College Football Predictions: 4 Picks and Best Bets for Saturday

Saturday’s College Football Picks in Summary

• Alabama-Mississippi State Over 60.5 Points (-110)
• Kentucky Moneyline (+128)
• BYU -5.5 (-118)
• Texas Tech -12.5 (-110)

Saturday's college football slate is loaded with ranked teams, conference matchups, and games that could have major ramifications later in the season.

The action starts with an intriguing SEC showdown between Alabama and undefeated Mississippi State before Ohio State visits Iowa in one of the afternoon's marquee games. The night window is just as interesting, featuring BYU-TCU, Texas Tech-Colorado, Miami-Clemson, and Washington-USC.

With a full day of football ahead, let's dive into four of the best college football bets to consider for Saturday's slate.

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

Saturday’s College Football Picks and Predictions

Alabama-Miss State Over 60.5 Points (-110)

Alabama at Mississippi State, Noon ET

Two of the nation's most productive offenses meet in Starkville, and I'm looking toward the over.

The Alabama Crimson Tide enter Saturday averaging 48.0 points per game while the Mississippi State Bulldogs are putting up 43.0 per contest. The Crimson Tide's four games have averaged 68.3 combined points, and all four have gone over the closing total.

The quarterback matchup is particularly appealing. Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor has completed 69.2% of his passes for 1,192 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions through four games. He has accounted for at least three touchdowns in every game, including 360 passing yards and 3 scores in last week's win over Missouri.

Alabama can certainly do its part, too. Keelon Russell has thrown for 776 yards and 9 touchdowns over his last two games while the Tide have scored at least 45 points in all four outings.

There is always some concern about asking an underdog to contribute enough against Alabama's defense, but Taylor and Mississippi State have shown enough explosiveness to make that less worrisome. With both offenses averaging north of 40 points, over 60.5 is appealing.

Kentucky Moneyline (+128)

Kentucky at South Carolina, 4:15 p.m. ET

The Kentucky Wildcats enter at 3-1 while the South Carolina Gamecocks are 2-2 and coming off a 49-18 loss to Alabama. The Gamecocks will also be without standout edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who was suspended following last week's game.

The matchup provides some reasons to like Kentucky's offense. The Wildcats rank 19th nationally in points per scoring opportunity while South Carolina's defense ranks 133rd in that category. Kentucky also ranks 21st in red-zone touchdown rate, compared to 122nd for the Gamecocks' defense.

Running back Jason Patterson adds another dimension. He's rushed 40 times for 326 yards, good for an excellent 8.2 yards per carry.

South Carolina's home-field advantage deserves respect, and its rushing attack presents a difficult matchup for Kentucky. But with the Wildcats an underdog against a Gamecocks squad that has struggled defensively, I like these odds on UK to get the win.

BYU -5.5 (-118)

BYU at TCU, 7 p.m. ET

The Brigham Young Cougars enter Saturday 3-0 both straight up and against the spread, and I'm willing to lay less than a touchdown with the Cougars in Fort Worth.

The Cougars have been impressive on both sides of the ball. They're averaging 44.0 points while surrendering only 15.7 per game.

The TCU Horned Frogs, meanwhile, are 2-2 and averaging 29.3 points per game.

One of the biggest differences is BYU's ability to generate efficient offense. The Cougars rank fifth nationally in passing success rate (59%), ninth in EPA per pass, and eighth in explosive pass rate. TCU's defense sits 83rd in passing success rate allowed.

BYU also has a significant edge against TCU's ground game. The Horned Frogs are averaging only 3.9 yards per rush while the Cougars' defense has limited opponents to 2.9 yards per carry. TCU quarterback Jaden Craig has been productive through the air with 1,213 yards, but a one-dimensional approach isn't ideal against this BYU defense.

The road setting adds some risk, but BYU's efficiency on both sides of the ball makes the Cougars my preferred side at -5.5.

Texas Tech -12.5 (-110)

Texas Tech at Colorado, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are 4-0 while the Colorado Buffaloes come in at 2-2. More importantly, the underlying matchup looks troublesome for the Buffaloes.

Texas Tech has a significant advantage when Colorado has the ball. The Red Raiders' defense ranks third nationally in red-zone touchdown rate allowed while Colorado's offense ranks 125th in that area. Texas Tech's defense has also performed well against the run, and the Red Raiders have generally prevented opponents from finishing drives with touchdowns.

Colorado has had serious trouble generating offense lately, averaging only 10.0 points over its previous two losses.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, has started 4-0 and has the offensive firepower to create separation if Colorado continues to struggle to sustain drives.

At less than two touchdowns, I'm comfortable taking the points with the Red Raiders.

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.