Our analysis of Week Two of the college football card has already started, and Pro Edge’s handicapping experts and professional scouts throughout the nation have already isolated a few potential Best Bets for the upcoming weekend. Here are some Week Two College Football Best Bets complimentary of Pro Edge Sports Picks:
Northwestern (-11.5) (-110) over Syracuse
- Northwestern has won six consecutive home openers by an average margin of 24 points per game. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has his best team yet in Evanston with fifteen returning starters, including its top two running backs from last season.
- While Northwestern lost starting quarterback Kain Colter to a concussion after the second play of last week’s 44-30 win over California, backup quarterback Trevor Siemian was 18-for-29 for 276 yards and a touchdown in relief.
- Syracuse is 2-11 SU and 4-9 ATS in true road openers and is breaking in a new head coach in what can only be described as a rebuilding year for the Orange.
New Mexico (+6.5) (-110) over UTEP
- Pro Edge’s experts are extremely bullish on New Mexico this season based upon (1) an offensive line the returns 107 career starts, and (2) a backfield that features its top two running backs from 2012. In fact, New Mexico has the best offensive line /backfield combination in the Mountain West Conference this season, which always makes taking the points attractive to value bettors (+EV).
- Head coach Bob Davie has done a terrific job with this program since arriving in Albuquerque last year, and we expect even greater strides in 2013 as our metrics are projecting 5 to 6 wins for the Lobos.
- UTEP is breaking in a new head coach and are forced to learned new schemes on both sides of the ball. Moreover, the Miners existing starting defense has never faced an option team in its career, which gives a significant advantage to New Mexico.
Memphis (+6) (-110) over Duke
- Memphis is currently riding a three-game win streak and look to make it four straight under second-year head coach Justin Fuente, who has his eyes set on a BCS Bowl game.
- The fundamental matchup strongly favors Memphis as Duke has installed a run-oriented attack, while the Tigers have the most underrated defensive lines in college football. Memphis’ front seven limited opponents to just 138 rushing yards last year on 3.9 yards per carry.
- Our metrics show Memphis as only a few points worse than Duke, and that projection does not take into account home field advantage for the Tigers. With legitimate revenge, we like Memphis to win this game outright.