DraftKings released its Week 5 spreads for the top college football games on Wednesday night. The marquee contest will go down in Tuscaloosa, where Georgia (3-0 straight up, 1-2 against the spread) will try to pick up its first win at Alabama since 2007 when Matthew Stafford threw a game-winning touchdown pass to lift the Bulldogs to a 26-23 win in overtime.
FanDuel had UGA installed as a four-point road favorite at Alabama before Kirby Smart’s team struggled to pull out a 13-12 win at Kentucky last Saturday. However, FanDuel adjusted the Bulldogs to 2.5-point road ‘chalk’ earlier this week.
DraftKings sent out UGA at -3 last night with a total of 49.5 points. The Crimson Tide have won eight of the last nine head-to-head meetings against Georgia, including last year’s 27-24 win as five-point underdogs in the SEC Championship Game. I like ‘Bama +3.
On Friday night in Week 5 (9/27), Miami (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) is installed as a 14-point home favorite vs. Va. Tech. The Hurricanes are up to #10 in my latest Power Rankings going into Week 4, while the Hokies are at #32.
Miami is 3-8 ATS as a home favorite during Mario Cristobal’s tenure, but that stat doesn’t mean as much with Cristobal clearly having his best team to date in his third season back at his alma mater. Va. Tech is 3-6 ATS in nine games as a road underdog on Brent Pry’s watch, but the Hokies are 3-1 ATS with one outright victory in four games as double-digit underdogs.
For a 4:00 p.m. Eastern kick in Durham, DraftKings has North Carolina (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) as a 1.5-point road favorite at Duke. UNC has wins at Minnesota (19-17), vs. Charlotte (38-20) and vs. NC Central (45-10), and the Tar Heels finish their non-conference schedule Saturday when they host James Madison.
Duke (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) won 26-20 at Northwestern in overtime in Week 2 before edging UConn 26-21 as a 17-point home favorite last weekend. The Blue Devils have lost five straight head-to-head meetings against UNC, but they’re 3-2 ATS in those contests.
Central Florida (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) is an 11-point home favorite vs. Colorado. After spanking New Hampshire (57-3) and Sam Houston (45-14) at home, Gus Malzahn’s squad rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 35-34 at TCU last Saturday.
Colorado (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) has a home win over North Dakota St. (31-26) and a 28-9 win at Colorado St., but Coach Prime’s team got thumped 28-10 at Nebraska in its lone road assignment on Sept. 7. The Buffaloes are 5-1 ATS with one outright win in six games as double-digit underdogs on Coach Prime’s watch.
DraftKings has Kansas St. (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) as a 3.5-point home favorite vs. Oklahoma St. The Cowboys are hosting Utah on Saturday as small favorites, while the Wildcats are -6.5 at BYU.
Mike Gundy’s team has prevailed in four of the last five head-to-head encounters with Kansas St., including last year’s 29-21 win as an 11.5-point home underdog. Oklahoma St. (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) is 21-13 ATS in 34 games as a road ‘dog since midway through the 2007 campaign.
When OSU came to Billy Snyder Family Stadium in 2022, Kansas St. trounced the ninth-ranked Cowboys 49-0 as a 1.5-point home favorite.
Boise St. (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) is a six-point home favorite vs. Washington St. The Broncos won 56-45 at Ga. Southern in their opener before losing a 37-34 decision at Oregon as 17-point road underdogs.
BSU had an open date in Week 3 ahead of Saturday’s home opener vs. Portland St. Meanwhile, Washington St. (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) already owns a home win over Texas Tech (37-16) and a win over Washington (24-19) in the Apple Cup last week in Seattle.
DraftKings opened Oklahoma (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) as a 2.5-point road favorite at Auburn. The Sooners will be coming off a battle with unbeaten Tennessee when they head to The Plains for the first time in program history.
OU is 3-6-1 ATS in 10 games as a road favorite during Brent Venables’ tenure in Norman. Auburn, which hosts Arkansas on Saturday, went 2-1 ATS in three games as a home underdog during Hugh Freeze’s first season. The lone non-cover came in a 28-21 loss vs. Ole Miss as a 6.5-point home ‘dog.
DraftKings has UNLV (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) as a three-point home favorite vs. Fresno St. The Rebels won 27-7 at Houston in their opener, and they rallied for a 23-20 win at Kansas last Friday.
Barry Odom is now 12-5 SU and 13-4 ATS since taking over a program that hadn’t won nine games (UNLV started 9-2 last year and finished 9-5) since 1984 when its QB was Randall Cunningham. The Rebels have two weeks to prepare for the Bulldogs with their open date this weekend.
Fresno St. (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) will be in a back-to-back road spot when it comes to Las Vegas after playing at New Mexico on Saturday. The Bulldogs have won six games in a row over UNLV in this rivalry, but the Rebels have covered the spread in the last three meetings.
Texas A&M (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) is listed as a nine-point favorite vs. Arkansas in this rivalry game that’s annually contested in Arlington, where the Dallas Cowboys play their home games. The Aggies are 11-1 against the Razorbacks since joining the SEC in 2012.
Mike Elko’s team plays host to Bowling Green on Saturday, while Arkansas (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) is at Auburn. The Hogs lost 34-22 vs. Texas A&M last season.
Notre Dame has been installed as a 4.5-point home favorite vs. Louisville. The Cardinals host Ga. Tech this weekend, while the Fighting Irish take on Miami (OH.) in South Bend.
Marcus Freeman’s team bounced back from a home loss to No. Illinois in Week 2 by mauling Purdue 66-7 as a seven-point road favorite. Jeff Brohm’s squad owns blowout home wins over Austin Peay (62-0) and Jacksonville St. (49-14), but it’s going to be tested in its next two outings after an enjoying an open date in Week 3.