q’s Best Bets (2-6 overall)
Clemson @ NC State – Saturday, 9/25 (3:30 PM EST)
Pick: NC State Team Total Under 20 points (-115 odds)

So Clemson is obviously off to a rough start this year. Our offensive line hasn’t held up well and DJ, a preseason Heisman favorite, has struggled early. Clemson also just got blindsided by Lyn-J Dixon (once starting RB) who recently announced he was entering the transfer portal. Offensive struggles aside, the Tigers defense has been absolutely lethal so far this season. This defense hasn’t allowed an offensive TD this season. You read that correctly, no offensive TDs through the first 3 games of the year (one game against Georgia). This balanced defense features veteran presences in the form of super Seniors James Skalski and Nolan Turner as well as young burgeoning superstars in Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy. Brent Venables is still arguably the best defensive coordinator in the country and he’s got the boys going early. While I don’t feel good enough about this offense to bet on the spread, I’m more than happy to bank on Clemson’s defense to hold NC State’s offense to a TD and a couple FGs, at the most. 

Notre Dame vs Wisconsin – Saturday, 9/25 (12:00 PM EST)
Pick: Notre Dame +7

Man I never thought I’d bet on Notre Dame this many times in a season, and boy has it been a roller coaster, but I’m leaning towards the Irish again this weekend against Wisconsin. This matchup has revenge game written all over it. Coan will look to impress in front of his former squad, the game is being played at a neutral site and undefeated Notre Dame enters this matchup as a full TD underdog. I don’t see this game being a high scoring affair and I actually like ND in the underdog role here to keep it within a score. Taking the Irish/points here and banking on a nail biter.

DPJ’s Best Bets (2-4-1 overall)
UCLA at Stanford – Saturday, 9/25 (6:00 PM EST)
Pick: Total Points Over 58 

The Pac12 has been very difficult to predict this year, with no team outside of Oregon able to string together 3 wins to start the season. Although, now that I typed that out it does seem entirely predictable. I do think UCLA and Stanford are fighting for that second spot in the conference and I think both teams are fairly evenly matched. Neither of them like to play defense all that much…giving up 25 points per game each. We all know how quick a Chip Kelly offense can get up and down the field and the Bruins are doing exactly that this year, averaging almost 40 points per game on offense. This feels like a dont-overthink-it game and simply take the over and root for points. I will save you the time in looking up the point total for last year’s UCLA/Stanford game…95 american football points.

Best of the Best Bets – DPJ & Q approved (1-4 Overall)
Texas A&M @ Arkansas – Saturday, 9/25 (3:30 PM EST)
Pick: Arkansas +7 and Total Points Over 47 

This right here is a little two for one play. Arkansas has been flying under the radar a bit, upsetting a previously #10 ranked Texas team by 19 points back in week 2, and rolling through Rice and Georgia Southern for their other two wins. They beat Texas with an overwhelming run game, pounding the rock to the tune of 333 yards. I am expecting a similar result against the Aggies. A&M has done a great job of stopping the pass this year but they are absolutely feeble against the run. They’ve given up an avg. of 162 yards a game against Kent State, Colorado and New Mexico. I like the Razorbacks to cover the 7 points and would expect a high scoring affair on a neutral field. Don’t be blinded by A&M’s 10-7 rock fight of a victory over Colorado…this will be a much different ball game. – DPJ

Nebraska @ Michigan State – Saturday, 9/25 (7:00 PM EST)
Pick: Michigan State -3.5

Very different motivations coming into this game for these two teams. Michigan State has absolutely dismantled the teams they’ve played this year, including pulling away from Miami last week in blowout fashion and breaking into the top 25 rankings for the first time this season. On the other sideline, Nebraska has struggled early after dropping their home opener to unranked Illinois and (despite a solid effort) losing to Oklahoma by a TD last week. The Cornhuskers are hoping for some redemption and the Spartans are hungry to solidify their perception as a force to be reckoned with on a national scale and a true threat to contend for a Big Ten Championship this year. Payton Thorne has the Spartans offense humming thus far, spreading the ball out nicely and aided by spirited efforts from Kenneth Walker on the ground. Although Martinez appears to be making progress in the right direction for Nebraska as of late, the Spartans defense should be able to keep him in check enough to allow the Spartans well rounded offense to pull away in the second half. I like Michigan State at home by a TD+. – Q

Other Action (2-3 Overall)

West Virginia @ Oklahoma: West Virginia +18.5

Risky Business (0-2 Overall)

3 Team – 6 Point Teaser (+180 odds): Clemson -3.5, Florida -13, BYU -16.5

4 Team – 6 Point Teaser (+260 odds): UNC -6.5, West Virginia +24.5, Kansas State +14.5, Texas -1

Disclaimer: SidehustlebetsMJQ.com is not an online gambling operator or a gambling site of any kind. Our insights about sports/sports betting are purely for entertainment purposes only.