College Football is less than two months away from its first 12-team playoff, and the stakes have never been higher for the potential suitors.
A number of high-profile matchups have already set the tone for the upcoming postseason. Saturday’s matchup between No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State, both of whom are in the top five in national championship futures odds, will heavily influence next week’s national rankings.
At such a critical juncture in the season, there’s never been a better time to check out the top college football betting sites.
Here are our best college football spread bets for Week 10 (betting favorites in parentheses).
All odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and subject to change.
Duke vs. No. 5 Miami (Miami -20.5)
The Blue Devils have lost two of their last three games but are still 6-2 in their first year without previous head coach Mike Elko. Texas transfer QB Maalik Murphy handled the majority of the offensive responsibilities and was great in last week’s loss to SMU, while the defense has given up 22 points per game over its last four outings.
Heisman candidate Cam Ward and the Hurricanes thrashed Florida State 36-14 last week, improving to 8–0 (4-0). They’re second in the country in net EPA per play and have a true game-changer at quarterback, although three of their four conference games were settled by seven or fewer points.
Look for Duke to keep the game competitive and cover the spread.
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Penn State (Ohio State -3.5)
Ohio State coach Ryan Day is 2-6 against top-five opponents and has only been able to watch as his team’s run game and pass rush (its two best assets) have faded during its last two outings. Transfer QB Will Howard is from Pennsylvania and will get up for this hometown game, but the Buckeyes have been declining for a few weeks.
James Franklin is just 1-9 against Ohio State but has an explosive offense (ninth in yards per play) and stout defense (14.3 points allowed per game – seventh). The Nittany Lions also do a good job protecting their QB and are 14th in rushing yards allowed per attempt (3.2), which is why this game has the makings of an upset.
No. 1 Oregon vs. Michigan (Oregon -14.5)
Oregon is getting better every week. The Ducks have allowed only three sacks in their last six games combined, while QB Dillon Gabriel has tallied at least three touchdowns in six of eight games.
Michigan started the year as a national championship contender before quickly falling out of the playoff picture. The Wolverines have a stellar defensive front but lack depth and a true passing game, making them totally one-dimensional.
A team as diverse and motivated as Oregon is a terrible matchup for Michigan, so the Ducks shouldn’t have any problem covering -14.5
Florida vs. No. 2 Georgia (Georgia -14.5)
A 4-3 start to the year with one-score losses to Texas A&M and Tennessee is quietly impressive for Billy Napier and Florida. Freshman QB D.J. Lagway can create big plays by taking risks, while the defense held its last three opponents to 18.7 points per game.
Georgia QB Carson Beck has thrown eight interceptions in his last four games and was overwhelmingly unimpressive against Texas, while running back Trevor Etienne has yet to reach 90 rushing yards in a game.
Both teams are dead even in giveaways and takeaways per game, so this could be a spot for the Gators to cover in a rivalry matchup.
No. 10 Texas A&M vs. South Carolina (Texas A&M -3.5)
Texas A&M just needs to handle business against unranked opponents for the next three weeks to essentially guarantee a spot in the CFP. The Aggies benched quarterback Conner Weigman for Marcel Reed in a 38-23 win over LSU last week in a game where they recorded three interceptions on defense while running 49 times for 242 yards and five touchdowns.
South Carolina’s 4-3 record doesn’t jump off the page, but it lost to LSU and Alabama by a combined five points. The Gamecocks dominated Oklahoma 35-9 last week and have a defense ranked 10th in EPA per play.
Still, A&M has a tremendous running game and is a viable option to cover thanks to its strength at the point of attack.
Kentucky vs. No. 7 Tennessee (Tennessee -17.5)
Kentucky’s offense isn’t capable of much. Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt combined to go 12-for-27 passing for 154 yards and two picks against Auburn last week – a stat line that’s becoming all too common for the Wildcats. They rely heavily on their defense, which is starting to slide.
While Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s regression is worrying from a broader perspective, he’s still better than whichever Kentucky QB is under center. The Volunteers allow the second-fewest yards per play but may struggle to cover this large line given their recent QB struggles.
No. 18 Pittsburgh vs. No. 20 SMU (SMU -7.5)
It only took one year for SMU to establish itself as one of the big dogs in the ACC. A three-point loss to undefeated BYU is the only blemish on the Mustangs’ schedule, though they were pushed to the brink in last week’s one-point win against Duke.
Pittsburgh held ACC opponents to 17.3 points per game and is 19th in scoring at 35.5 points per game. The teams are just 0.2 points apart in average scoring margin, and with both competing for a spot in the conference championship, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this be a close game and for Pitt to cover +7.5.
Air Force vs. No. 21 Army (Army -21.5)
The battle of the academies has a different look this year, as Army is undefeated and has garnered national attention. The Black Knights are second only to Miami in yards per play despite running the ball on more than 87%of their plays, and they’ve given up more than 14 points only once (in their last game against East Carolina).
Air Force is riding a six-game losing streak and has averaged a terrible 3.7 yards per carry. The Falcons have three passing touchdowns to six interceptions and are staring down the barrel of a blowout loss to an impressive Army team.
Texas Tech vs. No. 11 Iowa State (Iowa State -13.5)
After Texas Tech started the season strong, all of the Red Raiders’ optimism has been dashed over their past two losses, as they now sit at 5-3 on the year. They have one of the worst pass rushes in the country (123rd in sack percentage), which has contributed to them giving up an average of 39.3 points in their last four games.
Iowa State’s undefeated start was in jeopardy last week before it scored a game-winning touchdown against UCF with 30 seconds left to sneak away with a win. The Cyclones also generate little pressure on opposing QBs but allow the second-fewest yards per pass attempt, whereas Texas Tech ranks 100th.
This has the makings of an Iowa State win, but not by more than 14 points.
No. 13 Indiana vs. Michigan State (Indiana -7.5)
There aren’t enough words to say about the job Curt Cignetti and his staff have done at Indiana, which is now 8-0 and tied for first in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have given up 17.8 points per game to conference opponents and won every game by at least 14 points.
While the Spartans have lost four of their last five games, they’re putting themselves in position to be a solid team in the coming years. QB Aidan Chiles has more interceptions (nine) than passing touchdowns (seven), and the defense is somewhere between average and subpar.
Indiana is hot and doesn’t seem likely to slow down against anyone, much less an unranked MSU team.
Louisville vs. No. 11 Clemson (Clemson -10.5)
Louisville’s last five games (2-3) have all been one-possession games. Senior quarterback Tyler Shough has racked up impressive numbers this year but isn’t elite, while the defense struggles to defend the pass (95th in yards allowed per pass attempt – 7.9).
Ironically, this could be the type of matchup that favors the Cardinals. Clemson let UVA score 31 points in a 17-point win last week and will put points on the board, but Louisville will be there to pounce on any defensive lapses that occur.
Taking the underdogs at +10.5 could be a savvy play.
Vanderbilt vs. Auburn (Auburn -6.5)
Look, Vanderbilt isn’t ready to make a run at the playoff or the SEC Championship Game… but their style of play and the performances they’ve put on the field represent the mark of a bonafide “legitimate” team. They beat Alabama, came three points away from taking down Missouri and Texas and have a very effective dropback passing game.
Auburn’s only win against an SEC opponent came in a 24-10 triumph over Kentucky last week, which ended their four-game losing streak. They’re fairly average across the board and rely on senior back Jarquez Hunter—who just ran for 278 yards and two touchdowns—to provide a big chunk of their offense. The Vandy spread is appealing here.
Arizona State vs. Oklahoma State (Arizona State -2.5)
Last week’s loss to Cincinnati put a damper on an impressive season by the Sun Devils, who recorded standout wins against Kansas, Utah, and Mississippi State. They run the ball nearly twice as much as they throw it, and they also give up just 3.5 yards per carry.
Oklahoma State is on a five-game losing streak and hasn’t beaten a conference opponent this season. Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II is averaging just 71 yards per game, and the team is 112th in giveaways despite having one of the lowest percentages of sacks allowed in the country. Arizona State is callused and in a nice spot to cover -2.5.
Wisconsin vs. Iowa (Iowa -3.5)
Don’t let last week’s loss to Penn State confuse you: Wisconsin is a physical team with a nice all-around blend of ability. They rank 28th in passing yards allowed per attempt and had a thriving running game prior to that loss.
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson averaged 143 rushing yards per game and scored 17 touchdowns. He’s scored in every game. The Hawkeyes barely throw the ball and let opposing QBs complete most of their passes, though they’re 18th in interceptions per game and 35th in scoring defense (21.7 points per game). This one should be close, but Wisconsin +3.5 is a realistic outcome.
USC vs. Washington (USC -2.5)
USC has not performed well against teams that took the fight to them, whether that be with their style of play or their physicality. Miller Moss can make most of the throws he’s asked to, but the offense line is young and inexperienced, and they’re just 48th in rushing yards allowed per game (136).
The Huskies lost three of their last four games but are 4-1 at home, the best win of which came in a 27-17 contest against Michigan (who beat USC at home). They don’t score a ton of points, but they give up the third-fewest yards per pass play and will present challenges to Moss. This is a rivalry match, and backing the Huskies at home could prove to be a smart idea.
