Must Bet Games in College Football Betting during Week 4

While we’re still just about a month out from the start of the 2017 NCAA college football season, as football betting buffs across the globe already know, it’s never too soon to start looking ahead and  forming some ‘college football betting opinions’ on what’s going to take place a few weeks into the regular season. In keeping with that thought process of getting ahead of the game, I’ve got a quartet of expert Week 4 picks that look more like virtual locks than gut-wrenching guesses. Since haste makes waste and you’ve probably got to get your ‘honey-do’ list finished before the start of college football betting season, let’s get down to business. Find out more about the latest NCAA winning favorites here. Will a home loss to Michigan State push Notre Dame Head coach Brian Kelly one step closer to leaving South Bend? Does Kevin Sumlin need his Texas A&M Aggies to be more than mediocre to keep his job? Will Oklahoma and Baylor both fly high under their respective first-year head coaches? Will 2016 playoff participant Washington avoid the big upset against Colorado in their PAC-12 pairing?

In Depth Analysis On The Must Bet Games in College Football Betting during Week 4

   

Michigan State at Notre Dame

When: Saturday, September 23, 7:00 PM on FOX Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing College Football Betting Odds: Notre Dame -4 Analysis: Michigan State (3-9 SU, 4-8 TS) and Notre Dame (4-8 SU, 4-8 ATS)) were both complete messes a year ago as neither team came close to recording a winning record.  Michigan State crashed and burned just one year after reaching the four-team CFP while Notre Dame also took a huge step backwards from its 10-3 campaign in 2015. Michigan State will likely start redshirt sophomore Brian Lewerke at quarterback after he showed some flashes of brilliance against Michigan and Northwestern last season and they have a talented running back in L.J. Scott. Unfortunately, the Spartans will also have three new starters on the defensive line and three more new starters in the defensive backfield, not to mention they lost their No.1 offensive weapon in wide receiver and part-time running back R.J. Shelton.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Analysis

At Notre Dame, the Irish will have a talented, but inexperienced new quarterback under center in Brandon Wimbush but the best news on that side of the ball is that they return four starting offensive linemen.  Notre Dame also has talent at running back, starting with junior Josh Adams (if he can stay healthy), but they’re lacking experience at the receiving positions although junior Equanimeous St. Brown had a stellar campaign in 2016 by hauling in 58 passes for 961 yards and nine scores. Defensively, the Irish are completely inexperienced across the defensive line, although they do have talent at linebacker and in the secondary. In the end, I’m going to urge you to back the Michigan State Spartans to cover the spread as 4-point road dogs, but pushing the Irish for the outright win in a contest between two very evenly matched teams. Me personally, I’m taking Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio over Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly every day of the week and that will be the difference in this contest. College Football Betting Pick: Michigan State +4 Points

Arkansas at Texas A&M

When: Saturday, September 23 Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington College Football Betting Odds: Texas A&M -10  Analysis: Arkansas (7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS) and head coach Brett Bieliema a solid quarterback in Austin Allen even though he struggled in the second half of last season after suffering a knee injury against Auburn. Still, anytime you throw for 400 yards against Alabama like he did last season, he’s clearly got some talent. The Razorbacks however, have question marks at running back and wide receiver, although they do have four starters returning on the offensive line. Arkansas also needs to improve a defense that gave up a whopping 205.9 rushing yards per game last season (94th) and an overly generous 31.1 points per contest.

Texas A&M Aggies Analysis

Texas A&M (8-5 SU, 4-9 ATS) is looking to rebound after dropping four of their final five games a year ago, but there’s some hope for head coach Kevin Sumlin and his team. The Aggies have a pair of likely future NFL performers in junior wide receiver Christian Kirk and sophomore running back Trayveon Williams, but the big question is who’s going to start under center. Senior Jake Hubenak has the big edge in experience, but he’s no lock to start over redshirt freshman Nick Starkel or gifted redshirt freshman Kellen Mond. The good news is that whoever starts, will be playing behind three returning starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Texas A&M lost superstar defensive end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, not to mention they’ve got question marks at linebacker and cornerback.

Oklahoma at Baylor

When: Saturday, September 23 Where: McLane Stadium, Waco Analysis: I know the Oklahoma Sooners (11-2 SU, 7-6 ATS) unexpectedly saw longtime head coach Bob Stoops retire this offseason and they lost a trio of stars in running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon and wide receiver Dede Westbrook, but they still have an elite quarterback in Baker Mayfield and I think they made a great hire by naming young offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley as their new head coach. Defensively, the Sooners’ strength will be in their secondary, although their inexperienced front seven will be tested early on. While I love new Baylor (7-6 SU, 4-9 ATS) head coach Matt Rhule and the fantastic work he did at Temple University the last few seasons, it’s clearly going to take him some time to rebuild a Bears program that was mired in all sorts of nasty off-field woes that both, got their former head coach Art Briles, fired.

Baylor Bears Analysis

Former Arizona grad transfer Anu Solomon came in to compete at quarterback, although right now, it looks like sophomore Zach Smith will get the job as Rhule looks more to the future than winning 10 games this season. Baylor still has a bunch of talent at the wide receiver and running back positions and returns three starters on the offensive line. Linebacker Taylor Young and defensive end K.J.  Smith are the best of six returning starters, but the Bears are young and inexperienced in the secondary and that simply doesn’t bode well against Baker Mayfield. The Oklahoma Sooners will win this contest by at least a touchdown and more like 10 points points, so if the spread stays in single digits, I say back the Sooners to cover! College Football Betting Pick: Oklahoma 38 Baylor 27

Washington at Colorado

When: Saturday, September 23 Where: Folsom Field, Boulder Analysis: The Washington Huskies (12-2 SU, 7-7 ATS) are on the national map as a legitimate national championship title contender under the widely respected Chris Petersen after going 12-2 last season to win the Pac-12 and reach the four-team CFP while ranking an identical eighth in both scoring (41.8 ppg) and points allowed 917.7 ppg). Washington has an elite quarterback and running back in Jake Browning (43 TD passes) and Myles Gaskin and at least two NFL-ready offensive linemen in tackle Trey Adams and center Coleman Shelton, even though they need some of their young receivers to step up in 2017.

Washington Huskies Analysis

Defensively, the Huskies have two very solid starters on the defensive line in tackles Vita Vea and Greg Gaines and they’re also set at linebacker with three returning starters. Petersen will need his young secondary to grow up in a hurry after losing three starters. Colorado (10-4 SU, 10-4 ATS) had a fantastic season in 2016 to beat out USC and Utah to win the Pac-12 South division a year ago. Unfortunately, they’re heading into 2017 with a new starting quarterback following the graduation of Sefo Liufau, a four-year starter and they’re also going to have to replace a whopping nine starters from a defense that finished the 2017 campaign ranked a stellar 20th in points allowed (21.7 ppg). A bunch of new starters on defense tells me that Washington and Jake Browning will likely light up the scoreboard in this Pac-12 showdown, but I wouldn’t get too carried away if the spread for this matchup is too far into double digits. Right now, I’m thinking Washington gets the two-touchdown after spanking the Buffs 41-10 at home year ago. College Football Betting Pick: Washington 35 Colorado 21