We haven’t seen a big shakeup in terms of the top ten through the early part of the season, but that may change in Week 3 of the college football season, so here’s a look at the Week 3 Opening Lines.
No. 4 Ohio State must go on the road to take on No. 14 TCU in a “neutral site” game in Dallas, No. 7 Auburn hosts a very good LSU team that is ranked No. 12 in the nation, and No. 10 Washington faces a tough road test when they travel to Utah. If one of those teams fall, it could keep them out of the College Football Playoff come December.
College Football Week 3 Opening Lines (Courtesy of BetDSI)
LSU Tigers +10
Auburn Tigers -10
This Week 3 opening line is likely to move in favor of the visitors, as ten points is a lot to give to a very good LSU team. Ed Orgeron might have finally found a good quarterback in Joe Burrow, and LSU fans are cautiously optimistic in Burrow as well. He didn’t have the best game in the rout of Miami on the stat sheet, but he made the key throws he needed to in order to move the chains.
We don’t know whether or not this Auburn defense is good yet either. The offense has looked good with Jarrett Stidham at the helm, and he has been very efficient with his passes. However, the defense was somewhat susceptible to the pass in Auburn’s 21-16 win over Washington back in Week 1, and LSU might be able to exploit that. I expect this NCAAF betting line to drop from 10 and end with Auburn at -7.5 or -8.
Related: College Football Betting Guide
Ohio State Buckeyes -12
TCU Horned Frogs +12
This will be the last game that Urban Meyer is not allowed to be on the sidelines for, but that hasn’t slowed this offense down. Ohio State hammered Oregon State and Rutgers in its first two games and Dwayne Haskins has looked like the real deal at quarterback. The Buckeyes aren’t afraid to run it up to make a statement, so the oddsmakers have made the NCAAF betting odds a bit higher than they would otherwise.
In their last game, TCU got off to a slow start against lowly SMU. The Horned Frogs trailed 9-0 at the end of the first quarter, before they got their heads back in the game. They ended up cruising to a 42-12 victory, but it’s safe to say that early on they were looking ahead to their match-up with Ohio State this weekend. This line seems about right, and I don’t think it will move too much barring additional news breaking.
Washington Huskies -6.5
Utah Utes +6.5
This line screams trap. Two years ago, Washington traveled to Salt Lake City and needed some special teams magic from Dante Pettis to keep its undefeated season alive. This time, the Huskies’ College Football Playoff hopes are on the line as they need to win out to be one of the final four teams in the country after a season-opening loss to Auburn.
Washington still has two of the best players the PAC 12 has to offer in Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin. Browning and Gaskin have been great over the course of their careers, and they are looking to cap off their time in Seattle with another PAC 12 title.
However, this is a very good Utah defense they will be going against. The Utes have completely shut down a very good FCS team in Weber State and a solid Group of Five team in Northern Illinois. Rice-Eccles Stadium is one of the toughest venues to play in, and I believe this line will drop down to Washington -4 or -4.5 by kickoff.
College Football Betting Odds – Week 3 Opening Odds 9/13/18 – 9/15/18
Boston College -4.5
Wake Forest +4.5
Georgia State +24
Memphis -24
UTEP +29.5
Tennessee -29.5
Ball State +14
Indiana -14
Temple +14
Maryland -14
Miami (FL) -10
Toledo +10
Hawai’i +6
Army -6
Kent State +36
Penn State -36
Central Florida -13.5
North Carolina +13.5
Florida State -2
Syracuse +2
Oklahoma -17
Iowa State +17
Troy +7.5
Nebraska -7.5
Rutgers +3
Kansas -3
East Carolina +29
Virginia Tech -29
Georgia Tech -2.5
Pittsburgh +2.5
Tulane -3
UAB +3
Vanderbilt +15.5
Notre Dame -15.5
Ohio +7
Virginia -7
SMU +35
Michigan -35
Southern Miss +16
Appalachian State -16
Boise State +3.5
Oklahoma State -3.5
BYU +22
Wisconsin -22
West Virginia -3
North Carolina State +3
Miami (OH) +14
Minnesota -14
LSU +10
Auburn -10
South Florida -8
Illinois +8
Central Michigan +13.5
Northern Illinois -13.5
Georgia Southern +34.5
Clemson -34.5
Duke +2
Baylor -2
Colorado State +19.5
Florida -19.5
UTSA +21
Kansas State -21
North Texas +8.5
Arkansas -8.5
San Jose State +40.5
Oregon -40.5
Old Dominion -2.5
Charlotte +2.5
Eastern Michigan +3.5
Buffalo -3.5
Oregon State +4.5
Nevada -4.5
Alabama -19
Ole Miss +19
Arkansas State +1
Tulsa -1
Texas State +11
South Alabama -11
Middle Tennessee State +31
Georgia -31
Massachusetts +4
Florida International -4
Marshall +12.5
South Carolina -12.5
Missouri -7.5
Purdue +7.5
Akron +21
Northwestern -21
UL Lafayette +32
Mississippi State -32
UL Monroe +26
Texas A&M -26
Western Kentucky +20.5
Louisville -20.5
New Mexico -6
New Mexico State +6
Ohio State -12
TCU +12
Washington -6.5
Utah +6.5
