College Football Best Bets for Saturday: ATS Predictions & Player Props

I dive into the eight-game slate of bowl matchups this weekend to comprise my college football best bets for Saturday.

My college football expert picks include the best ATS play in a bowl game between two AP preseason top-four teams, which is a part of our college football predictions this week. From a player prop perspective, I expect a huge day from an ACC freshman quarterback, and multiple scores from a veteran running back.

🏈 College football best bets for Saturday

See all of our experts' college football picks for Saturday based on the latest college football odds.

🔮 Best college football predictions: ATS, ML, O/U

🐅 Clemson -3 (-105) ⭐⭐⭐

Clemson will be without upwards of 27 players due to injury or opt-outs, including eight starters who played in the regular-season finale. But Penn State’s opt-outs are more significant with running back Nicholas Singleton and Elliott Washington, one of the team's best cornerbacks, in the transfer portal.

While Penn State is also dealing with a new coaching regime under Matt Campbell starting next season, I trust Clemson’s consistency more with Dabo Swinney. The Tigers are looking to extend their FBS record with consecutive seasons featuring at least one postseason victory to 15.

Several of the best sports betting apps have moved to -3.5, so I'm taking advantage of the top number and price at Caesars.

⬆️ Army team total Over 27.5 points (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

On one hand, UConn benefits from added time to prepare for Army’s triple-option attack in this Fenway Bowl. But given how poorly the Huskies’ run defense has performed all year, one could argue the Black Knights are their worst possible matchup.

UConn ranked dead last among Division I teams in defensive stuff rate. And no matter the run concept (zone read, power, man blocking, etc.) UConn had less than a 40% success rate.

Army scored 27 or fewer points in each of its final regular-season games. But I love the contrarian nature of this play, as oddsmakers wouldn’t set Army's team total so high if they didn’t think an offensive explosion was coming. 

bet365 offers +135 odds to back the Over of 30.5. But I am making the safer play at the lower number while just needing four touchdowns to cash.

⬇️ BYU-Georgia Tech Under 56.5 (-115) ⭐⭐⭐

The Under may seem like a blasphemous pick in a game with weather not an issue (Orlando), and with each team’s starting quarterback playing. But BYU’s Bear Bachmeier isn’t 100% due to an ankle injury, and the Cougars' defense has enjoyed plenty of success against the power run concepts that Georgia Tech heavily deploys.

Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key’s teams often turn in their best defensive performances when underdogs. The Under is 10-1 in Georgia Tech’s last 11 games as an underdog, and the Yellow Jackets should be brimming with confidence after limiting national championship contender Georgia to just 16 points in the regular-season finale.

The O/U is as low as 55.5 at some of the other best sports betting sites, so Under backers would benefit from a full point more of value at reasonable -115 odds through BetMGM.

💰 Best college football player props for Saturday

Search the best college football player prop odds for any team or player across every market from legal sportsbooks in your area.

⬆️ Mason Heintschel player prop: Over 1.5 touchdown passes (-145) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pittsburgh has steamed up from a 4.5-point favorite to as high as 10.5 points, as several important East Carolina players are opting out. But arguably the most important change from the end of the regular season was Pirates defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge leaving for the same role at South Florida.

Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel will now face a Pirates defense without its coordinator that ranked 74th in PFF coverage grade and 133rd in tackling. That should allow him to throw for multiple touchdowns for the fourth time in the last six games. 

🔥 Lucky Sutton player prop: To score 2+ touchdowns (+200) ⭐⭐⭐

San Diego State quarterback Jayden Denegal will not play in this New Mexico Bowl after undergoing shoulder surgery. That means the offense is left to Central Michigan transfer Bert Emanuel Jr., who has thrown just nine passes this season. 

The Aztecs will rely heavily on lead rusher Lucky Sutton, who ran for 1,237 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He faces a North Texas defense that allowed 24-plus points to five of eight bowl-bound teams it played this year, including 30 or more on four such occasions.