According to the NCAAF odds, Week 5 in college football will likely have some classics. Here are three early bets you’ll want to consider for next weekend’s slate at the top-rated sportsbooks.
Picks Summary
- Louisville +4.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
- Illinois +18 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
- Under 49.5 (-110) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Louisville Cardinals vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Saturday, September 28, 2024 – 03:30 PM ET at Notre Dame Stadium
Louisville’s Consistency Is Huge
Louisville will head into this weekend’s game against Notre Dame with an undefeated record, sitting at 3-0. The Cardinals had two easy games to begin the season but added an ACC win over Georgia Tech last week, 31-19. It was a convincing win against a team that had been formally ranked two weeks ago.
So far, Tyler Shough has looked sharp, accumulating 850 yards passing and 8 touchdowns. He’s far better than last year’s quarterback, Jack Plummer.
Notre Dame’s Non-Existent Passing Game
The Fighting Irish brought in Riley Leonard to be quarterback this season. However, he’s only thrown for 587 yards in four games and has more interceptions than touchdowns. He’s a run-first quarterback with no ability to make tremendous plays down the field with his arm.
The one questionable area on defense for the Cardinals is in coverage. But the secondary won’t be tested very much against Notre Dame.
The Pick
Therefore, consider taking the Louisville Cardinals at +4.5. This is ultimately a good test for Louisville on the road. But we’ve already seen Northern Illinois knock off Notre Dame in Notre Dame Stadium.
No one would be shocked if Notre Dame loses another home game this season. Louisville dominated Notre Dame last year and probably has a better team this year.
NCAAF Pick: Louisville +4.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Saturday, September 28, 2024 – 07:30 PM ET at Beaver Stadium
Illinois Looks Impressive!
The Illinois Fighting Illini took down Nebraska, 31-24, in overtime to go 4-0 on the season. They’ll stay ranked heading into this weekend’s matchup against Penn State.
Overall, Luke Altmyer has been tremendous for Illinois. He’s thrown for 862 yards in four games and has 10 passing touchdowns with no interceptions. Illinois hasn’t had a quarterback this good in a long time.
Additionally, the playmakers are stepping up, and the blocking has been terrific. It’s not easy beating Nebraska on the road, but the Illini found a way.
Should There Be Concern With Penn State?
The Penn State Nittany Lions dominated West Virginia, almost lost to Bowling Green, and then dominated Kent State. If the pattern continues, they’ll struggle to put away Illinois this weekend.
Ultimately, the Nittany Lions could struggle to run the ball. Illinois has only allowed 106.25 yards per game on the ground. While Penn State has earned over 207 yards per game rushing the ball, the run block hasn’t excelled to start the season.
The Pick
This is why I’ll side with Illinois +18 on the road this weekend. The Fighting Illini are for real. They might not win, but they’ll keep it close. The defense is too good, and Altmyer typically doesn’t make mistakes.
NCAAF Pick: Illinois +18 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Saturday, September 28, 2024 – 07:30 PM ET at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Georgia’s Defense Has Been Insane
The Georgia Bulldogs are 3-0 to start the season. After a slight scare against Kentucky, the Bulldogs are coming off a bye week after allowing no more than 12 points in any of the three games.
Georgia’s defense hasn’t been elite, but Alabama’s run blocking has also been weak. The Bulldogs have been excellent in coverage and continue to do well against the run.
Alabama’s Defense Has Been Tremendous
Alabama has allowed 8 more points on defense this season. However, the defense has played lights out in coverage and is really good against the run despite allowing 132 yards on the ground.
If they can keep a couple of big plays from happening in the run game, the Alabama defense will be just fine. After all, they’re facing a Georgia offense that hasn’t had tremendous success on the run compared to its competition.
The Pick
Let’s back the Under 49.5 for this insane rivalry matchup between Alabama and Georgia.
NCAAF Pick: Under 49.5 (-110) at Bet365
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
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