We’re onto Week 5 of college football, which features a massive SEC showdown between Georgia and Alabama, as well as plenty of other games available on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s everything I’ve placed so far this week.
I put out a handful of plays on Twitter here earlier in the week, which I’ll write up below.
Washington at Rutgers ML (-130)
1.5-units
Friday (8pm ET)
Rutgers is off to a strong 3-0 start to the season. While we didn’t learn much about them against Howard or Akron, they scored 44-plus points in each game and won with good margin. The Scarlet Knights got their first test as an underdog at Virginia Tech last week, and while the Hokies haven’t lived up to full expectations this season, Rutgers got a nice road win against an experienced team.
Now the scene shifts to a home Friday night game, hosting a Washington team that dropped its only true test of the season. The Huskies are off to a 3-1 start a season after a run to the National Championship Game, but did drop the Apple Cup as home favorites to rival Washington State. Obviously, the Huskies lost a ton of key production from last season, including the Head Coach.
I expect the difference here to be the ground game for Rutgers. Will Howard threw for over 300 yards against Wazzu, but it wasn’t enough to win the game. While both Rutgers and Washington rank in the top-20 in terms of passing yards allowed, it’s the Rutgers offense that’s been ripping off 219 yards per game (18th in the country). Look for the Scarlet Knights to limit the Huskies through the air, and control the game on the ground to get the win at home under the Friday night lights.
Maryland at Indiana -6.5 (-115)
1-unit
Saturday (12pm ET)
I’m buying into what the Hoosiers are doing. Sure, the schedule hasn’t been too difficult, but Indiana sits at 4-0, and has blown out everyone in their path — a 42-13 win at UCLA. Maryland has been solid this season, so I’m not necessarily down on the Terps, but they did drop a game as a large home favorite to Michigan State.
Maryland did go on the road and get an impressive win over Virginia, but that game told me a lot more about UVA. I backed Virginia in that one and watched the entire game. UVA didn’t score a point in the second half, and really gave the game away, particularly with turnovers. Indiana isn’t going to do that.
Kurtis Rourke and the Hoosiers have aired it our for over 1,000 yards this season, including eight touchdowns to zero interceptions. He has an array of pass catchers to spread it to, which should be an issue for the Maryland defense — which ranks 104th in the nation, giving up over 277 yards per game. Maryland can sling it to, but Indiana is a top-20 pass defense in terms of yards allowed — which is impressive given the blowouts.
Look for the Hoosiers to move the ball well through the air, and win this game by more than a touchdown.
Oklahoma ML (-122) at Auburn
1-unit
Saturday (3:30pm ET)
I got a bad number on this game, and understand if the injury concerns on the Oklahoma side scare you off. The Sooners have a handful of key names ruled out for this game, including a slew of receivers. Most notably is Deion Burkes, who has 26 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns this season — all of which lead the team.
On the flip side, Auburn has been dreadful this season. While the Tigers have two meaningless wins, they’ve also lost at home as a short dog to Arkansas last week, and a double-digit dog to Cal a couple weeks back. They just can’t seem to find the answer.
Oklahoma will be making the switch at quarterback to freshman Michael Hawkins. Going on the road in the SEC as your first start is an obvious challenge, but I expect him to take better care of the ball than Jackson Arnold, and also be a threat with his legs. Oklahoma hung tough with an elite Tennessee team last week, creating a decent bounce-back spot. Oklahoma has been solid on defense, which should create problems for a really poor Auburn offense.
Nobody is believing in the Sooners right now, so I’ll buy low despite the injuries, particularly against this Auburn team.
Arkansas +6 (-110) vs. Texas A&M
1-unit
Saturday (3:30pm ET)
This line got as low as Arkansas +3.5 before bouncing all the way back up. Regardless, I think the Hogs have a decent chance to win this game outright. The Aggies have been pretty unimpressive thus far, despite a 3-1 record. The loss to Notre Dame was pretty uninspiring, considering how poor the Irish have looked on offense since. A win over Florida likely tells us more about the ineptitude of the Gators this season, and A&M limped to a six-point home win over Bowling Green last week.
Connor Weigman could be available at quarterback for A&M in this game, although Marcel Reed has been the better option the last few games. I’m hoping Weigman gets the nod, but even if he doesn’t, this would be likely the toughest test Reed has faced yet.
The Hogs have shown to have a pretty explosive offense thus far. They sit at 3-1, and easily could’ve pulled out a win at Oklahoma State if a bounce went their way late in that game. Talen Green and Ja’Quinden Jackson are dynamic pieces on offense, with Green passing for nearly 1,000 yards, and running for another 325 and four touchdowns. Jackson is ripping off 6.8 yards per carry, and has reached the end zone eight times.
No doubt, the Aggies have the advantage on defense here, but I think the gap on offense is far wider in favor of Arkansas. I think the Hogs have a good chance to win this game outright at AT&T Stadium.
Georgia at Alabama +2.5 (-110)
1.5-units
Saturday (7:30pm ET)
This is probably a top-three game of the year in college football, with No. 2 Georgia traveling to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 Alabama. I ultimately sided with the Crimson Tide in this SEC heavyweight fight — check out my full game breakdown with analysis on why.
I put my article out with ‘Bama as the play priced a dog on Wednesday, but I would play the Tide to a pick ’em.
Place your College Football bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment.
