College football is the gift that keeps on giving. Since this year is the last year of relative normalcy, it’s nice that we are getting all kinds of chaos. Who knows what comes next!
Week 3 College Football Game Spreads
Timing is everything. We only missed one bet because we pulled the trigger at the wrong time. Those who bet Utah (-6.5) cashed. Those of us who were a tad more optimistic fell flat. In the other action, Texas is back! Cincinnati beat Pitt outright despite being a road dog. Marshall’s offense came through. There was plenty of sweating hoping Iowa’s offense would not only cover 3.5 points but score 3.5 points. Either way, the train keeps a movin’!
Overall: 11-4 (4-1 last week)
Virginia @ Maryland (-15.5)
For the 79th time in history, the Virginia Cavaliers and Maryland Terrapins face off. These two teams used to play frequently as members of the ACC but this is the first time they’ve faced off since 2013. To date, Maryland leads the overall series, 44-32-2, and they own a two-game win streak coming into this matchup.
UVA comes into this game without a win to their resume and is led on offense by freshman quarterback, Anthony Colandrea. He’s accounted for 389 yards and two scores thus far and 285 of those yards went to the duo of Malachi Fields and Malik Washington. Defensively, the Cavs struggle. In two games, they’ve allowed 894 yards and 11 touchdowns. Overall, they are not looking good out of the gate in 2023 and it’s not going to get easier.
Maryland, meanwhile, is 2-0 and has scored 38 points in both games leading up to this. Taulia Tagovailoa is able to sling it with the best of them and brings with him 547 yards, four touchdowns, and a 68.1% completion percentage. Defensively, the Terps are 13th in FBS allowing just 13 points per game. Look for Beau Brade to be all over the field.
This is a story of good team hosting a, frankly, bad team. UVA got smacked by Tennessee and then upset by the Sun Belt’s James Madison. They struggle on defense and Maryland has an offense that can keep up with the best in the conference. Look for the Terps to cover pretty easily.
Wake Forest (-14) @ Old Dominion
Two years ago, Wake Forest and Old Dominion faced off for the first time and the Deacons took home a 41-10 victory. That was a legit Wake Forest team and this year’s team doesn’t seem to measure up quite as well.
Offensively, they can move the ball. Wake has three receivers over 100 yards already and running back Demond Claiborne is coming off of a 165-yard game on the ground and has looked good thus far. This secondary has some ball hawks. In just two games, Wake has forced four interceptions led by DaShawn Jones‘ pair. Can he make it three games in a row with a pick?
Old Dominion is coming off of a close win over Lousiana after a Week 1 loss to Virginia Tech. Despite that win, this ODU offense has not kicked off 2023 well. They’re only averaging 170 yards per game through the air and 173 rushing yards. Overall, there has not been much to be optimistic about regarding this offense and it won’t get much better this week.
The Deacs are off to a good start and should be able to keep it going.
[15] Kansas State (-4.5) @ Missouri
For the 99th time in history, Kansas State and Missouri will face off in a battle of former Big 12 rivals. The Wildcats come into this game as the reigning Big 12 champs but trail the Tigers 60-33-5 all-time, but they’ve won each of the last two.
Kansas State enters this game looking to continue its hot start. They boast a pair of 100-yard rushers and four 100-yard receivers already. The strength of this team is its defense, however. The only points they’ve allowed were last week against Troy, a team expected to have a decent offense. Mizzou is not going to have an easy week.
Mizzou may not have an easy week but they have the athletes to break some tendencies. Luther Burden comes in with 213 of the team’s 430 receiving yards to go with a touchdown. They also have a pair of running backs who can run it with the best of them.
This is a sneaky good game on paper. Kansas State has to keep up its run atop the Big 12 and Mizzou is looking to get back to the SEC Championship. However, KSU should be able to lock in the win this week as well as cover.
Bowling Green (+40.5) @ [2] Michigan
2023 will be the third time the Falcons and Wolverines will get to face off. Thus far, the series has been all Michigan, however. They own a 2-0 lead in the series with an average margin of victory of nearly 40 points. Michigan has CFP aspirations and Bowling Green is looking to improve upon a surprising bowl-eligible season last year.
The Falcons are going to be led by Indiana transfer, Connor Bazelak. He has some solid weapons, led by a pair of Alabama A&M transfers, Odieu Hiliare and Adbul-Fatai Ibrahim. They’ll have their work cut out for them this week against a solid secondary and pass rush.
Michigan’s offense has been strong thus far and that’s thanks to the uber-efficient play of J.J. McCarthy. Through two games, he has five touchdowns and all of seven incompletions. It helps that he has, arguably, the two best running backs in the Big Ten to hand off to.
Michigan should be able to secure the victory in this one pretty easily. It’s not 2007 when Toledo walked into the Big House and got the win. However, Michigan hasn’t hit 40 points in a game thus far and their playstyle tends to shorten games with the new clock rule. They win but don’t cover.
Western Kentucky (+29.5) @ [6] Ohio State
The Buckeyes are falling in the polls after a pair of less-than-stellar wins over lesser competition. WKU was the subject of one of our past picks and has not let us down yet. These two programs have never faced off until this week and it’s set to be an interesting one.
The Hilltoppers haven’t been off to the start that they expected but either way, their passing offense is still one of the most prolific. Quarterback Austin Reed led the FBS in passing last year. He has one of the best receivers in the nation that most haven’t heard of. He’s been looking forward to this matchup because he wants the nation to know he can play on the same level as Ohio State’s elite receivers.
Speaking of elite receivers, the Buckeyes finally got a little production out of Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Emeka Egbuka last week. Kyle McCord is officially QB1, so he shouldn’t have to look over his shoulder any longer. Overall, however, this offense has not been quite as good as it was expected to be.
Ohio State should win this game pretty handily. However, unless this offense breaks out of its funk, they won’t be able to cover the nearly 30 points needed here. WKU will be outmatched. It will be interesting to see this passing attack against Ohio State’s pass rush and secondary.
