The college football season moves to Week 4. A lot of teams which seemed to have very easy games this week are suddenly in positions where that is no longer the case, or at least can’t be taken for granted the same way logic suggested before the season. California and Purdue have become a lot better than anyone guessed, turning predicted blowouts into games which have a lot of intrigue. Those are two examples of teams which could pull upsets in Week 4. Here are the ranked teams that are on upset alert this week.
No. 5 USC Trojans at California Golden Bears
College Football Betting Odds: USC -16.5
The Trojans figured to win this game by a very large margin when the season began, but now that the week of this game has arrived, it might not be so simple. California is a surprising 3-0 after wins over North Carolina and Ole Miss, while USC looked very shaky in a narrow double-overtime win over Texas. The Trojans have a lot of injuries to deal with, especially on defense. They will have to play a number of relatively untested second-string players against Cal, which has been whipped into shape by new head coach Justin Wilcox and new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter. USC still has the better players, especially quarterback Sam Darnold, who can provide important plays in big situations, but California could create a much closer game than many people previously thought. If the Golden Bears’ defense continues to play as well as it has played through the first three games of the season, USC could have a real battle on its hands in the fourth quarter.
No. 8 Michigan Wolverines at Purdue Boilermakers
College Football Betting Odds: Michigan -10
The Michigan Wolverines have struggled on offense throughout the 2017 season. The Wolverines have struggled in the red zone, settling for a lot of field goals. They have given up touchdowns on offense, throwing two pick-sixes to Florida in Week 1. Quarterback Wilton Speight has not been a highly accurate quarterback. He is adjusting to a new offensive coordinator, Pep Hamilton, and is learning to work with freshmen wide receivers after having veteran pass catchers last season to guide him along. Michigan’s defense is outstanding, but its offense leaves enough question marks that the Wolverines might struggle with a surprisingly good Purdue team. The Boilermakers are close to being a 3-0 team. They are ahead of schedule at 2-1 under first-year head coach Jeff Brohm.
No. 22 San Diego State Aztecs at Air Force Falcons
College Football Betting Odds: San Diego State -5.5
The Aztecs scored a huge win over Stanford in Week 3. Now they will wear a target to Colorado Springs, and they will need to handle being the favorite against the Falcons. Air Force’s option offense is always hard to plan for. San Diego State has a quality defense, but the challenge of Air Force is different from the challenge of the straight-ahead power of Stanford. San Diego State needs star running back Rashaad Penny – who has carried the offense the past two weeks – to be great in this game. A big game from Penny would not only lead to points, but it would keep the Air Force offense off the field. That’s a very important part of this game.
No. 24 Oregon Ducks at Arizona State Sun Devils
College Football Betting Odds: Oregon -16.5
The Ducks’ offense has scored in bunches through the first three weeks of the season, and now comes an Arizona State defense which surrendered 52 points to Texas Tech. Seems easy, right? Maybe… but Arizona State scored 45 points last week, and quarterback Manny Wilkins is playing at a high level, committing very few mistakes while leading a potent offense. Oregon, with even a slight downturn in offensive efficiency, could get caught in a shootout it might lose. The Ducks’ defense is untested, and that defense has to be able to make plays against Wilkins if the Ducks are to feel somewhat secure in this road night game in the Arizona desert.
Click here to bet on the college football season right now. DSI has a full list of spreads, totals and props for every single game on the board. Get all of the latest lines that you need to get a piece of the action!
