We've had a fantastic week of college football already, so let's keep it going.
Our college football writers broke down four matchups for Week 9's Friday night college football action, including a Power 4 clash in the ACC, a couple of Group of 5 matchups in the American Conference and the Mountain West, and an FCS showdown in the Big Sky.
To be more specific, we're focusing on:
- North Texas vs. Charlotte
- Cal vs. Virginia Tech
- Boise State vs. Nevada
- Montana vs. Sacramento State
Without further ado, let's take a look at our college football best bets and NCAAF picks for Friday, October 24.
College Football Best Bets, Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college football betting staff is targeting from Friday's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
North Texas vs Charlotte Pick
By Road to CFB
Last week, North Texas rebounded from its first loss of the season (a 63-36 drubbing to USF in front of a sold-out home crowd, the first of its kind at DATCU Stadium) with a resounding 55-17 win against UTSA.
Those 55 points aren't alien to North Texas. Not only does it show a willingness to give the scoreboard a workout – ask Washington State, whom the Mean Green dropped 59 on – but it has the capability across the board to consistently light it up.
Quarterback Drew Mestemaker has been a pleasant surprise this season. From not having started a football game since early high school to now leading the American with 17 touchdown passes, Mestemaker has become the catalyst for this high-powered offense in 2025.
On the other side, things aren't great for Charlotte's defense.
Against halfway efficient offenses, Charlotte has surrendered 49 points to Temple, 54 to South Florida and 35 to FCS Monmouth.
This is about as lopsided an inter-conference matchup as you’ll find on paper. There's no question that North Texas is the superior team on both sides of the ball.
There's little Charlotte can do defensively to slow down North Texas' offense. Coming up short of its lofty 44.5 team total would almost certainly be due to self-inflicted wounds, but that's something Mestemaker and the North Texas offense haven't done very much this year.
Still, 44.5 points is a hefty team total, and I'm not comfortable playing over there.
With such a high point total, I'm also hesitant to lay the 26.5 points, especially with a late opportunity for Charlotte to backdoor if North Texas pulls its starters late.
Instead, I'm taking the over.
North Texas has shown both the ability and the willingness to score early and often, as seen against Washington State, UTSA, and FCS Lamar. Those quick scores create more possessions for both teams – and more chances for Charlotte to sneak into the end zone.
Although Charlotte's offense stinks, we've seen similar games, like the 56-24 loss to USF earlier this year, push totals comfortably over.
North Texas's offense likely does most of the heavy lifting Friday night. This is a scenario where all Charlotte has to do is score two touchdowns at home.
North Texas has been an over team all season (5-2), and despite their offensive issues, Charlotte is 4-3 to the over thanks to allowing the most points in the country.
That combination points toward another high-scoring affair on Friday night.
Pick: Over 61
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Cal vs Virginia Tech Pick
By Doug Ziefel
Cal runs a high-volume passing offense. It hasn't been very efficient, though, as quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele ranks 113th in completion percentage and 107th in interception rate.
However, he should produce against a Hokies secondary that ranks 131st in opponent completion percentage, 129th in yards per pass allowed and hasn't forced many interceptions this season.
Well, the Hokies offense is also to blame for their struggles.
Quarterback Kyron Drones hasn't made any strides as a passer this season, ranking 123rd in completion percentage and 122nd in yards per pass. It also doesn't help that he has held the ball quite a bit too long, and the Hokies are 112th in sack rate because of it.
Virginia Tech's struggles with the passing attack on both sides of the ball will decide this matchup.
Cal can keep the chains moving through the air, and Virginia Tech has been horrid at getting off the field on third down and at stopping teams in the red zone.
On the other side, the Hokies' passing attack is a big question mark with Drones leading the charge. He hasn't proven he can win games without a running game to support him.
Back Cal to cover the spread as a live underdog in this one.
Pick: Cal +5.5
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Boise State vs Nevada Pick
By John Feltman
This is a classic spot where the public overvalues the heavy favorite and assumes it will score plenty.
Boise State’s offensive profile, which is efficient but lacking explosiveness, and Nevada’s inability to sustain drives point toward a game script where possessions are limited and scoring slows in the second half.
The Broncos offense ranks in the top 35 nationally in EPA per Pass, showcasing quarterback Maddux Madsen's consistent ability to create explosive plays through the air.
However, Madsen has seven interceptions and is completing only 57% of his passes. Despite his efficiency, he is prone to poor performances at times and faces a challenging matchup against the Nevada secondary.
On the other side, Nevada’s offense has struggled mightily this season, and the advanced numbers emphasize how difficult it may be for the Wolf Pack to generate consistent offense against a Boise defense that remains opportunistic.
The Wolf Pack rank near the bottom of the FBS in passing efficiency at –0.31 EPA Per Pass, which is bad news heading into the matchup against Boise State. Their running game hasn’t been much better, posting a -0.07 EPA Per Rush that often leaves them in long-yardage situations.
The Broncos have every advantage on both sides of the ball, but their controlled pace, combined with Nevada’s lack of offensive ability, should keep this one below the total.
The injury report also supports the underlying narrative. Boise State is mostly healthy, meaning it should be able to dictate the game on both sides of the ball without pressing the pace.
Nevada, meanwhile, could be shorthanded up front and at the skill positions.
Sharp money has already dropped the total from 51.5 to 50.5, but there are still a few 51s out there.
Pick: Under 51
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Montana vs Sacramento State Pick
By Joshua Nunn
While both of these two are accustomed to higher-scoring games, both Montana and Sac State have feasted on some of the worst defenses in the Big Sky.
This game is too important for either team not to be completely dialed in defensively, and I would play the under — especially if it rises even more.
Sacramento State wants to run the football, and it does so 67% of the time.
The Hornets have several capable running backs, including Rodney Hammond Jr. and Damian Henderson II, who have combined for over 1,000 yards and nine rushing scores. Cardell Williams has also chipped in on the ground from the quarterback position.
The passing game has improved, but it's still not overly proficient. In fact, the Hornets have passed for only 177 yards total in their last two games.
Montana has been beaten on the ground defensively this year, allowing 149 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry.
I'd expect Sac State to rely almost entirely on the ground game, and while it should move the ball efficiently, I wouldn't expect explosive chunk runs from the Hornets.
Montana has also had success moving the ball on the ground with Eli Gillman's 776 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
Keali'i Ah Yat has been very efficient throwing the football for Montana, but I expect this Sac State defensive front to cause problems in the pocket and make the Griz signal-caller uncomfortable.
For how well Montana has played this season, the offensive line has allowed a ton of Havoc while surrendering 37 tackles for loss, 15 sacks and an additional 25 QB pressures that resulted in scrambles or throw-aways.
The Sac State defensive line boasts the third-best pass-rushing grade in the Big Sky Conference, per PFF, and the Hornets have bagged 25 sacks this season on opposing quarterbacks.
They're aided by the top secondary in the conference, which has defended the pass well for most of the season.
Montana has played the other top coverage unit in the conference in Cal Poly. In that game, Montana ran the ball 65% of the time and found itself in a defensive battle, as its offense didn't deliver quick, explosive plays through the air as it had in previous games. I expect a similar experience here.
This is going to be an incredible battle on Friday night — one worth staying up for. We should see excellent football from both teams, and this game will go a long way toward determining their playoff fates. Strap in for a fun Friday night FCS battle, and bet the under.
Pick: Under 62.5
