Week 2 College Football Best Bets, Predictions and Picks from Matt Youmans
Here are my Week 2 college football best bets:
Michigan at Oklahoma (-5)
One week after Arch Manning flopped on the big stage, another hyped quarterback prospect gets his shot to prove he’s not overhyped in a marquee Big Ten-SEC showdown.
Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood, who turned 18 two weeks ago, will make his first road start today at Oklahoma. In a battle of ranked teams, one will pick up a high-profile win in pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot.
The quarterbacks for the Sooners and Wolverines highlight the sport’s current landscape of no salary cap and unrestricted free agency. Underwood reportedly received an NIL deal worth $10 million to sign with Michigan. Oklahoma also had to pay up to sign John Mateer, a junior transfer from Washington State.
In his first road start for Texas a week ago, Manning struggled throughout a 14-7 loss at Ohio State. The Buckeyes threw out a defense that discombobulated Manning. Underwood faces similar circumstances against Oklahoma and coach Brent Venables, who calls the defensive plays and long has been considered one of the best in the business.
Underwood debuted last week by passing for 251 yards and a touchdown in the Wolverines’ 34-17 win over New Mexico, one of the worst teams in the Mountain West. The degree of difficulty will get considerably higher for Underwood against the Sooners, who allowed only eight first downs and 151 total yards in a 35-3 victory over Illinois State.
Since its 2023 national championship season, Michigan has lost coach Jim Harbaugh and a slew of star players to the NFL. While the Wolverines still have plenty of talent, they are somewhat of a mystery team and this will be a measuring-stick game.
Venables needs to show he’s finally turning the corner in his fourth year in charge at Oklahoma. Venables’ defense should be a strength, and now the Mateer-led offense should also pass the test. The Sooners lured Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State, which featured the sixth-best scoring offense (36.6 ppg) while Mateer’s 44 total touchdowns tied for No. 1 in the nation last season.
Oklahoma also added dynamic running back Jaydn Ott, a transfer from California. Ott and an untested offensive line will run into a sturdy Michigan defensive front. I’m not crazy about laying the points, but will take a shot with Mateer, Venables and a significant home-field edge.
Best Bet: Oklahoma -5
Illinois (-3) at Duke
In terms of experience, Illinois will have the upper hand on most of its opponents due to 19 returning starters from a 10-win team. The Fighting Illini were 3-2 on the road, beating Nebraska in overtime and barely getting by Northwestern and Rutgers. In my opinion, Illinois took advantage of a soft schedule and is being overrated. The difference-maker should be Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, a Tulane transfer who passed for 389 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-17 victory over Elon last week. The Illini represent a big step up from the Elon Phoenix, but the Blue Devils can get the job done.
Best Bet: Duke +3
Arizona State (-6.5) at Mississippi State
My first bet this week was on Mississippi State +7. The SEC home ‘dog should be dangerous behind a solid defense and the play of veteran quarterback Blake Shapen. The Sun Devils return quarterback Sam Leavitt and big-play receiver Jordyn Tyson, but they will really miss battering-ram running back Cam Skattebo, who carried the ball 33 times for 262 yards in a 30-23 win over the Bulldogs last year. Skattebo is with the New York Giants now and life without him will not be easy for Arizona State, especially in this road environment. It’s time for more cowbell in Starkville.
Best Bet: Mississippi State +6.5
UCLA (-2.5) at UNLV
It’s a guessing game with UNLV, which needed a comeback to beat Idaho State before handling Sam Houston on the road. The Rebels might not be that good, and this game will make a statement either way. The Bruins looked bad in a 43-10 loss to Utah at the Rose Bowl, where the Utes rolled to a 492-220 advantage in total yards. Tennessee transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who didn’t show much in his UCLA debut, is not surrounded by many playmakers. Roll the dice with the better coach, Dan Mullen, who’s getting impressive play out of quarterback Anthony Colandrea and running back Jett Thomas. I bet the Rebels at +3 and that number is gone, but this is a rare occasion when buying the half-point is acceptable.
Best Bet: UNLV +3 (-135)
Sam Houston at Hawaii (-7)
Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado is doubtful to start with injuries to his right ankle and foot. If Alejado is sidelined, the Warriors won’t get much accomplished behind backup Luke Weaver, who attempted 16 passes and threw two interceptions in a blowout loss at Arizona. The underdog could be live, yet Sam Houston has quarterback concerns of its own and that makes the Bearkats a risky bet.
Best Bet: Sam Houston-Hawaii Under 49.5
Last week: 2-3 against the spread
Season: 4-3
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