CFB Sharp Report: Nevada-SDSU Among Pros’ 5 Favorite Saturday Bets

While it's not on the same level as Saturday's game of the year between LSU and Alabama, an early kick in Minnesota is still going to draw plenty of eyeballs in Week 11.

It's also attracting plenty of action from bettors — it has the second-highest bet count on the slate — including sharps, who've been all over the spread throughout the week.

Also catching the attention of pro bettors on Saturday:

• Purdue at Northwestern (12 p.m. ET)
• Wake Forest at Virginia Tech (3:30 p.m. ET)
• UConn vs. Cincinnati (3:30 ET)
• Nevada at San Diego State (10:30 p.m. ET)

Odds as of Friday at 3 p.m. ET and via PointsBet, where Action Network users can access an exclusive promotion to get a 200% deposit match (deposit $50, bet with $150).

Penn State vs. Minnesota

12 p.m. ET | ABC

In what's served as a perfect illustration of sharps betting numbers as opposed to teams, Minnesota has taken on the brunt of the professional action in this weekend's marquee early game … but only at the the key number of +7.

After opening inside of a touchdown (-6 or -6.5 in most spots), Penn State has been pushed to -7 on a few occasions over the course of the week thanks to a 66% backing. In each case, sportsbooks have been met with a storm of smart money on the Gophers, driving the line right back to -6.5 — where it currently stands.

A total of 11 Sports Insights Bet Signals, which track real-time instances of market-moving sharp action, have been triggered on Minnesota.

All 11 have come at +7.

Also pointing toward professional activity on Minnesota has been the discrepancy between bets and dollars hitting the spread. While the Gophers are attracting just a third of bets, they've generated 44% of actual money being wagered, meaning bigger bettors — the ones more likely to be sharps — are taking the points.

Sharp angle: Minnesota (moved from +7 to +6.5) [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]

Purdue vs. Northwestern

12 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network

Turning to another Big Ten noon ET kickoff, Northwestern will be going for its first conference win of the season against Purdue, a team that's beaten both Maryland and Nebraska in conference play.

Oddsmakers initially gave the edge to the Boilermakers, which would perhaps make sense given the two teams' records. Of course, sharps aren't making their decisions based on records.

Starting at the opening number of +2 they've found plenty of value on Northwestern, convincing oddsmakers to flip the Wildcats to -2 despite 64% of bettors taking Purdue.

Six SI Bet Signals — at lines ranging from +2.5 to -1 — have hit Northwestern throughout the week, and we've yet to see any sign of buyback on the Boilermakers. Of course, a move to the key number of 3 could change that.

Once again, the 36% of bettors on Northwestern have been making much bigger bets, as in this case they've generated 66% of the money on the spread.

Sharp angle: Northwestern (moved from +2 to -2) [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]

Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech

3:30 p.m. ET | ACC Network

Wake Forest has undoubtedly been this season's most impressive ACC team not named Clemson. At 7-1, the Deacs have played themselves into the top 20 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, and will face a 5-3 Virginia Tech team as just 2-point favorites.

That may not sound like much of a spread, and it wasn't always so small. But sharp action on the Hokies at the opening number of +3 has given oddsmakers no choice but to reduce this line, even though it's given a heavy majority of their customers (72% are on Wake) an easier cover.

Seven Bet Signals have hit Tech throughout the week, and while six of them came at the key number of +3, the most recent influx of market-moving money actually came inside the key number at +2.5, revealing that not all sharps are requiring the full field-goal cushion to have faith in the Hokies.

And following the pattern of the first two games on Saturday's sharp card, the 28% of Virginia Tech backers have been of the bigger variety, accounting for 44% of actual money.

Sharp angle: Virginia Tech (moved from +3 to +2) [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]

UConn vs. Cincinnati

3:30 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network

From a bet-vs.-money perspective, this over/under features one of the biggest discrepancies of any spot on Saturday's slate. The 39% of bettors on the under have made up for a whopping 92% of dollars, and that has unsurprisingly also pointed toward the sharp side.

Of the six Bet Signals that have hit this total, five have come on the under, including the most recent three at totals of 56.5 and 56.

As a result, this number has come down from its high-water mark (and opener at some books) of 58 down to 54.5.

Sharp angle: Under (moved from 58 to 54.5) [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]

Nevada vs. San Diego State

10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

With most openers coming right around 42, this game was already boasting one of the lowest totals on Saturday's slate. But thanks to some sharp action, it's now even lower.

Four SI Bet Signals have hit the under at totals of 40.5 or 40, and oddsmakers have once again had no choice but to move this line away from its popular side. In this case, the 43% of bettors on the under have generated 71% of money, and the professional activity has resulted in a move down to a consensus 39.

Sharp angle: Under (moved from 42 to 39) [In New Jersey? Bet now at PointsBet]