That’s two in a row. After losing my first college football teaser of the year, I have nailed each of my last two teasers. This week, I took the extra points with Miami and Hawai’i. The Hurricanes didn’t have much trouble with Toledo in a 49-24 rout, while the Rainbow Warriors hung close enough with Army to pick up the cover in a seven-point loss. I’m in the black on the year now when it comes to teasers, so let’s keep It going.
Week 1 Teaser: Loser
Week 2 Teaser: Winner
Week 3 Teaser: Winner
College Football Teaser Betting Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
7-point teaser option at -130 betting odds
UCF Knights -6.5 vs. Florida Atlantic Owls
Washington State Cougars +11 at USC Trojans
This would have been a trap game for UCF if they had played North Carolina last week. The Knights are looking for national recognition, and they have two Power Five teams on their schedule this season to try to get it. Originally, they were slated to play North Carolina, Florida Atlantic, and Pittsburgh in consecutive weeks, but Hurricane Florence scuttled those plans and they have had two weeks to get ready for this game.
Related: College Football Betting Guide
That has given Josh Heupel more time to find potential holes for McKenzie Milton to pick apart. Milton made some mistakes in UCF’s game against FCS South Carolina State last weekend, tossing three picks in the victory. He is eager to get back on the field, and he should have a big game against Florida Atlantic. The Owls have a defense that is ranked 86th in the nation according to S&P+, and they have given up at least 27 points in each of their first three games.
Meanwhile, FAU’s offense is not as explosive as it was last year. Devin Singletary has yet to run for more than 100 yards in a game, and Lane Kiffin’s decision to make a 24-year-old his offensive coordinator may not have been a great one. The Owls made their money on the ground in 2017, yet they are averaging just 4.3 yards per carry here.
The other part of this teaser will be a Friday night game too. USC is struggling big time right now. The Trojans offense is ranked 87th in the nation according to S&P+, and they are averaging just 5.5 yards per play. JT Daniels has had the typical issues that freshman have adjusting to the college game, and that has limited this unit.
Meanwhile, Washington State hasn’t missed a beat on offense. Graduate transfer Gardner Minshew has been sharp, and he is already averaging more than 400 yards per game through the air. USC has yet to see a quarterback as accurate as Minshew, and that will cause problems for a defense that has faced three run-heavy offenses.
The Trojans are going to have a tough time running the ball against Wazzou. The Cougars have a run defense ranked 21st in the nation through the first three weeks of the season, and that will put the pressure on Daniels. He hasn’t shown much yet, and it’s hard to believe he will figure it out this week in front of a nervous crowd.
