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College Football Betting: Parlay for Week 2

The college football season is underway, and every team has played at least one game after the conclusion of Week 1. What’s next for Week 2? Let’s look at this six-way parlay, all of these being point-spread bets. Consider a six-win ticket and how you might achieve it. This is one strong set of possibilities:

Oregon Ducks at Ohio State Buckeyes

NCAA Odds: Ohio State -14.5

Dylan Morris of the Washington Huskies looks to pass
Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP

The Ducks might not have Kayvon Thibodeaux, widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in college football, for this game. As of Wednesday afternoon, no clear word had emerged on Thibodeaux’s status, which is not good news for the Ducks, given that if Thibodeaux was on track to play,

Oregon would have been able to come out with a stronger and more defined statement. The Ducks basically lack information and aren’t certain. That points to the lack of clear improvement needed to give Thibodeaux the green light to play. While Thibodeaux’s status is uncertain, the odds are growing that he won’t be much of a factor even if he plays. He might dress and appear in uniform but doesn’t seem likely to play a lot of snaps.

If we assume Thibodeaux will have a minimal footprint, that’s a huge loss for the Ducks, who need their defense to be outstanding to have a real chance. Oregon’s defense does not have the resources it needs to stop Ohio State if its best player is unavailable. Keep in mind that Ohio State is a 14.5-point favorite without an announcement that Thibodeaux is out. Let’s say that Thibodeaux is ruled out later this week. You will see the line move higher. Ohio State could be a 16.5-point favorite by the time the game begins. Getting Ohio State now, at a lower line, is better value.

Pick: Ohio State -14.5

Washington Huskies at Michigan Wolverines

Odds: Michigan -7

The Washington Huskies suffered the worst loss in school history, falling at home to Montana 13-7. Washington had not lost to an FCS opponent. Washington became the fifth FBS school to lose as a ranked team to an FCS opponent. Washington was just the second FBS team to lose to an FCS (formerly Division I-AA) opponent while scoring fewer than 10 points. The only other example was Penn State losing to Cincinnati in 1983, 14-3.

Washington quarterback Dylan Morris threw three interceptions against Montana. Coach Jimmy Lake never pulled him. Washington had all five of its offensive linemen returning, but those five linemen were not good. They failed to push around Montana’s defensive line.

Washington is so much of a trainwreck on offense right now that Michigan is a comfortable favorite. This is the same Michigan team that has struggled for several years under Jim Harbaugh and had a horrible 2020 in which it had a losing record. Michigan faces a lot of questions but Washington is in crisis mode.

The Huskies are going to play better against Michigan … but only in the sense that they could not play worse than they did against Montana. Michigan is a solid choice in this game because Washington’s offense is a total disaster right now.

Pick: Michigan -7

North Carolina State Wolfpack at Mississippi State Bulldogs

Odds: North Carolina State -2.5

This game has a surprisingly small spread. Mississippi State was down 31-14 to Louisiana Tech and had to scramble late to win, 35-34. North Carolina State looked solid in a 45-0 win over South Florida. Sure, South Florida is a terrible team, but North Carolina State handled the Bulls the way a good team should handle a bad team.

Mississippi State seems to be getting a lot of respect in the sportsbooks that it hasn’t earned. North Carolina State should probably be favored by 5.5 points instead of 2.5. This looks like a really favorable line for N.C. State. Getting the Wolfpack so that they cash if they win by just a field goal seems like a great opportunity in a parlay.

Pick: N.C. State -2.5

California Golden Bears at TCU Horned Frogs

Odds: TCU -11

The California Golden Bears have a bad offense. They are missing Michael Saffell, their best offensive lineman, who retired from football earlier this summer. They don’t have game-breaking wide receivers. They don’t have elite running backs. Quarterback Chase Garbers does not make great decisions in the pocket. They scored just 17 points against Nevada.

Their defense, however, is solid. Carson Strong might be the best player in the Mountain West Conference, and Cal held Strong to 22 points. That’s a high-level defensive outing. Cal is not likely to win outright against TCU, but its defense should certainly be able to contain a TCU offense that has not been good the past few years. This feels like a one-score game.

Pick: Cal +11

Air Force Falcons at Navy Midshipmen

Odds: Air Force -5

The bottom has fallen out for Navy football, so be aware of that if you bet online. The Midshipmen lost 55-3 in their 2020 season opener because they didn’t do full-contact padded practices in the summer, but in 2021, their offseason preparation was normal once again. They were just a 2.5-point underdog to Marshall at home. The game was supposed to be close. Instead, Navy was crushed by 42 points. The pandemic has really disrupted Navy’s ability to recruit offensive linemen. The Midshipmen don’t have any answers. Air Force turned in an average performance in Week 1, but an average performance is more than good enough to handle a reeling Navy team.

Pick: Air Force -5

Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Oklahoma State Cowboys

Odds: Oklahoma State -12.5

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane lost to UC Davis, an FCS team. Tulsa is miles worse than it was last year when it faced Cincinnati in the AAC Championship Game. Tulsa lacks linebacker Zaven Collins, who is now in the NFL. The Golden Hurricane lack a defense that can bail out their offense. Oklahoma State figures to apply a beatdown here. Add them to your college football picks.

Pick: Oklahoma State -12.5

CFB Parlay:

Ohio State -14.5 -110

Michigan -7 -110

NC State -2.5 -110

Cal +11 -110

Air Force -5 -110

Oklahoma State -12.5 -110

$100 Bet Pays $4741.27

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