A handful of weeks remain in the college football regular season. That means the time is now for contenders to start building their postseason resume. Even though the season is winding down, favorites would be foolish to sleep on any team at this time of year. As we get ready for another loaded CFB slate, it’s time to track down a few underdogs capable of earning a win on Saturday.
Let’s break down two plus money picks on DraftKings Sportsbook that could pull off an upset in Week 10.
Best CFB Upset Picks for Week 10
Syracuse ML (+110) over Clemson
The Orange are riding high, having just upset then-19th ranked SMU by a score of 30-27 last weekend. It’s been a nice two-game stretch for this program, having taken down North Carolina in overtime two weeks ago as well. Leading the charge in both wins was quarterback Steve Angeli, re-inserted as the team’s starting quarterback. During his last two outings, the senior has thrown for a total of 456 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Syracuse has looked better on the ground as well, gaining 120+ rushing yards in each of its previous four outings. It’s no coincidence that the team has kept the final score within one possession in each of those games.
With that being said, this bet is as much about Syracuse as it is about Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s crew has fallen short of expectations once again. The defense remains respectable, but the other side of the ball has been nothing short of miserable. The Tigers are averaging an ACC-worst 335.4 yards per game this season. Starting quarterback Tait Reynolds, who claimed the job midseason, has been lackluster at best. The freshman has thrown for 1,285 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions over eight games. The ground game has been mediocre as well, gaining 3.70 yards per rush attempt.
The Orange are far from a sure thing, but I trust their offense far more than the visitors this afternoon. Given Clemson’s inability to move the ball, Syracuse has far more upside as home underdogs.
Northwestern ML (+114) vs. Iowa
It wasn’t the best spot for Northwestern last week, forced to go on the road against #23 Oregon. Credit to the Wildcats, who hung around en route to an eight-point defeat. It’s not the best result for a group looking to emerge as Big Ten contenders, but competitive road losses are a sign of stability. Fourth-year head coach David Bruan has done a terrific job this season, helping this group earn a 6-2 record. Just as important, the Wildcats have an identity. This is a physical, hard-nosed group that avoids sloppy mistakes. Northwestern is second among Big Ten schools in rushing yards per game (200.88) and turnover margin (+1.25). Only #8 UCLA has been better in both categories among conference foes.
It’s worth noting that Northwestern starting quarterback Aidan Chiles (upper-body) is expected to miss this game. Regardless, backup Nicco Marchiol has four years of experience during his time at West Virginia. NW’s offense, while less explosive through the air. should remain functional.
Saturday’s matchup is massive, as Northwestern hosts #19 Iowa at new-look Ryan Field. The Hawkeyes play a similar brand of football, opting to control time of possession via the ground game. A 30-0 win at home against then-ranked Wisconsin impressed plenty of observers. However, it’s also safe to call this group a bit limited on offense. Iowa is averaging 7.0 yards per pass attempt, fifth-fewest in the Big Ten. That’s not an issue when you hold a lead, but it does make the first half extra-important for the Hawkeyes. Starting quarterback Hank Brown has thrown three interceptions over his previous three outings, so a ballhawking Northwestern secondary could make an impact here. At home, I’ll back the Wildcats at plus money.
