NCAAF Pick: Ohio State-Rutgers Over 42 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
We’re kicking off Saturday’s college football betting slate with a trio of free picks in the early games, with stops in the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Saturday, November 04, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at SHI Stadium
Could this be the year Rutgers finally breaks through and beats Ohio State? Not according to the top sportsbooks who have the Buckeyes favored by 18 over the Scarlet Knights.
Series Dominated by OSU
The Buckeyes and Scarlet Knights have met nine times, and Ohio State has won all nine by 22+ points. Rutgers has achieved at least a moral victory by pushing a 39-point line in last year’s 49-10 final in Columbus, and covering two of the previous three games.
Ohio State has averaged 53 points in the nine meetings, a big reason why six of them went past the totals. The Buckeyes were giving up 15 when they traveled to Piscataway two years ago, and left town with a 52-13 rout.
Monangai 2nd in B1G in Rushing Yards
Though Ohio State just missed the cover in a sloppy 24-10 win at Wisconsin, there was good news with the return of TreVeyon Henderson to the Buckeye backfield. Henderson missed the previous three games, and went off on the Badgers with 162 yards on 24 carries.
Having already blown past the expected win total (4) on the preseason college football futures, Rutgers is coming out of its bye week following a 31-14 win and cover at Indiana. Kyle Monangai enjoyed his fourth 100+ yard rushing effort on the season in the win.
The Pick
These are two of the better defenses in the Big Ten, but despite the series trend and Ohio State’s 1-7 O/U record this year, the total is a tad too low and I’ll play it ‘over.’
NCAAF Pick: Ohio State/Rutgers Over 42 (-108) at Heritage Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Clemson Tigers
Saturday, November 04, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at Memorial Stadium
Following a couple of road losses, Clemson looks to right the ship in front of the home fans this week, and do so while severely damaging Notre Dame’s hopes of a New Year’s Six bowl invite.
Irish Favored for 1st-Time in 6 Meetings
A quick check of the BMR NCAAF odds board finds unanimous agreement with the Fighting Irish favored by a field goal and 46 for the total.
Since Notre Dame started playing an ACC-heavy schedule in 2014, the Fighting Irish and Tigers have met five times with Clemson winning three of those contests. Notre Dame has current bragging rights following a 35-14 win in South Bend last season.
Defenses will Key ‘Under’ Winner
The Wuhan Flu forced the Fighting Irish to become a full-fledged member of the ACC, and the teams met twice that campaign.
Notre Dame won the regular season contest at home, then dropped the conference championship to Clemson. Both games played at Clemson (2015, 2018) stayed ‘under’ the totals.
The Pick
Clemson hasn’t lost three in a row since early in the 2010 campaign, and betting on that streak continuing is tempting. But the smart play is on the two defenses conspiring to keep the final from eclipsing the total.
NCAAF Pick: Notre Dame-Clemson Under 46 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Florida Gators
Saturday, November 04, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
The quest for a sixth win – and bowl eligibility – is tops on Florida’s list in advance of Arkansas coming to Gainesville this week, and with three games against ranked foes to follow, it could very well be the Gators’ last chance to guarantee a postseason trip.
Hogs in Underdog Role for 6th-Straight Matchup
Bookmaker has the most confidence in Florida getting the job done with a 6½-point spread favoring the Gators. Saturday’s scoreboard target is 49.
This infrequently-played SEC rivalry has been owned by Florida to the tune of a 9-2 record. They last met in 2020, and the Gators put on an offensive clinic with nine touchdowns, seven of them through the air, for a 63-35 win as 17-point chalk. Arkansas has dropped all five contests played in Gainesville.
Arkansas Offense Ranks Last in SEC
It’s already a lost season for Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks who dropped their sixth in a row two weeks ago at home to Mississippi State. It’s nicer to call the Bulldogs 7-3 win a defensive battle than to say both offenses stunk.
Florida scored first in its annual rivalry with Georgia last week, but the elation was short-lived as the Bulldogs scored the nest 36 points in a 43-20 final. The Gators have road matchups at LSU and Missouri and a home game with Florida State after this contest.
The Pick
Florida should bounce back into the win column and beat Arkansas by a TD, but it’s better to end this with a free pick on the total falling short.
NCAAF Pick: Arkansas-Florida Under 49 (-108) at Heritage Sports
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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