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 Friday night's Week 10 college football action, including a Power 4 clash in the ACC, a couple of Group of 5 matchups in the American Conference and Conference USA, and an FCS showdown out West.
To be more specific, we're focusing on:
- North Carolina vs. Syracuse
- Memphis vs. Rice
- Sam Houston vs. Louisiana Tech
- Idaho vs. Northern Arizona
Without further ado, let's take a look at our college football best bets and NCAAF picks for Friday, October 31.
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. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10 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. | ||
Memphis vs Rice Pick
By John Feltman
I can't stress enough how much the situational spot impacts the handicap. Memphis is still riding the high after its win over USF last week, which revived its season.
Now, after a short week away from home, the Tigers must refocus against a scrappy Rice team that can control the clock and exploit the Tigers' defensive weaknesses.
The metrics are not pretty for the Owls, but there are enough areas where I think they should be able to keep this game within a two-touchdown margin.
Rice’s offense is built to shorten games and protect its defense. The Owls average 38.1% of available yards per drive, often trying to grind the clock and sustain drives.
That ball-control style is ideally suited to frustrate a Memphis team that relies on rhythm and tempo to separate from opponents. Long story short, the Owls' offense is not elite, but if they can sustain drives, they will keep the Memphis offense off the field.
Memphis has everything to lose in this spot and limited depth to lean on, while Rice is surging with quiet confidence and no pressure.
I also really liked what I saw from quarterback Chase Jenkins last week. He has yet to throw an interception this season. Running back Quinton Jackson exploded the previous week as well, and he's been effective on the ground for the Owls, perhaps allowing them to extend drives while keeping the Memphis offense off the field.
Expect the Owls to control tempo, capitalize on Memphis’s defensive lapses, and ride the energy from last week’s win to hang within the number.
Memphis might escape with a win, but the situational and statistical indicators make Rice +14 the clear value play on Friday night.
Pick: Rice +14 (Play Smaller at +13.5)
North Carolina vs Syracuse Pick
By Joshua Nunn
I like what I have seen from North Carolina in recent weeks, and I'm taking the Tar Heels against the number.
The Heels haven't quit on Bill Belichick; this group has continued to play hard despite no real season-long goals. I was impressed with how they competed on the road at Cal and while hosting Virginia last week.
We've also seen the pass rush improve, as North Carolina has registered eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss over the past two games.
The run-stop unit has played exceptional football, holding opponents to just 80 yards per game and 2.4 yards per rushing attempt over the past three weeks.
Offensively, I think North Carolina will be able to run the ball against a Syracuse front seven that's allowing over five yards per carry during its losing streak and ranks 107th nationally in EPA Per Rush allowed and 132nd in Rush Explosiveness allowed.
PFF grades this unit as the worst run-stop group in the ACC, and the dual-threat element of quarterback Gio Lopez — extending plays with his legs and contributing in the run game — gives the Heels an edge.
Syracuse's offense has been a mess, struggling to protect the quarterback or run the football
. I think we'll see more of that here, with the offensive line having trouble against this North Carolina front seven that's been playing with renewed energy and intensity.
During the four-game losing streak, the Orange have converted just 19-of-59 third-down attempts and averaged only 12 points per game.
The offense isn't explosive, and for a team that can't run the ball well, can't protect the quarterback, and can't convert on third down, I struggle to see how it moves the ball effectively in this matchup.
Pick: UNC +2.5
| | | |
Sam Houston vs Louisiana Tech Pick
By Road To CFB
Sam Houston opened as a 17.5-point underdog in a game with just a 49.5-point total. That number moved to 16.5 by midweek.
Louisiana Tech is a classic case of a team that wants to run with pace but is wildly inefficient, leading to more plays run with less efficiency. It's a compounding problem without an immediate apparent fix.
In the past three games, Tech ran 95 plays for 27 points (20 in regulation), 75 plays for seven points and 67 plays for 16 points (14 more came on defense).
Perhaps Sam Houston's defense is the fix for this inefficiency. But without a real answer at quarterback, I'm not betting on that being the case.
Junior Trey Kukuk began the year as a starter for LA Tech but lasted less than two games before giving way to 6-foot-5 sophomore Blake Baker.
Baker's been the most consistent of the group, throwing for 340 yards against WKU, but he missed the Kennesaw State game due to injury. Evan Bullock took the reins for that game, which was a disaster.
The Bulldogs' 33 projected points would be their second-highest total on the year, save for a 49-point outing against New Mexico State. This offense needs to shake off cobwebs.
That's not going to help.
Sam Houston runs a middle-of-the-road pace on offense, as well.
A low total in this game leaves little wiggle room for LA Tech to reach it. Inefficiencies on offense and missed opportunities have been abundant lately, and I'm looking to bet against Tech running a perfect game here.
Pick: Louisiana Tech Team Total Under 33.5
Idaho vs Northern Arizona Pick
By Joshua Nunn
NAU plays really well at home, and it protects its home turf exceptionally well. This is such an important game for the Lumberjacks, who will likely need to win out to secure a playoff berth — something they're more than capable of doing.
This is a Friday night FCS showcase on national television, an opportunity NAU doesn't get very often. This is the spot. I'm laying the -3.5 with Northern Arizona.
The NAU defense is down a notch, but this pass rush is nasty, and the front has secured 15 sacks and 47 tackles for loss to go along with 26 additional QB hurries.
Idaho doesn't possess the big-play weapons on the outside, and its run game is predicated on using quarterback Joshua Wood’s legs to create.
The Vandals don't have a potent ground attack to rely on, as the offensive line grades out with the second-worst run blocking marks in the conference, per PFF.
This rushing operation has struggled in the second half of games in recent weeks, and while Idaho will score some here, I don’t think it'll keep drives alive by running the football. The Vandals will be in third-and-medium or worse often.
NAU should be able to throw the ball a ton against an Idaho secondary that has given up 7.7 yards per pass and has routinely been unable to secure stops in the second half.
The Idaho pass rush has posted only eight sacks this season and has put very little pressure on opposing quarterbacks to make them uncomfortable.
With time to throw, watch out for NAU's matchup nightmares on the outside. Wide receivers Kolbe Katsis and Isaiah Eastman should both have explosive outings in this one.
I love this spot for Northern Arizona at home on a Friday night on ESPN2. This is the first time NAU will play in front of a large TV audience since 1988.
The Lumberjacks are also playing with revenge from a loss to the Vandals last season and have been laser-focused since coming out of the bye week on Oct. 18.
This will be an electric atmosphere for a really fun FCS game on Friday night. I'm laying anything under a touchdown with the home team.
Pick: Northern Arizona -3.5 (Play to -6.5)
