You may be familiar with our weekly moneyline underdog article.
Well, we decided a couple of years ago that we needed to show love for the other side by also sharing our two favorite college football favorites that we share weekly on the "Big Bets on Campus" podcast.
We affectionately refer to them as "overdogs," thanks to one of our beloved callers.
To keep the chalk talk rolling this week, we're backing two home favorites — one at the Power 4 level and one at the Group of 5 level.
Let's dive into our Week 13 college football predictions and NCAAF picks for Notre Dame vs. Syracuse and JMU vs. Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Week 8 College Football Predictions, Picks
Stuckey: JMU -13.5 vs. Washington State
| Washington State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+13.5 -110 | 42.5 -110o / -110u | +425 |
| JMU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-13.5 -110 | 42.5 -110o / -110u | -575 |
I like James Madison laying 13.5 points. I’m actually a bit higher — over 14 when accounting for some of the tougher factors in this game.
First off, Washington State has the brutal task of traveling cross-country from Pullman to Harrisonburg, so that 1 p.m. local kickoff isn’t going to feel very good with a 10 a.m. body clock.
Now, Washington State’s big problem is its pass protection, which has been a mess. The Cougars are downright awful at blocking, which is going to be a huge issue against a JMU defense that ranks in the top 10 in pressure rate.
On offense, Washington State could land a couple of big plays here and there because JMU’s defense sometimes gives up those explosive plays. But finishing drives and sustaining long drives is going to be a problem. I don't think Wazzu will be able to move the ball consistently on a down-to-down basis.
Washington State’s offense is also still very limited overall, and while its defense has shown some fight, I think it's overrated in the market.
The Cougars' schedule makes them look better than they really are. Remember, Lane Kiffin admitted he didn’t prepare for them. They had those weird scheduling spots like the Louisiana Tech game, where LT played with its third-string QB, and that blowout win over Toledo.
All of these things inflate Washington State’s ranking and paint a rosier picture than what’s accurate.
On the other side, James Madison feels disrespected again in the polls — something it has to be motivated by. The Dukes know they need to come out strong and put up some convincing style points for the College Football Playoff committee.
Quarterback Alonza Barnett III also wasn’t healthy earlier in the year, which showed in his numbers. But lately, he has seriously stepped it up.
In the first five games, he completed 58% of his passes for 5.75 yards per attempt and rushed for 2.7 yards per carry. In the last five, he’s improved to a 64% completion rate, 10 yards per attempt and and 6 yards per rush. That’s a big jump.
All things considered, I like JMU to win big and cover. Washington State’s struggles on the offensive line, combined with travel and JMU’s improved play, make me love the Dukes here.
Collin Wilson: Notre Dame -36 vs. Syracuse
| Syracuse Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+36 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | +4000 |
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-36 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | |
I’m going with Notre Dame here.
The Fighting Irish basically have just two bullet points left on their schedule that they can lean on when it comes time to make their case to the College Football Playoff committee.
Syracuse is the opponent this week, and the Orange are a mess this year. Sitting at 3-7 and not even bowl eligible, there’s not much left for them to play for. They’ve been getting beaten down pretty badly, losing by 28 points to Miami, 17 to UNC, 25 to Georgia Tech and 35 to Duke.
On top of that, quarterback Rickie Collins is a liability. He has almost three times as many turnover-worthy plays as he does big-time throws.
Defensively, Syracuse comes in near dead last in pass explosiveness allowed, which is a glaring weakness. It’s just a bad look all around.
Notre Dame needs to make sure the committee remembers that it deserves to be ranked ahead of Miami. But from what we’ve seen, Notre Dame should take care of business here and check off as many boxes as possible on its resume.
I expect the Irish to lay it on the Orange as much as they possibly can.
