ESPN Sports Betting7 Minutes Read
Week 10 of College Football is a season that brings new excitement after the first College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday. Many were surprised to see Ohio State ranked as the top team even though ESPN BET listed Michigan (+225), Georgia (+250) and Florida State (+600) with shorter odds than the Buckeyes (+700) to win the national championship. . Some of these questions can be answered by the end of this week as No. 5 Washington faces No. 20 USC and No. 8 Alabama takes the No. 14 LSU. With so many betting picks to make our Matt Miller team, Kevin Haswell and Kevin Pulsifer break down everything you need to know about college football week.
Odds are ESPN BET
Michigan is currently a +225 favorite at ESPN BET to win the National Championship. With Georgia (+250), Florida State (+600) and Ohio State (+700) rounding out the top four. What are your thoughts on the College Football Playoff and who do you think has a chance to make a surprise appearance?
Matt Miller: The committee has done well with the top four teams — even if you want to argue with the order — and that’s what matters at this time of year. We will see Michigan vs. Ohio State and having a great opportunity to see Oregon vs. Washington and Texas vs. Oklahoma in their next game. Having said that, I think Oregon (+1200) is the team to watch here. The defense is playing lights out, the Ducks offense is strong and quarterback Bo Nix’s performance is needed when it comes.
Kevin Haswell: I’ll go with Oregon again. The Ducks have four games left in their regular season and have a 78% chance of winning this game according to ESPN Analytics. If they win, that will put one game between them and a trip to the College Football Playoff, a chance to get revenge against Washington in the Pac-12 Championship. If Oregon wins, it will be very difficult to get out of the CFP. For the price, I like it Oregon to make the playoffs at +160.
Kevin Pulsifer: I’m surprised by the sportsbook’s refusal to give Ohio State (+700) so much credit. The ESPN Analytics franchise has four wins against the FPI top 30, including Notre Dame and Penn State. Even if you think Michigan is slightly better (I think it’s close to a washout), the head-to-head debates shouldn’t be that different, but Michigan is +225 with the remaining schedule. As for the surprise team to reach the CFP, there are only four teams higher than +200 listed: Alabama (+260) and Oklahoma (+300) consider themselves valuable, LSU (+550) is doubtful as a two-loss team, so give me 20-1 record with Penn State. If they beat Michigan and Michigan beats Ohio State, the fifth seed decides who gets the Big Ten bid.
No. 5 Washington (-3.5, 76.5) (+160 to win Pac-12 on ESPN BET) enters Saturday night’s contest against No. 20 USC is looking to remain undefeated. Do you think Michael Penix Jr. Can the Huskies put together a performance against Caleb Williams and the Trojans or will USC pull off an upset at the Coliseum?
Matt Miller: USC is reeling behind a terrific defense and offense Caleb Williams doesn’t have the star power of the top teams in the country when it comes to supporting players. Williams has been asked to be a champion, and I doubt he can put up enough points above Washington’s power playmakers.
Kevin Haswell: This is going to be the best quarterback competition we’ve seen in college football this season. After losses to Notre Dame and Utah and another run to California last week, I think the wind has been taken out of the Trojans’ sails. USC’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff are almost over. As for the Huskies, they are looking to continue their magical, undefeated season. In a game that means more to one side than the other, give it to me Washington (-3.5).
Kevin Pulsifer: USC has lost six straight games and its last win has come by one goal against one of the Pac-12’s top teams as a double-digit favorite. Now we’re asking the Trojans to win against a top-5 team that still has everything to play for? Only two of Williams’ 34 touchdowns came in his two games against their own teams. Washington is putting up 40 points almost every night and USC has allowed over 40 PPG since mid-September. I don’t see a way for the Huskies to lose unless they don’t come prepared, which won’t happen from consecutive unranked opponents and this matchup is in the first period.
No. 8 Alabama (-3, 60.5) receives the No. 14 LSU in Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon for an important SEC matchup. Do you like the Crimson Tide to win this game or will LSU and Jayden Daniels upset the Tide for the second straight year? What are your thoughts on the SEC title race right now?
Matt Miller: Give the Cars! Yes, Nick Saban’s team is always strong, but LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is having a great season and should be in the top three for the Heisman. Georgia (-160) is the team to beat in the SEC — especially with Carson Beck looking good at quarterback — but LSU (+550) is a very good team that has done nothing but change since a Week 1 loss at Florida State and a loss to Ole Miss.
Kevin Haswell: Part of me wants to go with the comeback route and pick Alabama on Saturday but Jayden Daniels and LSU’s offense has been too good to ignore. Daniels (+400) has the third best chance to win the Heisman, while the total offense leads the FBS in total yards this season. While the money line (+135) is tempting, I want to have as many points as I can against Nick Saban. Give it to me LSU +3. As for the SEC title race, I still like Georgia to beat whoever is coming out of the SEC West.
Kevin Pulsifer: Alabama allowed three touchdowns in the second half of the loss to Texas while trying to pick on the QB. Since starting Jalen Milroe, the Waves are undefeated and have allowed just three second-half touchdowns in five games (all SEC teams, three with a winning record in conference play). Jayden Daniels has been electric, but the Tigers’ defense has been questionable in big moments. The teams have faced three opponents, both passing Arkansas and beating Mississippi State, but Ole Miss scored 55 on LSU after only managing 10 against Alabama, so give me a full team in the Tide. This could lead to another Alabama-Georgia clash of the titans, so grab your popcorn!
What is your biggest disappointment for Week 10?
Matt Miller: Texas A&M (+3) over Ole Miss. After the embarrassing decision of Florida as my special disappointment last week, I’m sitting in the SEC and looking for the Aggies to stay on the road with an underdog win on the road against Ole Miss. The Rebels have won four straight games by a minimum. He scored 27 points in each win, but A&M is hot at the right time and has the players and horses on defense to shut down Ole Miss.
Kevin Haswell: In a battle of teams that beat North Carolina this season, Virginia has a two-point lead at home against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have won several games against their opponents in the last three weeks and are looking very interesting. In a highly contested game, give it to me Georgia Tech wins directly (+110).
Kevin Pulsifer: I will ride with Arkansas at Florida, currently +195 on the money line and 6-point underdogs. Don’t ignore the 0-5 SEC record for a second – the Hogs have played three top-10 teams on the road and held them all to one point. KJ Jefferson is a 3-year SEC running back and the Gators are under their leader in Shemar James. Florida needs its sixth win soon — after Arkansas, it faces LSU, the Missouri Tigers and the Florida State Seminoles.
Are you betting on your favorite for Week 10?
Matt Miller: Notre Dame (-3) over Clemson feel the light. I would like this because of the poor performance of Dabo’s offense and the fact that Notre Dame is a complete football team. Maybe this week’s offensive press conference from Dabo will light a fire under his team, but this feels like a game Notre Dame is running away from.
Kevin Haswell: On Saturday, I see LSU beating Alabama by doing what they do best, scoring. The Tigers went on a 12-game winning streak dating back to last season, a streak that is seven games longer than any other team in the FBS. Alabama’s offense, on the other hand, is averaging 31 points per game over its last four games. Give it to me over 60.5 at LSU-Alabama Saturday.
Kevin Pulsifer: The Iowa-Northwestern game has a chance to set the record with the over/under hovering around 30 (currently 30.5). But I’m looking at the spread of my choice here and take it Fish – 5. He’s done it in all but two games this season — one in a loss to Penn State and the other coming last week when a foul call negated a go-ahead TD that would have been -5. Northwestern’s four losses this season have all come by scores. I don’t know if I recommend watching this game, but I do recommend betting on it.