College Football betting - Week 4
The following article contains information that is not representative of the opinions of CommRadio. It solely expresses the opinions of Connor Fenix.
The 2022 college football season is in full swing, and there have been a few last-second shockers as well as your typical blowouts. For this week, there are key matchups that will determine the contenders from the pretenders, and new betting lines that come off as surprising.
Here are five picks to keep a close eye on this weekend.
No. 5 Clemson vs No. 21 Wake Forest (WF +7)
The Clemson Tigers are currently ranked No. 5 in the country, but this matchup will be their first true test of the season. Wake Forest managed to secure a spot in the 2021 ACC Championship game, as the Demon Deacons find themselves as the 21st-ranked team in the country this season.
A top 25 matchup is always a game that shouldn’t be overlooked, and in college football, anything is possible. Wake Forest has some impressive victories thus far, and the current line of the game has Wake Forest +7 points. Both of these teams have showcased their ability to put up a lot of points, so it should be a high-scoring contest. It’ll be interesting to see how Clemson will fare on the road in a hostile environment, but Dabo Swinney will have his squad prepared.
The pick: Wake Forest +7
No. 17 Baylor vs Iowa State (O/U 45)
Baylor dropped its Week 2 matchup at BYU, and the Bears are desperately clinging to a top 25 spot. Iowa State opens as a three-point favorite at home, and while the Cyclones are undefeated, this is their chance to knock Baylor out and earn their own spot back in the top 25.
Baylor has averaged 43.6 points per game, while Iowa State has averaged 31.6 points per game. The over/under is set at 45, and while Iowa State only scored 10 points against Iowa in Week 2, it was still enough to get them the win. Baylor will have to factor in the crowd to get by the Cyclones, so don’t expect much scoring in this duel.
The pick: Under 45
No. 20 Florida vs No. 11 Tennessee (Vols -410)
Another Top 25 affair, this SEC matchup will determine a lot for the future of both programs. Florida narrowly escaped USF at home this past weekend, while Tennessee has proven it can score a lot of points. Despite only scoring 24 points in an overtime victory against Pitt, Tennessee put up 59 points against Ball State in Week 1 and 63 against Akron this past weekend.
While Ball State and Akron aren’t that impressive of wins, the amount of points scored is intriguing alone. Florida fell to Kentucky in Week 2, 26-16, despite being in front of the home crowd in the Swamp. The Gators have yet to prove themselves, and heading to a hostile environment like Tennessee will be a tough obstacle to overcome. The Volunteers will take care of business at home.
The pick: Tennessee moneyline -410
No. 10 Arkansas vs No. 23 Texas A&M (ARK +110)
With a handful of ranked matchups this weekend, this is another SEC matchup that will prove exciting. Texas A&M was able to escape Miami in Week 3, but the Aggies are also clinging to a top 25 spot. Texas A&M dropped its Week 2 matchup against App State, but the Mountaineers have proved they’re no slouch this season.
Arkansas opens as a two-point underdog on the road, but it’s safe to say that the Razorbacks are looking to play spoiler this weekend in College Station. Arkansas knocked Cincinnati out of the rankings in Week 1, and with the chance to knock another team out, the Razorbacks have a chip on their shoulder. It will be a close game, but Arkansas will prevail against a struggling Texas A&M team.
The pick: Arkansas moneyline
Wisconsin vs No. 3 Ohio State (OSU -18.5)
Under the lights in Columbus, Ohio State will be sporting its all-black uniforms this weekend hosting the Wisconsin Badgers. As if this matchup for the Badgers couldn’t get more intimidating, the Buckeyes are loaded and continue to get healthier week by week.
Ohio State won’t have to worry about putting up a lot of points, as their offensive scheme has proved deadly thus far and will continue to dominate as the season continues. The Buckeyes are -18.5 at home in primetime, and although Wisconsin’s strength of schedule hasn’t been that impressive, it will be shocking to see if it pulls off the upset on the road in an antagonistic atmosphere in Ohio Stadium.
The pick: Ohio State -18.5
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Connor Fenix is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email cjf5726@psu.edu.
