Last week’s Group of Five best bets went an abysmal 1-4, my worst week of the season. I’m still 19-16 overall this year, but I’ve cooled off dramatically since my 11-4 start.
I’m hopeful to return to my winning ways this weekend. At the Power Five level, I love Utah (-3.5) vs. USC. That’s my favorite bet of the weekend, but at the Group of Five level, there’s plenty to like as well.
I dove through the college football betting odds to find a few picks to get me back on track, and I landed on these five wagers. Tail my picks at your own risk!
SMU -12.5 vs. Navy
Friday night lights! Navy has steadied the ship after a pair of lackluster showings to open the season, but I’m still high on SMU. Why? I’m not entirely sure. Failed red-zone possessions doomed the Mustangs against UCF, but they played Maryland and TCU quite competitively and the UCF game should’ve been closer. I think SMU ends its three-game losing streak with a more complete performance Friday. I also like that the Mustangs had a little extra time to prepare for the triple-option, having last played on Oct. 5.
East Carolina -5.5 vs. Memphis
I’m still floored that ECU is 3-3 this season. That feels like the worst record this team could possibly have at this point, but I’ll jump on the ECU bandwagon again this week. I like that the Pirates are home, and this feels like a game they’ll need to win to keep hope alive for a strong season. Heck, they might need this one to make a bowl game. I think ECU buckles down and looks the part of a good team this week.
Rice +4 at Florida Atlantic
I think the Owls are going bowling for the first time since 2014. They’re 3-2 with a blowout loss at USC, which is understandable, and a 34-27 loss at Houston. Rice has nice wins over Louisiana and UAB, and I expect the Owls will hold their own the rest of the season. I think they’ll keep this close, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they win outright.
JMU at Georgia Southern over 66.5
Georgia Southern’s defense is among the 10 least efficient defenses in the country, according to ESPN’s efficiency metrics. The Dukes have scored at least 40 points in four of their five games this season, and they scored 32 against App State in their worst scoring performance of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dukes, who scored 42 points last week despite not scoring until the second quarter, drop 50 in this game. Georgia Southern’s offense is solid, and I think the Eagles score enough to help this game over the 67-point threshold.
RELATED: Group of Five Power Poll
Akron +13.5 vs. Central Michigan
Bennett, why? Why would you bet on a pair of 1-5 teams? Fair point, hypothetical and judgemental reader. I just don’t think the gap between these teams is giant, so despite the subpar matchup, I’ll put some money down. They’ve each suffered blowout losses to Power 5 teams, but neither side looks drastically different when compared to conference peers. I think Akron keeps this game competitive, so I’ll take the home team to cover in a game I do not plan to watch.
Bennett Conlin is a college football contributor for HERO Sports, and he works full-time covering sports betting industry news and legislation for Sports Handle and US Bets.
