College Football Predictions Today: 3 Picks, Player Props and Best Bets for Friday

Today’s College Football Picks in Summary

• Pittsburgh +3.5 (-114)
• Liberty -7.5 (+100)
• Northwestern Moneyline (+110)

This week’s Friday slate gives college football fans a smaller slate to work with, but there are still a few intriguing spots across the board.

With conference matchups and a handful of closely lined games on tap, spreads, totals and matchup trends can help narrow down the best betting opportunities.

Here are our favorite college football bets for tonight’s slate.

All college football odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Today’s Best College Football Picks and Prop Bets (Friday)

Pittsburgh +3.5 (-114)

Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. ET

The Virginia Tech Hokies are 4-0, but getting more than a field goal with the Pittsburgh Panthers is appealing given how dominant the Panthers have been on both sides of the ball.

Pitt has outscored opponents 157-34 through four games, averaging 39.3 points while surrendering only 8.5 per game. The Panthers are allowing just 244.5 total yards per game, including an absurd 53.2 rushing yards per contest on 2.0 yards per carry.

That run defense could be particularly important against a Virginia Tech offense that has leaned on its ground game. The Hokies' most recent victory came 21-14 at Boston College, and a 76-yard Jeffrey Overton Jr. touchdown run supplied their biggest offensive play of the afternoon.

Pitt can create problems through the air, too. Quarterback Mason Heintschel has completed 67.7% of his passes for 1,191 yards, 13 touchdowns and only one interception. He's averaging 297.8 passing yards per game and owns a 176.11 passer efficiency rating.

Lane Stadium is a difficult road environment, and this will notably be Pitt's first road game of the season. Still, the Panthers' statistical profile looks strong enough for me to back them at this 3.5 number.

Liberty -6.5 (-122)

Liberty at Delaware, 7 p.m. ET

The Liberty Flames have quietly started to hit its stride after dropping their opener at James Madison.

The Flames have won three straight, culminating in a convincing 34-17 road victory over Coastal Carolina. In that game, Kam Davis exploded for 166 rushing yards on 18 carries while quarterback Deshawn Purdie completed 11 of 16 passes for 216 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Liberty is averaging 30.5 points per game and allowing 18.8, giving the Flames nearly a 12-point average scoring margin.

The Delaware Blue Hens, meanwhile, enter at 2-2 after getting overwhelmed by Virginia. The Blue Hens managed only three points in a 42-3 loss, and their passing game produced just 38 yards in that contest. Delaware is scoring 23.3 points per game while surrendering 24.5.

There's also at least one useful common opponent. Delaware defeated Coastal Carolina 22-14 at home while Liberty went on the road and beat the Chanticleers 34-17 one week later. Common-opponent comparisons are never perfect, but Liberty's offensive ceiling has looked considerably higher.

I’ll take the Flames to cover at this -6.5 spread, which gives us a win on the key number 7.

Northwestern Moneyline (+110)

Penn State at Northwestern, 8 p.m. ET

The Northwestern Wildcats may be only 2-1, but their performance last week against Indiana makes the Wildcats interesting as a home underdog.

The Wildcats went into Bloomington and pushed No. 5 Indiana throughout in a 29-23 loss. Aidan Chiles completed 22 of 29 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, and Northwestern mounted three touchdown drives in the second half.

That's a much more encouraging recent performance than what we saw from the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Nittany Lions lost 24-20 at home to Wisconsin last week despite forcing three turnovers. Penn State's offense struggled badly through the air, with Rocco Becht completing just 12 of 29 passes for 114 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. James Peoples led the rushing attack with 67 yards on 14 attempts.

Penn State still owns a strong defensive profile, allowing just 11.5 points per game, so points may be hard to come by. But a lower-scoring environment generally makes taking the ‘dog more appealing, especially when the underdog has shown it can move the ball against high-level competition.

Northwestern is also 3-0 against the spread this season while Friday will mark the Wildcats' first game at the rebuilt Ryan Field. I’ll take the ‘Cats to get the W.

Check out our Ohio State vs. Iowa prediction and best bets.

College Football Betting FAQ

What is a point spread in college football betting?

The point spread is designed to account for the expected difference between two teams. The favorite must win by more than the listed spread for a bet on that team to cover while the underdog can cover by winning outright or losing by fewer points than the spread.

What is a college football moneyline bet?

A moneyline wager is simply a bet on which team will win the game. Favorites typically have shorter odds and smaller potential payouts while underdogs generally offer larger potential returns.

What does over/under mean in college football?

An over/under, also known as the game total, is a wager on the combined number of points scored by both teams. Bettors can choose whether the final combined score will finish over or under the set total.

What are college football player props?

College football player props are wagers based on an individual player's performance rather than the final outcome of the game. Depending on availability, common markets can include passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, touchdowns, and other statistical categories.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.