Clay Travis' Gambling Picks For College Football Week 4: Florida State, Ole Miss And Points Galore
We went 6-4 last week to run our season record to 23-19, that's 55% winners so far.
Can we keep the mojo rolling this week? Of course we can.
In fact, we're planning on 14-0.
So let's get rich, kids.
Rutgers +24 at Michigan
There's a nasty rumor out there that I don't like Greg Schiano. This is simply not true. Every week I put on my Rutgers sweatshirt and ensure I don't miss New Jersey's finest school's games.
That's how I know that Rutgers is 3-0 and poised to travel to Ann Arbor and pull off a massive upset to seize early control of the Big Ten East and cement Rutgers as a bona fide playoff … okay, that's not ever happening.
But Rutgers and my guy Schiano are going to cover the big number here because, honestly, Michigan has been fairly pedestrian in its first four games. That continues with Michigan winning 31-10 on Saturday.
Boom, you get a nice cover.
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 16: Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) reacts during the college football game between Florida State Seminoles and Boston College Eagles on September 16, 2023, at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Florida State -2.5 at Clemson
The Seminoles were sloppy down the stretch at Boston College and actually were somewhat lucky to hang on in Chestnut Hill.
But I think that's because they were already looking ahead to Clemson.
I picked the Seminoles to win the ACC before the season and nothing has changed that expectation. Put simply, Florida State is the better team and should win by a touchdown or more at Clemson.
Get a win and cover in the first of the top 25 matchups.
Auburn at Texas A&M, the over 52.5
Part of gambling, especially in college football, is knowing the coaches involved.
Hugh Freeze and Bobby Petrino are both offensive guys and ultimately their play-calling pace will dictate the tempo here, which I expect to be fast with a bunch of possessions.
If I'm right, and when am I ever wrong?, then you won't need to worry about who wins because the points will be raining down in College Station.
The over's the play.
Kentucky at Vanderbilt, the over 49.5
This Kentucky offense is starting to round into shape and Vanderbilt's defense can't stop anyone.
What's that mean?
Tap the veins boys and girls, a blood bank guarantee on the over this weekend in Nashville.
BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes looks on in the first overtime period against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field on September 17, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Colorado at Oregon, the over 70
I think Oregon is going to absolutely obliterate Colorado.
I really do.
The Buffaloes have been a fun story so far, but they haven't stepped up this high in class yet. Colorado's defense was exposed by Colorado State after the Travis Hunter injury -- I think they are still running wide open on crossing routes -- and the Oregon environment for Dan Lanning's team should be electric.
But I think Oregon gets up so much that late touchdowns might put the cover in jeopardy.
So I'm just going to take the over instead and cash this winning ticket.
UCLA at Utah, the under 52.5
Utah can drag anyone into the mud with them, including UCLA.
I know Chip Kelly's team has been under the radar so far, but I think they're running into a defensive buzzsaw against Kyle Whittingham's crew.
The Utes keep it low scoring and ugly, but that's beautiful if you have the under.
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 16: Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during a college football game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on September 16, 2023 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Ole Miss +7 at Alabama
Sooner or later Lane Kiffin is going to beat Nick Saban.
And I think it may well be Joey Freshwater's year.
We've already seen former Saban offensive coordinator's Jimbo Fisher and Steve Sarkisian beat Saban, now Lane makes it a trio.
The Tide offensive line can't block against anyone so the quarterback matters less than in years past. Meanwhile Ole Miss is a quiet, and confident, 3-0.
Hotty Toddy, the Rebels cover, and just may win outright in Tuscaloosa.
Maryland -6.5 at Michigan State
The Spartans have destroyed their football program by forcing out Mel Tucker.
You saw last week that the team basically didn't show up against Washington.
Sadly, there's more of the same coming this week.
The Terps move to 4-0 with a double digit win.
UTSA +20 at Tennessee
Something's rotten in Knoxville.
I don't know what it is, but that performance against Florida wasn't just bad, it was putrid, the stench hasn't lifted.
And it started the week before against Austin Peay when the Vols couldn't put away a mediocre FCS team.
This Vol team just isn't playing well right now and UTSA is a sneaky good non-power five team.
Until the Vols prove their offense can blow out someone decent -- Virginia doesn't count -- I'm not taking them with a big number. UTSA's the play.
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest -3.5
Wake stormed back from a huge deficit at Old Dominion.
Now they get Georgia Tech in Winston-Salem and the Demon Deacons start fast and put the Yellow Jackets away early.
Give me Dave Clawson's team to stay undefeated.
Arkansas +17.5 at LSU and the over 55.5
The Razorbacks dropped a stunner at home last week to BYU and now they travel to Death Valley, where LSU is ready to prove its early season loss to FSU was an aberration by opening up the SEC season 2-0.
The line is over 17, but the last three games in this series have been decided by three or less and four of the last five have been decided by a touchdown or less.
This feels like a huge number, especially when Arkansas has a proven quarterback and is likely to score 20 or more themselves.
Give me the Hogs and the over for a double-win on a Louisiana Saturday night.
Ohio State at Notre Dame +3.5
I know, I know, Notre Dame always loses the big game.
But Marcus Freeman's team is under the radar so far this year and the Buckeyes, as they've worked to find a quarterback, haven't played that consistently well so far.
That inconsistency shows up in South Bend as, wake up the echoes, Notre Dame wins outright behind Sam Hartman's leadership.
But take the Irish +3.5 to have a little buffer here too.
Iowa +14.5 at Penn State
You know what Iowa's going to do in this game -- take away all the fun.
Penn State has scored 30 or more points in 10-straight games, but that trend ends here. The game's going to be nasty and brutish and it feels like it ends Penn State 27 Iowa 17.
That's a winner, taking all of us to 14-0 on the week.
#respectthepicks and let's get rich, kids!