What do you call a 10-team parlay where nine of the ten teams covered? A loser. I’m not taking any solace in cashing two out of the three legs of my college football parlay last week. Northern Illinois just couldn’t stop a sputtering Florida State offense, and that doomed me despite wins on Florida and Texas A&M.
There is no time to look backward, only forward. Let’s press on and see what’s on the college football betting agenda in Week 5.
Week 1: No Play
Week 2: +$267.68
Week 3: -$100
Week 4: -$100
College Football Parlay Betting Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Kansas State +8.5 vs. Texas
Central Florida vs. Pittsburgh Over 66
Notre Dame -5.5 vs. Stanford
$100 to win $695.79
People are high on the Texas Longhorns, and I’m not sure why that’s the case. The long-suffering blueblood program is 3-1 coming into this game and ranked way too high in the polls. That led to bettors jumping on the Longhorns when they opened as a touchdown favorite on the NCAAF betting line this week, and now there is good value on Kansas State as a home dog.
The Longhorns weren’t all that great in their three wins. They narrowly squeaked by a bad Tulsa team in Week 2, were greatly aided by USC special teams’ gaffes in Week 3, and were gifted four TCU turnovers last week. Texas has relied on other teams’ mistakes over the last two weeks, and now they are laying 8.5 points on the road against a Kansas State team that won’t kill itself. That hasn’t been a recipe for success for Texas.
UCF continues to have one of the most high-powered offenses in the nation. New coach Josh Heupel runs the offense at a breakneck speed, and that has led to the Knights pouring on the points through the first three games of the season. They are great at manufacturing chunk plays, and this week’s opponent gives up a ton of them.
The reason to back the over instead of UCF as a two-touchdown favorite is that the Knights can’t stop the run. UCF is ranked 119th in the country in run defense, and the Knights were gashed on the ground by Florida Atlantic last Friday. Pittsburgh can run the ball, and they will be able to move the ball against this front seven.
Notre Dame is the last leg of this three-team parlay, and while I’m not extremely high on the Irish, this is a great spot to bet them. Stanford is coming off an incredibly fortuitous win. The Cardinal really had no business winning against Oregon last week, but the Ducks made mistakes in the second half and Stanford capitalized.
Now, Stanford has to take another long road trip after its defense faced 82 plays last week, and they have to be a little fatigued. The Cardinal have played arguably the toughest September schedule in the country, and this Notre Dame offense can take advantage and post some big numbers.
