Free College Football Betting Picks For Today 10/17/2023
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Middle Tennessee St vs. Liberty College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/17/2023
Middle Tennessee St at Liberty—Middle Tennessee St improved to 2-5 with their 31-23 home victory to Louisiana Tech. The Blue Raiders rushed for 113 yards for just over three yards a carry. They limited the Bulldogs to three yards per rush but 340 passing yards on 47 attempts. Nicholas Vattiato completed 23 of 29 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 8.6 yards per pass attempt and had a rushing touchdown. He had thrown two interceptions in each of the previous two games. Liberty improved to 6-0 with their 31-13 road victory at Jacksonville St. The Flames rushed for 245 yards on 55 carries. They allowed 3.5 yards per run to the Gamecocks with 184 passing on 31 attempts. Kaidon Salter hit 12 of 21 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 8.4 yards per pass attempt. They met two seasons ago with Liberty posting 41-13 home victory behind 449 yards. Middle Tennessee St has dropped all three road games including a 31-10 defeat at Western Kentucky with three interceptions. The Flames have covered five of six. The Blue Raiders have nine turnovers in their past four games. Their defense was torched in a 21 point road loss at Western Kentucky. They are running for 3.7 yards a carry and not an efficient passing team. Liberty 21st in total defense in college football with stout pass defense. The Flames have covered five of six. Play Liberty -14.5.
Western Kentucky vs. Jacksonville St College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/17/2023
Western Kentucky at Jacksonville St—Western Kentucky improved to 4-2 with their 35-28 road victory at Louisiana Tech. The Hilltoppers built the 35-7 halftime lead. They ran for 129 yards on 28 carries. WKU allowed 3.5 yards per rush to the Bulldogs with 259 passing on 41 attempts. Austin Reed hit on 19 of 34 passes for 297 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He averaged 8 yards per pass attempt. Jacksonville St fell to 5-2 with their 31-13 home defeat to Liberty Flames. The Gamecocks rushed for 140 yards on 39 carries. They allowed 245 yards on the ground to the Flames with 177 passing on 21 attempts. Zion Webb suffered a concussion early in the game and is questionable after tossing two passes. Logan Smothers is questionable with an ankle sprain he suffered in relief. Third string Ashton Frye saw action and hit 5 of 11 throws for 51 yards for 4.6 yards per attempt. He had 23 rushing yards on seven attempts. Jacksonville St is defending the run well holding teams to 3 yards a carry. Western Kentucky is a high-volume passing team that is not efficient, sitting 98th in the nation in yards per completion and 92nd in yards per pass attempt. Jacksonville St averages 45.4 rushes per game ranking sixth in the nation and run for 4.5 yards per run. At home the Gamecocks were under in all four home games. Play Western Kentucky and Jacksonville St under 60.
Southern Mississippi vs. South Alabama College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/17/2023
Southern Miss at South Alabama—Southern Miss fell to 1-5 with their 17-13 home defeat to Old Dominion. The Golden Eagles rushed for just under three yards a carry on 44 attempts. They allowed 143 yards on the ground to the Monarchs with 194 passing on 22 attempts. Billy Wiles completed 15 of 26 passes for 166 yards. He averaged 6 yards per attempt. South Alabama improved to 3-3 after their 55-7 road win at UL Monroe. The Jaguars rushed for 202 yards. They allowed 138 yards rushing to the Warhawks with 112 passing on 28 attempts. They had a +2-turnover margin. Carter Bradley completed 20 of 29 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 10 yards per pass attempt. Southern Miss is putting up offense in Conference USA by averaging 412 yards and 29 points per game. The Jaguars are inconsistent and have a home loss to Central Michigan. Golden Eagles offensive performance in conference puts the check mark on their side. Play Southern Miss +18.
Akron vs. Bowling Green College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Akron at Bowling Green 2PM ET—Akron fell to 1-6 with their 17-10 road defeat at Central Michigan. The Zips rushed for 70 yards. They allowed 2.5 yards per run to the Chippewas with 181 passing on 32 attempts. Tahj Bullock completed 6 of 17 for 45 yards with two interceptions with 2.6 yards per pass attempt. He rushed for 32 yards. Starter DJ Irons is out for the season with a knee injury. Jeff Undercuffler relieved and completed 10 of 16 for 78 yards with a touchdown. He averaged 4.9 yards per pass attempt. Bowling Green improved to 3-4 with their 24-14 road victory to Buffalo Bulls. The Falcons rushed for 223 yards. They allowed 167 yards on the ground to the Bulls with 71 passing on 29 attempts. Bowling Green committed three turnovers and forced five from Buffalo. Camden Orth hit 9 of 16 passes for 77 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He averaged 4.8 yards per pass attempt and rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown. Both defenses perform well on the year. The Falcons were aided to victory by five Buffalo turnovers. They are averaging only 10.3 points per game against the MAC and inefficient in the passing game. Play Akron +7.5.
Charlotte vs. East Carolina College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Charlotte at East Carolina 2PM ET—Charlotte fell to 1-5 after their 14-0 home defeat to Navy. The 49ers rushed for 123 yards on 40 attempts. They allowed 173 yards rushing to the Midshipmen with 92 passing on 15 attempts. Trexler Ivey completed 11 of 27 passes for 142 yards with two interceptions. He averaged 5.3 yards per pass attempt and was sacked four times. East Carolina dropped to 1-5 after their 31-10 home defeat to SMU Mustangs. The Pirates rushed for 97 yards on 38 carries. They limited the Mustangs to just over two yards per run with 276 passing on 38 attempts. ECU had a -2-turnover margin. Alex Finn hit 6 of 13 passes for 38 yards and an interception. Mason Garcia relieved and went 12 of 26 for 155 yards. He averaged six yards per attempt and rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown. These two are likely to rotate on Saturday. Both teams have no wins against FBS teams. Charlotte has covered all three road games. East Carolina’s inefficient passing game makes it tough to lay over a touchdown as their quarterback situation is a mess. Play Charlotte +7.
North Texas vs. Tulane College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
North Texas at Tulane 3:30PM ET—North Texas improved to 3-3 with their 45-14 home victory to Temple. Mean Green posted 220 yards rushing. They did allow 240 yards on the ground to the Owls but only 105 passing on 30 attempts. North Texas had a +3-turnover margin. Chandler Rogers completed 25 of 39 for 307 yards with four touchdowns. He averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt but took four sacks. Tulane improved to 5-1 with their 31-21 road win at Memphis Tigers. The Green Wave rushed for 144 yards. They limited the Tigers to 45 yards on the ground for just over two yards a carry with 321 passing on 43 attempts. Tulane had a +3-turnover margin. Michael Pratt hit 19 of 31 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 8.4 yards per pass attempt and had a rushing touchdown. Green Wave is an efficient passing offense by averaging 14.7 yards per completion and 9.1 yards per pass attempt. North Texas is 127th in the nation in total defense by allowing 459 yards a game, 5.7 yards per run along with 12.5 yards per completed pass. They are 16th in total offense by averaging 477 yards per game. North Texas is running for 5.1 yards a carry and efficient in their passing game. Tulane should be able to score at will here with little resistance. Mean Green will get enough offense to hit the total over. Play Tulane and North Texas over 61.5.
Wisconsin vs. Illinois College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Wisconsin at Illinois 3:30PM ET—Wisconsin fell to 4-2 with their 15-6 home defeat to Iowa Hawkeyes. The Badgers rushed for 96 yards for 3.5 yards a carry. They surrendered 200 yards rushing to the Hawkeyes with 37 passing on 14 attempts. Wisconsin had a -2-turnover margin. Tanner Mordecai completed 12 of 20 for 106 yards. Mordecai broke his hand and is out indefinitely. Braedyn Locke hit 15 of 30 for 122 yards and an interception. He averaged 4.1 yards per pass attempt and lost a fumble. Illinois improved to 3-4 after their 27-24 road victory over the Maryland Terrapins. The Fighting Illini rushed for 131 yards. They limited the Terrapins to just over three yards per carry with 287 passing on 40 attempts. Luke Altmyer hit 16 of 28 for 206 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt. Wisconsin runs for 5 yards a carry and Illinois is allowing 4.2 yards per run. Illinois is an inefficient passing team. The Badgers defend the pass well and sit 36th in total defense by allowing 335 yards a game. Quarterback changed the concern for the Badgers. Expect a lot of running here. Play Wisconsin and Illinois under 42.
Pittsburgh vs. Wake Forest College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Pittsburgh at Wake Forest 3:30PM ET—Pittsburgh improved to 2-4 after their 38-21 home victory to Louisville Cardinals. The Panthers rushed for under three yards a carry. They limited the Cardinals to nearly three yards per rush with 350 passing on 52 attempts. The Panthers had a +3-turnover margin. Christian Veilleux hit 12 of 26 passes for 200 yards with two touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per pass attempt. Wake Forest drops to 3-3 with their 30-13 road defeat to Virginia Tech Hokies. The Demon Deacons rushed for only 35 yards on 31 carries. They allowed 141 yards rushing to the Hokies with 321 passing on 29 attempts. It was a -2-turnover margin for the Demon Deacons. Mitch Griffis completed 8 of 17 for 61 yards and an interception. He averaged just 3.6 yards per pass attempt. Michael Kern is the more efficient quarterback but is injured forcing an ineffective Griffis to start. Prefer Veilleux here. Play Pittsburgh +2.5.
Washington St vs. Oregon College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Washington St at Oregon 3:30PM ET—Washington St fell to 4-2 after their 44-6 home defeat to Arizona. The Cougars rushed for only 35 yards on 22 carries. They surrendered 174 rushing yards to the Wildcats with 342 passing on 43 attempts. It was a -3-turnover margin for Washington St. Cameron Ward completed 22 of 30 for 192 yards with an interception. He averaged 6.4 yards per pass attempt. Oregon fell to 6-1 with their 36-33 road defeat at Washington. A missed field goal as time expired cost them a shot at overtime. The Ducks rushed for 204 yards. They held the Huskies to three yards per run with 316 passing yards on 38 attempts. Bo Nix completed 33 of 44 passes for 337 yards with two touchdowns. He averaged 7.7 yards per pass attempt. Washington St defense has been torched in their past two games. Their rush defense has been grounded in back-to-back games. Oregon has done a great job of stopping the run in their past four games. That seems to be the key to stopping the Cougars and that is to shut down their run game. Play Oregon -20.
Central Michigan vs. Ball St College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Central Michigan at Ball St 3:30PM ET—Central Michigan improved to 4-3 with their 17-10 home victory to Akron Zips. The Chippewas rushed for 117 yards on 50 carries. They allowed 70 yards rushing to the Zips with 123 passing on 34 attempts. Jase Bauer completed 17 of 32 passes for 181 yards and two interceptions. He rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown. Ball St sits at 1-6 after their 13-6 home defeat to Toledo Rockets. The Cardinals rushed for 167 yards. They surrendered 210 yards rushing to the Rockets with 166 passing on 27 attempts. Kial Kelly hit 4 of 16 for 38 yards and an interception. He averaged only 2.4 yards per run and rushed for 98 yards. Respect the win for the Chippewas as South Alabama. Ball St has dropped both home games with poor passing performance. The Red Hawks ground game generates only 3.7 yards a carry. They have no wins against FBS teams. Play Central Michigan -4.5.
Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois 3:30PM ET—Eastern Michigan improved to 4-3 with their 28-14 home victory to Kent St Golden Flashes. The Eagles rushed for 100 yards for under three yards a carry. They allowed 163 yards rushing to Kent St with 180 passing on 36 attempts. EMU had a +2-turnover margin. Austin Smith hit 9 of 25 for 118 yards and a touchdown. He averaged only 4.7 yards per pass attempt. Northern Illinois improved to 3-4 following their 23-13 home victory to Ohio. The Huskies gained 133 rushing yards on 34 attempts. They limited the Bobcats to under four yards per run with 159 passing on 36 attempts. NIU had a +3-turnover margin. Rocky Lombardi completed 15 of 23 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 7.5 yards per pass attempt. Eastern Michigan is 132nd ranked offense in college football by averaging only 253 yards per game. Northern Illinois against the MAC is averaging 37 points and 440 yards a game. Eastern Michigan has defended well in the MAC by holding opponents to only 16.7 points per game. Northern Illinois is not an efficient passing game. Play Eastern Michigan +12.
Northwestern vs. Nebraska College Football Betting Pick Prediction 10/21/2023
Northwestern at Nebraska 3:30PM ET—Northwestern improved to 3-3 after their 23-20 home win to FCS Howard. The Wildcats rank 122nd in total offense this season by averaging 122 yards per game. Their run game produces only 3.1 yards per run. Quarterback Ben Bryant is questionable with an upper body injury and questionable. Brendan Sullivan started against Howard. He saw work in five games last year completing 74% with 6.1 yards per pass attempt. He has gone 10 of 16 for 61 yards this year with a touchdown and interception but only 3.8 yards per pass attempt. Nebraska improved to 3-3 with their 20-7 road win at Illinois. The Cornhuskers rushed for 158 yards. They held the Fighting Illini to just 21 rushing yards on 19 carries with 289 passing on 47 attempts. Heinrich Haarberg hit 12 of 24 for 154 yards and an interception. He averaged 6.4 yards per pass and rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown. Despite the quarterback change the Cornhuskers passing game remains inefficient. The Wildcats won last year’s meeting 31-28. Not confident is laying double digits with Nebraska as the Wildcats have been effective with their pass defense. Play Northwestern +12.