Week 2 of the college football season is in the books and it didn't disappoint. The Crimson Tide rolled over the Aggies, the Badgers pitched their second shutout of the season and Michigan needed double overtime - and a few lucky breaks - to beat Army.
Week 3 is just days away and we have you covered with hard-hitting insight and analysis on some of this week's most eagerly anticipated games as well as the latest trends and storylines from across the country.
Wager on all Week 3 NCAAF action at BetAmerica!
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#19 Iowa vs. Iowa State
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|
Iowa | -2.5 (-110) | -135 | O 45 (-110) |
Iowa State | +2.5 (-110) | +110 | U 45 (-110) |
*All odds are subject to change.
This year’s Iowa State team is without 2018 offensive stars WR Hakeem Butler and RB David Montgomery, but QB Brock Purdy is athletic and can sling it all day long. Despite a mediocre performance in their opener against Northern Iowa, expect Iowa State to bring more efficiency to their offense after getting a bye to practice on the things they failed to execute in their opening game. The defense is a known commodity and at home should offer plenty of resistance to an Iowa team also missing key pieces from last year’s team.
One of the most underrated rivalries in the country resumes this Saturday with the Cy-Hawk Trophy on the line as Iowa heads to Ames to face Iowa State and battle for state bragging rights. In a state without a major professional team of any sort, Iowa vs. Iowa State is the most important sporting event all year. ESPN’s College GameDay is even making their first appearance in Ames as this matchup is all but guaranteed to be the most competitive of the weekend between two undefeated power-five teams.
Iowa State has had a good run in recent years under young head coach Matt Campbell and the fans have shown out in support of his success. Iowa State has put millions into stadium renovations and extended their head coach through 2024 as well as provided an additional $1 million in assistant coaches salaries just this offseason as Campbell was courted by Ohio State to potentially replace Urban Meyer.This year’s Iowa State team is without 2018 offensive stars WR Hakeem Butler and RB David Montgomery, but QB Brock Purdy is athletic and can sling it all day long. Despite a mediocre performance in their opener against Northern Iowa, expect Iowa State to bring more efficiency to their offense after getting a bye to practice on the things they failed to execute in their opening game. The defense is a known commodity and at home should offer plenty of resistance to an Iowa team also missing key pieces from last year’s team.
Play of the game by Brock Purdy. What effort. pic.twitter.com/zAbNJYUHYo
— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) August 31, 2019
For Iowa, QB Nate Stanley is an excellent team leader and a very efficient QB. He does lose two NFL-caliber tight ends from last year’s team, but RB Mekhi Sargent is a tough runner and Iowa’s outstanding strength program ensures quality lineman on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, however, starting LT Alaric Jackson should still be out and this could cause issues against a tough ISU defensive line.
The spread for this game sat at Iowa State -3.5 in the offseason. It then opened this week at Iowa State -2.5. One bad ISU performance against Northern Iowa should not be swinging this line so drastically. ISU is 4-9 against Iowa the last 13 years with wins by only three, two, three and three points, but Campbell has been pointing to this game all offseason and I believe he will scheme just enough plays for Purdy to execute to make the difference.
The spread for this game sat at Iowa State -3.5 in the offseason. It then opened this week at Iowa State -2.5. One bad ISU performance against Northern Iowa should not be swinging this line so drastically. ISU is 4-9 against Iowa the last 13 years with wins by only three, two, three and three points, but Campbell has been pointing to this game all offseason and I believe he will scheme just enough plays for Purdy to execute to make the difference.
Bet on Iowa vs. Iowa State here.
#9 Florida vs. Kentucky
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|
Florida | -7.5 (-110) | -305 | O 50 (-110) |
Kentucky | +7.5 (-110) | +240 | U 50 (-110) |
For many, many years, Florida vs. Kentucky wasn’t so much a competition but a tally sheet. Florida beat Kentucky 31 straight times, an SEC conference record. That streak finally ended in 2017 when Florida struggled to an atrocious 4-7 record, but the history of this series is very much a part of any conversation going into this game. Florida has dominated Kentucky through athletic superiority and far greater firepower.
Going into the 2019 game, Florida finds itself as a top-10 team and back in the national conversation. Kentucky is also 2-0 (and 2-0 ATS) and head coach Mark Stoops has high expectations for this year’s roster. Unfortunately for Kentucky, that roster took a major hit last week when starting QB Terry Wilson was lost for the season. In his place, Troy graduate transfer Sawyer Smith will get the start. Florida opened in this game as a 7-point favorite and currently sits at -7.5.
For Kentucky, the big question will obviously be the play of Smith. At Troy in 2018, Smith stepped in and led the team to a 5-2 record as the starting QB, including a bowl victory against Buffalo in which he threw for 320 passing yards and four touchdowns. Coach Stoops has the utmost confidence that Smith is both mature and prepared enough to step right in and take the reins.
Going into the 2019 game, Florida finds itself as a top-10 team and back in the national conversation. Kentucky is also 2-0 (and 2-0 ATS) and head coach Mark Stoops has high expectations for this year’s roster. Unfortunately for Kentucky, that roster took a major hit last week when starting QB Terry Wilson was lost for the season. In his place, Troy graduate transfer Sawyer Smith will get the start. Florida opened in this game as a 7-point favorite and currently sits at -7.5.
For Kentucky, the big question will obviously be the play of Smith. At Troy in 2018, Smith stepped in and led the team to a 5-2 record as the starting QB, including a bowl victory against Buffalo in which he threw for 320 passing yards and four touchdowns. Coach Stoops has the utmost confidence that Smith is both mature and prepared enough to step right in and take the reins.
Sawyer Smith vs Buffalo (2018) pic.twitter.com/rhNg4Y6zhw
— KY Clips (@KY_Clips) September 9, 2019
On the other side of the ball, Florida has third-year starter Feleipe Franks back under center and expectations are high that a year of progression will be the difference that Florida needs to compete in the SEC against Georgia. Thus far, Franks has completed an impressive 77% of his passes. This is a 20% jump from last year’s completion rate and while unlikely to stay that high, if Franks can maintain a higher completion percentage this year it will bode well for Florida.
Any time a top-10 team plays a conference road game laying two scores or more, sirens should be going off in the head of gamblers. Florida has dominated this series and with the front-page news of Wilson going down for the season, the average bettor will likely project this to be a dominant performance just like we’ve seen for years when these two play. Kentucky won 10 games last year though with many of those players still on this roster. They won’t lie down just because they’ve lost their QB. Kentucky will likely lose, but I like them to keep it within eight points playing at home and at night. Kentucky +7.5 is my play but you can probably wait because I could see this ticking up to 9.5 as public money is likely to prefer Florida in this one.
Any time a top-10 team plays a conference road game laying two scores or more, sirens should be going off in the head of gamblers. Florida has dominated this series and with the front-page news of Wilson going down for the season, the average bettor will likely project this to be a dominant performance just like we’ve seen for years when these two play. Kentucky won 10 games last year though with many of those players still on this roster. They won’t lie down just because they’ve lost their QB. Kentucky will likely lose, but I like them to keep it within eight points playing at home and at night. Kentucky +7.5 is my play but you can probably wait because I could see this ticking up to 9.5 as public money is likely to prefer Florida in this one.
Bet on Florida vs. Kentucky here.
#1 Clemson vs. Syracuse
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|
Clemson | -28 (-105) | N/A | O 60.5 (-110) |
Syracuse | +28 (-115) | N/A | U 60.5 (-110) |
Will Clemson finally get its first real test of the season in Week 3 when it plays Syracuse at the Carrier Dome? Don't hold your breath. The Orange tumbled out of the AP Top 25 poll over the weekend after a shocking 63-20 defeat to underdog Maryland.
Running back Javon Leake was one of four players to rush for 67 yards or more as the Terrapins ran roughshod over Syracuse. QB Josh Jackson also faced little resistance as he threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns in the easy, breezy victory. The humbling, 43-point drubbing was the most lopsided victory by an unranked team over a ranked opponent in 20 years.
Running back Javon Leake was one of four players to rush for 67 yards or more as the Terrapins ran roughshod over Syracuse. QB Josh Jackson also faced little resistance as he threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns in the easy, breezy victory. The humbling, 43-point drubbing was the most lopsided victory by an unranked team over a ranked opponent in 20 years.
Trevor Lawrence.
That's it, that's the tweet. #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/wmb1dbORhX — Stadium (@Stadium) September 7, 2019
It was an entirely different story for the undefeated Tigers, who rolled over #12 Texas A&M 24-10 to hold onto the top spot in the nation. Heisman favorite Trevor Lawrence threw for a touchdown and ran for another as Clemson kept the Aggies on their heels all game long.
The Tigers, who edged the Orange by four points last year, are now just one win away from setting a new school record with their 18th consecutive win.
The Tigers, who edged the Orange by four points last year, are now just one win away from setting a new school record with their 18th consecutive win.
Bet on Clemson vs. Syracuse
Here are the betting trends you need to know following Week 2:
- Home teams have won 82% of all games SU this season
- Home favorites have won a staggering 93% of all games SU
- Teams ranked in the AP Top 25 went 16-4 against unranked opponents in Week 2
- 52% of all games have gone UNDER the projected total this season
- Underdogs have gone 77-78-3 ATS this season
- LSU scored on eight of their 11 drives on Saturday against Texas
- Army attempted just five passes in its double overtime loss to Michigan
We’ve narrowed down the 14 remaining games you can’t afford to miss from Week 3.
| Game | Date | Spread | O/U |
|---|
#20 Wisconsin vs. Houston | Fri, September 13 | HOU +8 | N/A |
Arkansas State vs. #3 Georgia | Sat, September 14 | UGA -33 | N/A |
Pittsburgh vs. #13 Penn State | Sat, September 14 | PSU -17 | N/A |
Montana vs. #15 Oregon | Sat, September 14 | ORE -36.5 | 64.0 |
New Mexico vs. #7 Notre Dame | Sat, September 14 | ND -34.5 | N/A |
#2 Alabama vs. South Carolina | Sat, September 14 | SOCAR +25.5 | N/A |
Stanford vs. #17 UCF | Sat, September 14 | UCF -7.5 | N/A |
#12 Texas vs. Rice | Sat, September 14 | Rice +30.5 | N/A |
Arizona State vs. #18 Michigan State | Sat, September 14 | MSU -13.5 | N/A |
Idaho State vs. #11 Utah | Sat, September 14 | UTAH -36.5 | 64.0 |
Showing 1 to 10 of 14 entries
"We try to schedule the best teams that we can schedule, but we can only play the people who are willing to play us"#NickSaban on the Tide's 62-10 win over New Mexico State.......#RollTide #NMStatevsBama @WBRCnews pic.twitter.com/cT4Ay34qHi
— ChristinaWBRC (@ChristinaWBRC) September 7, 2019
Nick Saban isn't willing to make any apologies about the pushovers dotting Alabama's schedule this season. For the record, the Crimson Tide rank 30th in strength of schedule in 2019.
"We couldn't stop them."
No. 6 #LSU won a huge game at No. 9 Texas, but head coach Ed Orgeron saw guys running wide open and his defense getting torched most of the night. pic.twitter.com/nVxzX0mrq6 — Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) September 8, 2019
LSU may have beaten Texas on Saturday night, but head coach Ed Orgeron believes his team has a lot to work on if they're going to contend for a championship this season. Expect the Tigers to come out roaring this Saturday when they host winless Northwestern State.
.@ClemsonFB QB Trevor Lawrence talks about how Clemson's offensive weapons put pressure on opposing defenses, "You got to pick if you want to die fast or slow." #clemson #clemsonfootball pic.twitter.com/UKO1ntbOiO
— Julia Morris (@JMorrisWYFF4) September 9, 2019
It's uncertain whether Syracuse will "die fast or slow" this Saturday, but as +28 point underdogs the time has arrived to start preparing their eulogy.
Purdue QB Elijah Sindelar made headlines across the country on Saturday by racking up 509 passing yards and five touchdowns. Here are three things you need to know about the 23-year-old signal caller:
- Sindelar has a big brain to go with his big arm. The Kentucky native is an Academic All-American who is pursuing a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
- Sindelar was named Mr. Football for the state of Kentucky and was the Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior season. He was also a decent hoopster who averaged 14.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during his junior year.
- The biggest knock on Sindelar remains his decision-making. He’s already thrown three picks this season and continues to work closely with Purdue’s coaching staff on not forcing the issue on offense.