Best College Football Bets for October 31, 2020

There’s a lot to like about Saturday’s schedule of games. The Big Ten is now in full swing, the Big 12 features some intriguing matchups, and the Florida Gators are set to resume their SEC slate.

I’ve already showcased the best college football games to watch on Saturday. Now the plan is to unveil the can’t-miss wagers.

Ask for “college football best bets” and I shall deliver.

Here’s a three-pack for the weekend.

Iowa just lost to Purdue while Northwestern was busying dismantling Maryland. Surely the casual fan is going to assume that backing the Wildcats +2.5 is a “green-light” play, but I say, not so fast.

For starters, the Hawkeyes blanked the Wildcats 20-0 last year in Evanston. This game will be played at Kinnick Stadium and the squad from Iowa City is restless. Aiming to put last weekend behind them, expect Kirk Ferentz and company to come out like gangbusters and cruise to a comfortable victory.

Iowa ran the ball 36 times for 195 yards against the Boilermakers and should be able to control the clock on Saturday. Peyton Ramsey was able to do damage in the opener versus the Terrapins, but an angry Hawkeyes front seven is going to make life much tougher on the Wildcats QB.

Head to SportsBetting.ag and you even get a break on the juice.

After flying under the radar to begin the 2020 campaign, the 5-0 Chanticleers have burst onto the national scene. Ranked 20^th in the country, Coastal Carolina’s high-powered offense is pouring in over 38 points per game.

Of course, standout QB Grayson McCall may have to sit this one out which is undoubtedly a setback for CCU.

Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall is “doubtful” for Saturday’s game vs Georgia State, per @ChrisVannini of @TheAthleticCFB.
–
McCall, ranked 5th in the FBS in RTG, missed last week’s game due to an upper body injury he suffered vs Louisiana in week 7. pic.twitter.com/NmSgvZ8C75

— College Football Primetime (@CFBPrimetime_) October 27, 2020

This makes me a bit wary of backing the Chanticleers to cover the spread, but I have no qualms holding me back from pouncing on the over. In fact, it’s one of my best college football bets of the week.

Fred Payton got a game under his belt last weekend and is more than capable of leading drives against the Panthers struggling defense. Keep in mind, Georgia State is surrendering 39.0 ppg – including a whopping 368.3 yards/game through the air. At the same time, the Panthers are averaging 42.0 ppg having scored at least 31 points in each of their four contests.

A good-old-fashioned shootout could very well take place in Atlanta.

In a perfect world, you would have latched onto the Cougars early in the week at -27. However, don’t sweat the line movement as this one should turn into a laugher fairly quickly.

Western Kentucky – well, their offense just isn’t very good. 17.7 points per game only tells half the story as the Hilltoppers 26.7% third-down conversion rate is among the very worst in America. Now they have to travel all the way to Provo, UT for a game that kicks off at 10:15 pm EST. One that is televised nationally on ESPN giving BYU a perfect opportunity to prove their worth.

That spells trouble. 

The Cougars are 6-0 (5-1 ATS) and appear to be firing on all cylinders. Zach Wilson is a sincere Heisman threat and is by all accounts a superstar in the making.

With no-look genius of Mahomes, the improv flair of Manziel and the sneaky athleticism of Utah-era Alex Smith, BYU's Zach Wilson has ambushed college football. Along the way, he's revived the pass-happy soul of a proud program. https://t.co/Latcee2Ai5

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 21, 2020

Rather than spoil you with his jaw-dropping throws, just tune into ESPN to cap off your evening on Saturday. Wilson will be treating us to plenty more Mahomes-like highlights.

Back BYU to cover and know that it’s one of college football’s best bets on Halloween.