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Horse Racing Week 3 NCAA Football Best Bets: Saturday, September 17th
It’s time to turn our attention to week 3 of the NCAA football schedule as our resident US Sports expert Ej Garr hands out a pair of offers for Saturday. With a play on an underdog and another on a total, Ej is hoping to build on his 3 – 2 record on the campaign.
In this article:
- UAB Blazers vs Georgia Southern Eagles Preview
- UAB Blazers vs Georgia Southern Eagles Best Bet
- NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview
- NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Best Bet
UAB Blazers vs Georgia Southern Eagles Preview
September 17, 20:30 (UK time)
The Blazers and Eagles will take the Protective Stadium field on Saturday and I believe that the line setters have given us some room on the handicap in this spot. After watching Georgia Southern take out Nebraska with my own eyes last weekend, we are seeing another double-digit spread against the Eagles.
Georgia Southers was 23-point dogs last weekend, and they were not even close to being intimidated by a Big Ten program at any point of the game. The Eagles scored first, they took a lead into halftime, and they earned a huge win for their program against a sub-par Huskers team that just announced that Scott Frost has been fired as a result.
I am not saying the loss to the Eagles was the final straw for Frost, but um, wait, yes, I am!
Now, let’s not get lost in the fact that Georgia Southern is a pretty good football team, and they aren’t just another Sun Belt outfit that provided a big storyline against a power-5 program. Clay Helton may not have had much success guiding USC to great heights, but he now has a chance to turn this Eagles’ program into one worth watching in 2022.
UAB is no longer transitioning from a program that didn’t exist a handful of years ago, and Bill Clark knows how to get the most out of his kids. Through his first 6 years, Clark has constantly been producing winning seasons, but they took a little hit last weekend against Liberty. UAB was favored by a touchdown last weekend over the Flames, and Liberty escaped with an upset win, 21 – 14.
DeWayne McBride carried most of the load in the loss, as he gained 177 yards on the ground from only 20 carries while making a trip to the end zone.
Dylan Hopkins hasn’t been asked to do much thus far, as the 3rd year-starting QB for the Blazers is simply not a dual-threat guy. Being a pocket passer in this day and age is tough when the position is being groomed for players that can move the chains on the ground.
We saw Hopkins struggle with Liberty, and of the two quarterbacks on this field, I trust Kyle Vantrease to get the job done and keep his team in the game long enough to cover the line.
UAB Blazers vs Georgia Southern Eagles Best Bet
The confidence that a win over Nebraska should give Vantrease is worth the call to see if it carries over into this weekend. I see this as a close game, and I am amazed we are getting 10+ points to put in our pockets.
- Selection: GA Southern +10.5
- Best odds: 1.97 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes: 4/10
More UAB Blazers vs Georgia Southern Eagles Tips
NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview
September 18, 00:00 (UK time)
At the stroke of midnight in the UK, NC State and Texas Tech will be squaring off at Carter-Finley Stadium. I am hoping that these two programs provide us with plenty of fireworks and points to spare because this total is on my mind.
After the convincing 55 – 3 win over Charleston last weekend, the Wolfpack are 23 – 1 at home under the leadership of Dave Doeren against non-conference opponents. The line setters are pointing toward those numbers to improve listing the Wolfpack as 10-point favorites against their Big 12 opponent on Saturday in Raleigh, NC.
The Wolfpack were double-digit favs against East Carolina to open the campaign, and they barely escaped with their lives earning a 21 – 20 win over the Panthers.
Devin Leary was an Honorable Mention All-ACC quarterback a season ago, but that 35 – 5 ratio while completing 65.7% of his passes was an impressive campaign. Now seen as one of the more experienced players in the conference under center, Leary wants to achieve much more than just a mention in 2022.
Leary has no problem tucking in the ball and scooting with his legs to move the chains, and he has picked up a pair of scores on the ground to add to his stats.
On the other side of the field is the Texas Tech offense, and in every season there can only be one team that’s #1 in the land. Through 2 games, the Red Raiders’ passing attack is the best in the nation averaging 411.5 yards, but the Murray State affair is a factor being an FCS program well below the talent level of a Big 12 program.
What this team did to Murray State shouldn’t even count because, in my opinion, games against any FCS outfit were just not a fair fight. Regardless, we have to weigh their stats to the rankings and right now, Tech is atop the board putting up stupid good numbers to start the campaign.
The Red Raiders amassed 605 total yards against the Racers, and 472 of those came from the passing game. Tyler Shough didn’t even dress for the last game, as his shoulder injury will likely see him out of this game leaving Donovan Smith to rerun the offense this weekend.
Smith looked in control of the offense against Murray State as only 2 of his passes fell incomplete while converting four drives into touchdowns. He attempted 58 passes last week in the overtime win over Houston, 33 – 30, but he did complete three balls to the wrong team.
NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Best Bet
The line is only 54.5 on this total, which means that a 28 – 27 game cashes our ticket. I surmise that this game will get a little more out of control and that each might break into the 30s to give us some cushion on the Over.
- Selection: Over 54.5
- Best odds: 2.01 (Pinnacle)
- Stakes: 4/10
Odds as of 02:30 pm September 15th, 2022. Odds may now differ.
More NC State Wolfpack vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Tips
