NCAAF Week 3 Betting Guide & 3 Games Worth to Watch

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NCAAF Week 3 Betting Guide of the 2024 college football season is here, and in Colorado this season that means that the rivalry game between the University of Colorado and Colorado State University is set for this weekend.

Last year, CSU coach Jay Norvell and Colorado coach Deion Sanders traded talk before the game, which eventually went to Coach Prime and the Buffaloes in double overtime.

That game was a lot closer than the opening line, which had Colorado favored by 27.5 points.

This time around, Colorado comes in after taking a 28-10 whipping from Nebraska in Week 2, and the Buffaloes are only favored by seven points as of this writing.

What can we expect to see this time around? We will find out on Saturday. In the meantime, check out our sports betting guide for the second weekend in September.

NCAAF Week 3 Betting Guide – Top Games to Watch and Bet On

Nevada Wolfpack (+17.5) at Minnesota Golden Gophers

Saturday, September 14, 3:30 pm ET, Big Ten Network

The Wolfpack were just 2-10 last year, and while they started off 2024 by pushing SMU to the brink of a significant upset. They also beat Troy on the road before seeing that win against Georgia Southern slip away in the late minutes. The offense ranks 23rd in the nation in explosive passes, and the defense is averaging over five tackles for loss per game.

Minnesota has tailback Darius Taylor back, but their offense is still in flux. The unit moves at a slow, grinding crawl. Because of the slow drives that the Golden Gophers mount each game, each team should have fewer than normal possessions, which should keep this line more than manageable. The sports betting market continues to sleep on Nevada, to their own disadvantage.

NCAAF Pick: Nevada to cover.

Connecticut Huskies (+16) at Duke Blue Devils

Saturday, September 14, 7:00 pm ET, ACCNX

Duke was only able to beat FCS opponent Elon by a 26-3 score, and Elon is not an FCS contender. Duke has Maalik Murphy at quarterback, and the transfer has been flinging the ball approximately 40 times per game. Even so, the Blue Devils are only picking up about five yards per play. Their defense is decent enough, but it’s hard to say if their offense can pull away enough to avoid the backdoor cover from the Huskies.

NCAAF Pick: Huskies to cover.

Indiana Hoosiers (-3) at UCLA Bruins

Saturday, September 14, 7:30 pm ET, NBC/Peacock

UCLA has a new head coach (and staff), and much of their defense from 2023 exited through the transfer portal. They barely escaped Hawai’i with a 16-13 win before an extremely early off week last weekend. Against Hawai’i, they allowed six tackles for loss and threw a pair of interceptions. Indiana rolled over FIU, 31-7, and then demolished FCS opponent Western Illinois, 77-3, in Week 2. Their defensive front is much more imposing than the one Hawai’i showed in Week 1, and UCLA is in real trouble in their Big Ten opener.

NCAAF Pick: Hoosiers to win and cover.

Colorado Buffaloes (-7) at Colorado State Rams

Saturday, September 14, 7:30 pm ET, CBS/Paramount+

The Rams got obliterated by Texas, 52-0, in their opener. They bounced back against FCS opponent Northern Colorado, 38-17. Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi has a 61.4% pass completion rate, but only has 239 passing yards through one game. On the ground, the Rams are picking up 171 yards per game, led by 173 yards from Justin Marshall. The defense is a bit porous – the 17 points allowed to Northern Colorado are more of a concern than the 52 that they permitted against one of the top teams in the nation.

Colorado has just a 4-11 record against the spread in the last 15 games in which they have been favored by at least a touchdown. Shedeur Sanders looks like the real deal at quarterback, with a 68.1% pass completion rate and 689 yards in two games, along with a 5:2 TD:INT ratio. The running attack is pretty much nonexistent, averaging 37.5 yards per game. The top ball carrier has been Dallan Hayden, with just 52 yards on 14 carries. The offensive line is a real problem, and the Buffaloes’ defense is inconsistent as well.

NCAAF Pick: Rams to cover.