Ross Benjamin

Tennessee @ South Carolina 7:30 PM ET

Game# 405-406

Play On: South Carolina +4.0 (5*)

#16 Tennessee returns 17 starters from a team that finished last season on a 6-game win streak. However, head coach Jeremy Pruitt enters his 3rd season in Knoxville and his first 2 Volunteers teams both got off to slow starts. Specifically, during Pruitt’s 2-year tenure, Tennessee has gone a combined 3-7 in their first 5 games of the year, and that includes last year’s 38-30 loss to Georgia State as a 23.5-point home favorite in their opening contest.

The bad news is South Carolina was 4-8 a season ago. The silver lining was that when it was all said and done, they played the toughest schedule in all of college football. The Gamecocks were horrible offensively last year. Head coach Will Muschamp brings in former Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo as his new offensive coordinator. Bobo was able to convince senior graduate transfer Colin Hill to join him at South Carolina. Hill spent the last 3 years under center for Bobo at Colorado State. I would not be surprised whatsoever to get the outright upset in this one. Moreover, I will take the points as an additional bonus and not be greedy. Bet on South Carolina plus the points for a 5* wager.

Florida State @ Miami 7:30 PM ET

Game# 39-396

Play On: Miami -11.0 (5*)

Miami has opened the season with wins over UAB and at Louisville while covering both contests as a favorite. Florida State is coming off a 16-13 upset loss at home to Georgia Tech. This sets up an extremely profitable college football ATS betting angle shown below.

Any college football favorite of 10.5 to 21.0-points (Miami) that is coming of 2 consecutive covers as a favorite and is facing an opponent (Florida State) coming off a conference loss by 3 points or less, resulted in those favorites going 30-8 ATS since 1992. The average line in those 38 games was 14.5 and the favorites outscored the underdogs by 22.7-points per game. Bet on Miami minus the points for a 5* wager.

Army @ Cincinnati 3:30 PM ET

Game# 435-436

Play On: Cincinnati -12.5 (10*)

Army has looked terrific in 2 blowout wins over Middle Tennessee State and UL-Monroe. Their vaunted triple option rushing attack has looked in midseason form while racking up 390 yards per game on the ground and averaging 36 minutes in time of possession per game. Nonetheless, they will be stepping up in class considerably in their first road game of the season against a Cincinnati team that has gone a superb 22-5 during the last 2 seasons. The Bearcats return 8 starters on defense and 15 of its top 17 tacklers from a year ago. The Cincinnati defensive line may be the best in the AAC this season. I look for the Bearcats to open an early lead and give Army a taste of its own medicine by controlling the tempo of this game. Bet on Cincinnati minus the points for a 10* Top Play

Mississippi State @ LSU 3:30 PM ET

Game# 433-434

Play On: Mississippi State +17.0 (5*)

I know high profile SEC football programs like LSU reload as opposed to rebuilding. However, the defending national champion LSU Tigers need to replace an inordinate amount of talent that from last year’s team who are now making their livelihoods playing on Sundays. Besides the fact they will be facing a Mississippi State team who is now coached by passing game guru Mike Leach formerly of Texas Tech and Washington State. SEC defensive coordinators will need time to adjust to Leach’s complex passing game.

Additionally, Leach was able to persuade former Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello to come on board as a senior graduate transfer. Costello spent 3 seasons as Stanford’s starting quarterback and threw for 6,251 yards and 9 touchdowns despite having his season cut short by injury in 2019. I am not going to be bold enough to predict an outright upset. Nevertheless, LSU fans will witness this game being way too close for comfort. Bet on Mississippi State plus the points for a 5* wager.