Week 3 College Football Lines
Week 3 of the college football season is traditionally a bit ho-hum as compared to the first two weeks. 2013 saw the highly anticipated Alabama-Texas A&M rematch won in thrilling fashion by the Tide 49-42, but that was about it. Not surprisingly, the 2014 slate of games this Saturday is a bit lacking, with only one matchup between ranked teams. Nevertheless, there are still several games that should intrigue bettors, especially those looking to recoup funds squandered thus far. Here’s a breakdown of Saturday’s college pigskin action.
East Carolina at #17 Virginia Tech -10.5 – Anyone shocked by the Hokies’ upset over Ohio State at the Horseshoe must’ve forgotten how many huge games Frank Beamer has won in the last 25 years. Sure, he has a young roster, but his normally ballhawking defense did a number on Buckeye signal-caller, sacking him seven times and intercepting him thrice. It’s too soon for VA Tech to get cocky, but East Carolina at home should be an easy W.
UCF at #20 Missouri -9 – Blake Bortles is gone, but the Knights have no reason to hang their heads low. They are well-rested after losing in the final seconds to Penn State two weeks ago in Dublin. Problem is they yielded 511 yards and now get to face Tigers quarterback Maty Mauk, who accounted for 6 touchdowns versus Toledo. Vegas obviously feels UCF aren’t pushovers or this spread would be at least two scores.
Wyoming at #2 Oregon -43.5 – A letdown is possible after the emotionally charged victory over Michigan State. However, the 2-0 Cowboys managed a meager 34 points against Montana and Air Force. The Ducks defense is legit, so this will be a blowout of monumental proportions. Still, that’s a lot of points.
#6 Georgia at #24 South Carolina +6 – The Gamecocks get a second shot to prove they can hang with a rival SEC opponent at home. Mike Davis bounced back in Week 2 after a disappearing act against the Aggies. Senior quarterback Dylan Thompson wasn’t the issue in the opening night debacle — the blame falls on an overmatched defense that now has the pleasure of stopping ‘Dawgs running back Todd Gurley, who gashed Clemson to the tune of 198 yards and 3 touchdowns. Good luck, ol’ Ball Coach.
Purdue vs. #11 Notre Dame -28 – Hear that sound? It’s the sound of the Fightin’ Irish bandwagon clamoring into town. Shutting out Michigan is certainly impressive, but judgement must be withheld until they travel to Tallahassee in October. As for the Boilermakers, they are horrifically bad. That said, they lost by only 7 in last year’s meeting.
#12 UCLA vs. Texas +8 – Battle of dysfunctional teams. The Bruins are fortunate to be 2-0; their offense stunk in Week 1 and the defense laid an egg in Week 2. The Longhorns don’t appear much better after being hammered by BYU 41-7. Brett Hundley should be in for a huge night, and UCLA is in need of a beatdown to gain favor in the eyes of the playoff committee.
