Sportsbook Industry News – Thursday, September 14
September 14, 2023
NFL Week 2 Line Move Plays
September 15, 2023
with eyes on helping out your parlays. There is plenty of value on the board in the midweek before the lines really move closer to kickoff, and don’t be surprised if some of these CFB betting odds take off.
College Football Week 3 Betting Odds at BetRivers Sportsbook and Caesars Sportsbook
South Florida +32 vs. Alabama
A lot of bettors might think it prudent to bet on Alabama after the Crimson Tide lost to Texas in Week 2. However, this is a big number, and it’s not clear the Crimson Tide have a quarterback that can make things happen in the passing game enough to cover the spread. Jalen Milroe struggled mightily against Texas last week, throwing two interceptions and he was sacked five times. That could lead to Tyler Buchner seeing action, and we could see this offense have hiccups as a result.
Additionally, South Florida is not as bad as it was in the recent past. The Bulls are already 1-1 under Alex Golesh, and they were very competitive in their Week 1 road loss to Western Kentucky. They have been able to bring in better recruits than they did under Jeff Scott, and that should help the Bulls keep this within the number.
Florida ML +200 vs. Tennessee
Tennessee is not as good as it was last year. The Volunteers do not have a quarterback nearly as consistent as Hendon Hooker although Joe Milton III has not put up bad numbers. He threw for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns against both Virginia and Austin Peay, but those numbers aren’t exactly great considering the quality of opponent.
Milton is in his sixth year of college, and he has been known for his inconsistency at both Michigan and Tennessee. He was replaced as a starter twice earlier in his career, and this is his first season that he is the unquestioned signal caller. This will be the first quality opponent he has faced, so that has made bettors skeptical about Tennessee’s chances on the road. There has been a lot of sharp money on Florida, and the football betting odds will continue to fall closer to kickoff.
The Gators didn’t look good on the road against Utah in their season opener, but they cruised to an easy win last week against an outmatched opponent. Florida has a very good defense and should be able to run the ball against Tennessee’s front seven. As long as the quarterback play isn’t bad, I expect Florida to win outright in order to put an end to the Vols’ CFP hopes.
Wyoming +28.5 at Texas
Everyone associated with Texas football is giddy after last week’s win over Alabama. The Longhorns might finally be back, and they are looking to win the Big 12 before exiting the conference before the SEC at the end of the season. Quinn Ewers has become a Heisman Trophy frontrunner and has thrown for 609 yards and six touchdowns without a turnover through two games, while Xavier Worthy is an elite receiver.
One of the big questions surrounding Texas is the ground game. Bijan Robinson was a top ten pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Longhorns miss him mightily. They are averaging just 3.5 YPC, and that’s not a good thing when it comes to covering large spreads.
Meanwhile, Wyoming is one of the most run heavy teams in the country. The Cowboys want to lean hard on the ground game, and that allows them to cover big numbers due to the running clock. The new clock rules will probably help Wyoming stay within 28.5 points, especially since Texas will be shifting its focus to the start of Big 12 play next week.
The Longhorns will have to take on Baylor in Waco next week, and that’s a game they will be fired up for even if the Bears have looked bad at the start of the season. This lookahead aspect will help Wyoming keep the game within the number, and a pleaser could be in order here.
