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After see-sawing my way through the College Football schedule the past month, today is the day! At least I hope. Here are my five best bets for the College Football slate. Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the College Football schedule! Indiana (-14.5) at Penn State: O/U 48.5 Penn State is an NCAA-worst 1-7 ATS this season and in danger of missing a bowl game. After Indiana, the 3-5 Nittany Lions go to Michigan State, hosts Nebraska, and finishes the year at Rutgers. Penn State has to win three of the next four games, and I don’t see it. The Hoosiers rank first and fourth in havoc rate created and allowed this year, while the Nittany Lions are 78th and 43rd. I think Indiana will continue to crush whoever is in their path, which is easy to say after 50 and 45-point wins. I like Indiana to cover at Penn State, next week versus Wisconsin, and at Purdue to wrap up the regular season. Pick: Indiana -14.5 (1.5 units) Sam Houston State at Oregon State (-20.5): O/U 52.5 Oregon State opened the season on a seven-game losing streak and have won their last two as they host winless Sam Houston State (0-8). The Beavers have an opportunity to earn its biggest win of the year after handing FCS West Lafayette (45-13) then Washington State (10-7). Sam Houston State has only lost by 21 or more points in three of eight games, but has consistently lost by 17 or 18 points four times. This is a back-to-back road game for Sam Houston State after losing to Louisiana Tech (55-14). The two times this season the Bearkats have had back-to-back road games, they lost 55-0 at Texas and 37-10 at New Mexico State. I played Oregon State -20.5 at -115 odds and would go to -21 flat before opting for a first quarter or first half play on the spread. Pick: Oregon State -20.5 (1 unit) The Citadel at Ole Miss (-51.5): O/U 63.5 Ole Miss gets a tune-up game against The Citadel and are -51.5 point favorite. I do lean the Rebels to cover the big spread before it moves to -52.5, but there’s a plus-money play that gets you in and out of this game. I am fading The Citadel in the first half and taking their Team Total Under 2.5 for +110 odds. The Citadel run a two-quarterback system that shouldn’t fool Lane Kiffin. The Citadel hasn’t played a P4 team in 2025 and ended their 2024 season at Clemson (51-14) going scoreless in the first half before putting up some garbage time touchdowns. I see a similar outing here as Ole Miss’ defense is still searching for their first shutout over 30 minutes. Pick: The Citadel 1H Team Total Under 2.5 (1 unit) Oregon (-6.5) at Iowa: O/U 42.5 Oregon ranks top 10 both ways in havoc rate, while Iowa is top 37 both ways, so I expect a battle of the trenches. The weather also helps that come to fruition. It’s expected to be in the 40’s for temperatures with 70-percent chance of rain, steady showers and a chance of mixed snow! Plus, 10-15 MPH winds and gusts of 20-plus. Oregon just experienced a barrage of weather at home versus Wisconsin, so one could say they are more prepared, but a road trip across the country to Iowa is a different story. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is coming off a facial injury too, and Iowa will be coming after him. If Oregon wins this game, I don’t think they go out and score 30-plus and if Iowa wins, neither team could reach 20. I like the Under 42.5 after it moved off 40.5. I lean Iowa +6.5. Pick: Oregon vs Iowa Under 42.5 (1 unit) Ohio State (-29.5) at Purdue: O/U 48.5 Ohio State is shockingly 7-0-1 or 7-1 ATS this season depending on what number you got, and the defense could have a field day with Purdue’s two-quarterback system. Julian Sayin is the Heisman favorite after throwing 709 yards and eight touchdowns in the past two games for Ohio State, which makes you forget about how good the Buckeyes defense is. The Buckeyes are holding every team to 16 or fewer points this season and scored at least 34 themselves in six out of eight games and four straight. However, Ohio State gave up two second quarter touchdowns versus Penn State last week. Those marked the first and second touchdown scored on Ohio State in the first half this season. No other team scored more than three first-half points. Ohio State pitched a second-half shutout against Penn State and I think that carries over in the first half at Purdue. I went Purdue first half team total Under 3.5 points at -138 odds. Pick: Purdue 1H Team Total Under 3.5 (1 unit) Season Record: 46-59-1 -13.07 units | -11.36 ROI% Last Week Record: 3-3-1 -0.78 units Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell. If you are looking for help with your weekly College Football picks, NBC Sports has you covered with game odds, betting tools, and player prop projections. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
