Welcome to Week 2.
For the ninth straight season on our college football betting podcast, Big Bets on Campus, Collin Wilson and Stuckey pick their two favorite moneyline underdogs for each week's slate.
For Week 2 of the new season, they rolled with two underdogs: one in a Big Ten vs. SEC clash and one G6 squad facing an opponent new to the FBS.
If you're feeling lucky, a parlay of both pups pays out at about 3-1 at the time of writing.
Let's dive into our college football moneyline underdogs for Week 2.
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College Football Moneyline Underdogs for Week 2
Collin Wilson: Minnesota ML -105 vs. Mississippi State
| Mississippi State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 55 -110o / -110u | -115 |
| Minnesota Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 55 -110o / -110u | -105 |
Give me Minnesota over Mississippi State. The Big Ten over the SEC here.
Mississippi State didn’t do much to impress me in its box score against ULM. The Bulldogs' run defense looked shaky against the Warhawks, finishing below the national average in Defensive Stuff Rate.
That bodes poorly with Minnesota’s ground game on deck. Gophers running back Darius Taylor scored three touchdowns on 14 carries against Eastern Illinois last week, and TJ Thomas flashed with 5.3 yards after first contact at Elon last season.
Minnesota looked clean offensively. Drake Lindsey went 19-of-24 for 264 yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball to 14 different targets.
Javon Tracy wasn’t just a receiving option, but he also had a punt-return touchdown, so special teams are a real factor.
As much as I like Kamario Taylor and Anthony Evans III, I don't know that they can overcome a strong Minnesota defense. The Gophers finished last week inside the top 25 and logged the best coverage grade in PFF.
They’ve got pieces in the secondary who should at least slow down Mississippi State’s methodical drives.
Minnesota’s has run game and special teams advantages against a Mississippi State front that struggled to stuff ULM, making the Gophers the play here.
Stuckey: Air Force ML +110 vs. North Dakota State
| North Dakota State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | -132 |
| Air Force Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | +110 |
Give me Air Force at home. I’ll take the small home 'dog all day.
I’m a buyer on Air Force this season. I think the Falcons are a real conference contender, so why wouldn’t I grab them as home 'dogs against North Dakota State?
NDSU’s resume looks tidy on paper so far, but it has been padded with easy spots: a smash-spot home opener against Jacksonville State in its first game as an FBS program and a matchup against FCS Fordham in the Fargodome.
Now, the Bison have to travel to a hostile environment in altitude and face a program that thrives on its own turf. Air Force will undoubtedly be the fresher, more comfortable team.
Yes, North Dakota State has handled triple-option teams historically, going 8-0 against FCS triple teams. Its defensive staff knows how to game-plan for option football. But Air Force runs that style for a living, and playing it at home in altitude is a different test than the cupcake triple-options NDSU has faced at the FCS level recently.
This line opened around 6.5, and I’m siding with Air Force at home. I think the Falcons can win this one outright.
