HomeRight ArrowNCAAF

College Football Best Bets: Our Saturday Night Picks for Miami vs. Florida, Kansas vs. WVU, More

College Football Best Bets: Our Saturday Night Picks for Miami vs. Florida, Kansas vs. WVU, More article feature image
12 min read
Credit:

Credit: Imagn Images. Pictured: Malachi Toney (top left), Fernando Mendoza (top right), LaNorris Sellers (bottom left), Jalon Daniels (bottom right).

Another excellent week of college football action is almost behind us.

That said, there’s still a full slate of games ahead of us this evening, including Florida-Miami, West Virginia-Kansas, and Indiana-Illinois.

Check out our college football best bets and NCAAF picks for Week 4's evening slate on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Quickslip

College Football Best Bets

The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college football betting staff is targeting from today'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.

GameTime (ET)Pick
Florida Gators LogoMiami Hurricanes Logo
7:30 p.m.
West Virginia Mountaineers LogoKansas Jayhawks Logo
6 p.m.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles LogoLouisiana Tech Bulldogs Logo
7:30 p.m.
South Carolina Gamecocks LogoMissouri Tigers Logo
7 p.m.
Fresno State Bulldogs LogoHawaii Warriors Logo
Midnight
Illinois Fighting Illini LogoIndiana Hoosiers Logo
7:30 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.

Collin's Card: Evening Best Bet

Florida Gators Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
7:30 p.m. ET
ABC
Miami Hurricanes Logo
Malachi Toney Over 7.15 Receiving Yards
bet365 Logo

By Collin Wilson

Florida head coach Billy Napier confirmed quarterback DJ Lagway will still be the starter for the Gators heading into another hostile environment.

Backing the Florida offense all rides on its quarterback resolving footwork and decision-making issues.

Notably, Lagway's worst outing in 2024 came against LSU, where he committed nearly half of his season-long turnover-worthy plays in a single game.

Action Network's betting power ratings indicate this game should sit at Florida +3.5, but considering the Gators were outgained in yards per play against USF and LSU, there may be a better angle in this game.

The Florida defense struggled against LSU and South Florida's passing offenses, currently ranking 99th nationally in PFF's Pass Rush grades. The Gators also rank among the bottom-15 teams in Passing Downs Explosiveness allowed, an area where quarterback Carson Beck has multiple high-octane weapons.

USF's most significant target share went to slot receivers Christian Neptune and Mudia Reuben. LSU used a similar methodology, targeting the slot combo of Aaron Anderson and Bauer Sharp on 15 passing attempts.

Based on Florida's previous struggles against offensive coordinators who utilize the slot, Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney should be in line for a big game.

Check out Collin's full Auburn-Oklahoma breakdown and the rest of his Week 4 card below:

College Football Picks, Predictions: Week 4 Expert Best Bets for Auburn vs Oklahoma, Florida vs Miami, More Image

Pick: Malachi Toney Over 7.15 Receiving Yards (-115, bet365)



Stuckey's Spots: Evening Best Bet

West Virginia Mountaineers Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
6 p.m. ET
Fox Sports 1
Kansas Jayhawks Logo
Kansas -13
bet365 Logo

By Stuckey

This is probably the most obvious situational spot on the board and one I had circled before the season.

I'm sure Kansas has had this circled all offseason as well, after it started Big 12 play in 2024 with a loss in Morgantown in a game it led by 11 with four minutes to go in regulation before a monumental collapse.

Following a thrilling comeback victory over rival Pitt in overtime, West Virginia now must travel to Lawrence to take on a Kansas team fresh off a bye.

Not only should the Jayhawks come in fresher (the high-tempo 'Eers ran a ton of plays last week to boot) with additional time to prep for this matchup with an elite head coach in Lance Leipold, but they will also boast a much better injury situation.

While West Virginia has lost three key offensive contributors in recent weeks, Kansas should arrive at the stadium almost entirely healthy — even at linebacker, which bodes well in this particular matchup against the run-first Mountaineers.

The West Virginia offense is struggling due to a poor offensive line and some key injuries.

I don't see the Mountaineers having much success on the ground against a much more athletic Jayhawk front that ranks in the top-20 nationally in Rush Success Rate allowed and EPA per Rush allowed. Until a late broken run, they really held an extremely dynamic Missouri rushing attack in check.

The way to attack the Jayhawks' defense is through the air after the departure of two All-American cornerbacks. Still, I don't think West Virginia has the personnel to exploit those deficiencies on the back end consistently.

And if it's failing quickly with its tempo, it may wear down late.

Regarding Kansas, that extra prep time should really help quarterback Jalon Daniels and his new receivers build more chemistry and work on timing, as he missed the spring with an injury.

And looking under the hood, the underlying, more predictive early-down metrics are pretty encouraging for the Jayhawks on both sides of the ball. The late-down success should begin to follow suit.

The West Virginia defense, which seems to have hit on several lower-level transfers, has been a very pleasant surprise under new defensive coordinator Zac Alley. However, the dam should eventually break here, especially with the threat of Daniels' legs.

Keep in mind that West Virginia lost, 17-10, on the road at Ohio in a game where it recorded three interceptions. The Bobcats finished with nearly 200 more net yards.

The West Virginia offense is just not where it needs to be at the moment, with Rich Rod even benching starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol last week and bringing in two others before going back to Nicco in the end to lead the crazy comeback in the final minutes in a game where Pitt helped them out with 14 penalties.

Lastly, expect Kansas to win the field-position battle throughout the night with a much better overall special teams unit at the moment.

Check out the rest of Stuckey's Week 4 situational spots here:

Pick: Kansas -13 (-110, bet365)



Ianniello's G5 Card: Evening Best Bet

Southern Miss Golden Eagles Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
7:30 p.m. ET
ESPN+
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Logo
Louisiana Tech -3.5
bet365 Logo

By Mike Ianniello

I was high on the Southern Miss rebuild coming into the season and am not all that surprised at the 2-1 start, as I expected a quick turnaround under Charles Huff.

However, I am more impressed with Louisiana Tech’s start to the season.

The Bulldogs held their own against LSU in Baton Rouge, losing 23-7. They blew the doors off of New Mexico State last week, winning 49-14 as 10-point favorites.

The Bulldogs are 3-0 against the spread, and I don’t think the market has fully caught up yet.

After finishing with the best defense in Conference USA last season, Louisiana Tech once again looks elite on that side of the ball. They lead the conference in total defense and are allowing just 4.7 yards per play. The Bulldogs rank 32nd nationally in Success Rate allowed and are top 25 in the country at defending the run.

Sonny Cumbie has continued to juggle quarterbacks Trey Kukuk and Blake Baker through the first three weeks, but the offense has leaned on the ground game. Five different players are averaging at least 24 yards per game on the ground, including both quarterbacks. Clay Thevenin has led the way in the backfield and is averaging over six yards per carry.

Louisiana Tech will continue to lean on the running game and read option attack against a Southern Miss offense that ranks 128th nationally in Rush Success Rate allowed.

The Bulldogs were the beneficiaries of Charles Huff leaving for Southern Miss after they received a bowl bid when Marshall dropped out because all of its players left. I don’t think they will be looking to say thank you here, and I like them to cover at home against the Eagles.

Check out the rest of Ianniello's Week 4 Group of 5 card here:

Pick: Louisiana Tech -3.5 (-110, bet365)



Ziefel's Top Player Prop

South Carolina Gamecocks Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
7 p.m. ET
ESPN
Missouri Tigers Logo
LaNorris Sellers Over 20.5 Rush Yards
bet365 Logo

By Doug Ziefel

It took until late Thursday afternoon to get clarity on his status, but South Carolina star quarterback LaNorris Sellers will take the field against Missouri after leaving last week's game with a head injury.

If Sellers is on the field, we should expect him to run, as it's what makes this South Carolina offense dynamic. Perhaps this total reflects more caution due to the injury that Sellers sustained, but to me, it's a great value.

Sellers surpassed this total in nine of 12 games last season and continued that through the first two games of this season.

If Sellers has the green light, then this over has to be on your card this Saturday.

Pick: LaNorris Sellers Over 20.5 Rush Yards (-115, bet365)



Our Featured Bet Labs System

Fresno State Bulldogs Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
Midnight ET
Spectrum Sports
Hawaii Warriors Logo
Fresno State -3
bet365 Logo

By Tanner McGrath

This game triggered one of our Action Network PRO Betting Systems, powered by Evan Abrams.

Hawaii’s unique home-field setting often presents challenges for visiting teams, but extended home stands can work against them.

When Hawaii plays consecutive home games, the edge of travel fatigue and time zone adjustment for opponents is reduced.

At the same time, the Warriors themselves can suffer from complacency or overestimation by the market.

Inflated lines in this spot create value on the visiting side, as Hawaii’s performance has historically failed to match expectations when hosting back-to-back games.

Pick: Fresno State -3 (-105, bet365)



Action App Picks for Illinois-Indiana

Illinois Fighting Illini Logo
Saturday, Sept. 20
7:30 p.m. ET
NBC
Indiana Hoosiers Logo
ILL-IU Action App Picks
DraftKings  Logo

We don't have any content to highlight for the massive Illinois-Indiana Big Ten battle on Saturday.

But we always have experts tracking picks in the Action Network App, including for this game.

Additionally, if you haven't already, make sure you download the free award-winning Action Network App to track all your bets and tail all of your favorite experts:

Phone With the Action App Open
The must-have app for college football bettors
The best NCAAF betting scoreboard
Free picks from proven pros
Live win probabilities for your bets


Author Profile
About the Author

Action Network is a team of seasoned sports betting experts specializing in a broad range of sports, from the NFL and NBA to less mainstream options like cricket and darts. Their staff includes well-known analysts like Sean Koerner and Stuckey, recognized for their accurate predictions and deep sports knowledge. The team is dedicated to delivering expert analysis and daily best bets, ensuring bettors are well-informed across all major sports.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.