College Football Week 3 Best Matchups – Betting Preview

No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State (-7) – Friday

It’s the Wildcats vs. Wildcats, as Arizona plays its first game as a member of the Big 12 against a Big 12 opponent, Kansas State. However, since this game was scheduled before Arizona made the conference switch, it will not count in the Big 12 standings.

These teams haven’t played since 1978, so the 5-1-1 series edge for Arizona doesn’t have much meaning. But Arizona does have the nation’s longest winning streak, dating back to last season at nine games. If Arizona can push that streak to 10 games, it will be a new school record.

Arizona is 2-0, with wins over New Mexico and Northern Arizona. K-State is also 2-0, with wins over Tennessee-Martin and Tulane. K-State is 0-2 against the spread so far this season, and Arizona has also failed to cover the spread in its two wins.

No. 4 Alabama (-16) at Wisconsin

Alabama hasn’t faced much of a test this season, easily beating Western Kentucky and South Florida. This Saturday, they are at Camp Randall Stadium in Wisconsin, where they haven’t played since 1928. There was a neutral site meeting between these two in 2015 – won by Alabama – and those two games are the entirety of their series history.

Wisconsin is also 2-0, beating Western Michigan and South Dakota. But they failed to cover the spread in either game.

No. 16 LSU (-6.5) at South Carolina

Alabama is out of conference, but SEC conference play is underway, and this week it continues, with the LSU Tigers at South Carolina. LSU lost their opener against USC. But last week, they looked more like themselves, with a 44-21 win over Nicholls State.

South Carolina beat SEC opponent Kentucky last week, 31-6, a week after beating Old Dominion. Against Kentucky, South Carolina was a nine-point underdog, but won outright by 25 points. Against ODU, they were 21-point favorites, but only won by two.

With both teams having started the season with up-and-down performances, anything can happen on Saturday in Columbia. 

No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri (-15.5)

At the other Columbia in the SEC, the Missouri Tigers try to keep their shutout streak going against Boston College, which is appearing in the AP Top 25 for the first time this season. BC beat Florida State to begin the season, 28-13, and then blew out Duquesne last week, 56-0. Missouri has won its two games, 51-0 and 38-0.

In 2021, these two teams played at Boston College, with the home team winning, 41-34. Mizzou is +1600 to win the SEC, while BC is paying +3000 as a longshot to win the ACC.

No. 9 Oregon (-16.5) at Oregon State

Oregon and Oregon State have been playing against each other since 1894, with the Ducks leading the all-time series, 68-49-10. Last year, Oregon won at home, 31-7, and when the teams last met in Corvallis in 2022, Oregon State was the winner. In this series, the home team has won the last five games, and eight of the last nine.

The only road winner during that stretch was Oregon in 2018, when they won, 55-15.

Oregon is 2-0, but has yet to cover the spread in 2024. OSU is also 2-0, and they covered the spread last week with a 21-0 win over San Diego State.

No. 5 Ole Miss (-21.5) at Wake Forest

Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart is the real deal, and he is paying +850 to win the Heisman Trophy. He has accounted for eight touchdowns in the first two games of the season, which Ole Miss won by a combined score of 128-3. Both point spreads were covered by Mississippi.

Wake Forest is head and shoulders above Furman and Middle Tennessee State. But their loss at home to Virginia last Saturday is a reminder that they are still head and shoulders behind Mississippi. They haven’t covered the spread in either game this season. But combined, these two teams are 3-1 on the over (64.0)

No. 1 Georgia (-21.5) at Kentucky

Georgia has a 14-game winning streak against the Kentucky Wildcats, last losing to UK in 2009. But last year’s cover of the 14.5-point spread was the first time Georgia covered against Kentucky in five years. From 2019 through 2022, Kentucky lost the game, but covered the spread.

Georgia covered with a big win over Clemson to begin the season, 34-3. But they fell short as 55-point favorites in their 48-3 win over Tennessee Tech. Kentucky handled Southern Mississippi to begin the season, 31-0, covering the spread. However, in Week 2, they were favorites against South Carolina, but were beaten soundly.