College Football Best Bets for Week 3: Our Expert Picks, ATS Predictions & Player Props

Our best bets for Week 3 of the college football season feature a mix of sides, spreads, teasers, totals, and player props.

Mike Spector

Last Updated: September 12, 2025 10:50 AM EDT • 7 minute read

College Football Best Bets Week 3: Expert Picks, ATS Predictions & Player Props — Picturued: Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) takes a snap. Photo by Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After a shakeup in the polls, there are several intriguing matchups (including three ranked vs. ranked tilts) to break down with my college football best bets for Week 3.

My best college football picks highlight the best angle in the top-15 SEC matchup between Georgia and Tennessee. I am also betting on a bounce-back effort from preseason Heisman Trophy odds contender and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik as part of our college football predictions for Week 3.

🏈 College football best bets & expert picks: Week 3

College football best bets made Thursday; odds subject to change.

Kansas State ML (-115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Arkansas State +26.5/Vanderbilt +10.5 six-point teaser (-110 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Georgia-Tennessee Under 49.5 (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
Northwestern team total Under 10.5 (-135 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cade Klubnik Over 2.5 passing touchdowns (+185 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

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

Track the latest college football scores for line movement and matchup info.

🟣 Kansas State ML (-115) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Usatsi 26970518 (1) — Pictured: Kansas State Wildcats running back Joe Jackson (4) runs in for a touchdown. Photo by Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Just three weeks ago, Kansas State was favored in a ranked vs. ranked matchup to open the season in Dublin, and was on a short list of Big 12 Conference title contenders. But after the Wildcats lost two games narrowly by identical scores of 24-21 to Iowa State and Army, many have jumped off their bandwagon.

Arizona is coming off a season where it finished 2-7 in the Big 12. It could potentially be seen as a negative in today’s transfer-happy world that it ranked in the FBS top 15 in returning production.

When Arizona played against top-60 offenses last season, it allowed just under 40 points per game and exactly seven yards per play. So while beating Hawaii and Weber State by a combined 88-9 is impressive, I do not expect it to be ready to handle Kansas State’s physicality in its first actual test of the season.

This line jumped the fence from Kansas State being +100 underdogs to -115 favorites (an increase in 3.49% implied probability from 50% to 53.49%). I am following that line movement and backing the Wildcats to win as road favorites with a $10 wager that would return a potential $8.70 in profits.

🐺 + ⚓️ Arkansas State +26.5/Vanderbilt +10.5 six-point teaser (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arkansas State opened at +21 and was bet down to +20.5 despite receiving 35% of the early wagers. That suggests sharps are loading up on the underdogs in a tremendous situational spot in a rare home game against a ranked power conference opponent. This is a trap spot for Iowa State coming off its bitter rivalry with Iowa, with a matchup against an unbeaten conference opponent (Arizona) looming next week.

Vanderbilt is coming off a rout of Virginia Tech, outscoring the Hokies 34-0 in the second half, and holding them to 21 total yards of offense. In the 60-year history of Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech has never been outscored by that many points in a half in school history. The Commodores upset a No. 1-ranked Alabama last year and will not be intimidated in this environment.

I am backing the 52.38% implied probability for this teaser to come through with five stars of confidence.

⬇️ Georgia-Tennessee Under 49.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel’s teams are 51-2 when rushing for 200-plus yards. Thus, there will be an emphasis on controlling the line of scrimmage, using more clock than usual, and trying to push around a usually stout Georgia front.

Tennessee averages 84 plays per game and is coming off a 72-point performance, which was its most in a game since 1929. But I am not letting that influence my pick on this Under, especially since the Volunteers should see regression from converting third downs at a near 65% clip.

An underrated factor in this pick is how Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson can change field position. Thorson has 175 yards on four punts this year.

There is not much value to be had from line shopping, as this O/U is at 49.5 and juiced to -110 (carrying a 52.38% implied probability) on both sides of the total across the best sports betting apps. If the Under hits, a $10 winning wager would net $9.09 in profits.

⬇️ Northwestern team total Under 10.5 (-135) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning did not call off the dogs in last week’s 69-3 rout of Oklahoma State, a game where it was a 28.5-point favorite.

This week the Ducks are near four-touchdown favorites in a game with an O/U of 48.5, and I expect the defensive-minded Lanning will have his team ready to keep an opponent out of the endzone for a second straight week.

Northwestern managed just three points against AAC contender Tulane, totaling just 237 yards and committing five turnovers. A Ducks defense that has allowed opponents to convert just 25% of its third-down opportunities while forcing two turnovers will be licking its chops.

The implied probability for this alternate team total is at 59.68% through -148 odds on the high end of the market. By comparison, the -135 odds at Caesars (which would net $7.41 in profits on a winning $10 wager) are completely justified. However, I would not put anyone off backing the Under of 9.5 at FanDuel at +116 odds.

💰 Best college football player prop bets for Week 3

Our college football player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.

⬆️ Cade Klubnik Over 2.5 passing touchdowns (+185 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Considering Clemson's performance to this point in the season, few recall that it returned the most production (80%) of any FBS team, including 85% of its offense. The Tigers have averaged just 18.5 points per game through the first two games (tied for the fourth-fewest in the ACC), but I expect their offense will get going this week.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik had three or more touchdown passes in eight games last year. Six of those were conference games, and five of his three-touchdown performances came within the first seven games of the season.

The Over on Klubnik’s standard line of 1.5 passing touchdowns is much too steep (-192, 65.75% implied probability). I prefer the value on his alternate total at DraftKings, whose +185 odds trump the +178 odds on the low end of the market. At +185, a $10 winning wager would net $18.50 in profits.

❓ College football betting FAQs

What are the best bets for college football Week 3?

My best bets for college football Week 3 include Kansas State to win outright, Arkansas State and Vanderbilt to complete a six-point teaser, the Georgia-Tennessee game to cash the Under, Northwestern to stay under its projected team total, and Cade Klubnik to throw for at least three touchdowns.

How do college football odds work?

When betting on college football odds, the point spread shows how many points the favorite needs to win by in order to cash the bet. For example, a favorite of -3 must win by more than 3 points to cover the spread, while an underdog at +3 must win outright or lose by fewer than 3 points to cover the spread.

Moneyline odds represent the payout for picking the outright winner (+200 means a $100 bet wins $200, while -200 means a $200 bet wins $100). Over/Unders let you wager on whether the combined total will be higher or lower than the set number.

You can determine the payouts and implied probabilities for any wager - or convert odds to different formats - with our odds converter.

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Written by:
Mike Spector

Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike leans on his NFL experience and always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”