College Football Picks Week 4: Best Favorites to Bet Before Odds Change
The Week 4 college football slate has so many high-profile games on it that one will fly under the national radar because of the sheer volume of important contests.
The Pac-12 clash between the UCLA Bruins and Utah Utes is the top candidate to receive the least attention because it occurs at the same time that the Alabama Crimson Tide and Colorado Buffaloes play on Saturday.
A major development for Utah that shifted the spread in its favor could have an affect on the national conversation by the time Saturday ends.
Utah quarterback Cam Rising is expected to return against UCLA. Rising spent the first three weeks of the season finishing up his recovery from a knee injury suffered in the Rose Bowl.
The Utes could enter the College Football Playoff conversation if Rising stars against UCLA and if their defense plays to its normal high standard.
The six Top 25 games will push all other games to the third or fourth screens in each television window.
Some of the best favorites to trust on Saturday come from those matchups with little buzz surrounding them because of how lopsided they can be.
No. 22 UCLA at No. 11 Utah (-6)
1 of 3
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox
For the latest lines on these games, go to DraftKings.
UCLA-Utah will be relegated to the third television in most households because of how important the Colorado-Oregon and Ole Miss-Alabama games are to the national conversation.
The winner of Saturday's clash in Salt Lake City will inevitably fly under the radar and not receive the proper attention for its achievement.
Utah is in a prime position to beat another Pac-12 ranked foe at home due to Rising's return.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham noted all week that Rising has looked good in practice, per KSL's Josh Furlong and ESPN Radio's Ian Fitzsimmons.
The spread would not have moved a point-and-a-half in Utah's favor if Rising is not playing, so we are operating under the assumption that he will be back.
The Utes went 3-0 without Rising and its defense conceded a total of 31 points. None of Utah's opponents reached the 14-point mark.
UCLA's Dante Moore presents the toughest quarterback matchup that Utah has faced so far this season, but the star freshman could be at a disadvantage with this being his first true road game in the Pac-12.
Utah did not lose at home last season, and only the USC Trojans put up over 20 points on its defense in Salt Lake City.
The Utes also have some revenge on their minds after losing by 10 points in Los Angeles last season.
Rising does not have to do everything on offense for Utah to win, but if he is at 75 percent or better, the Utes have the potential to cruise behind the veteran quarterback and its defense going against a freshman quarterback.
No. 17 North Carolina (-7.5) at Pittsburgh
2 of 3
Saturday. 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network
The North Carolina Tar Heels' offense looks like a far more functional unit than that of the Pittsburgh Panthers after three weeks.
Drake Maye and Co. averaged 173 more total yards per game than Phil Jurkovec and the Panthers.
Jurkovec, a Boston College transfer, was unable to move the ball last week against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Pitt scored just six points in the Backyard Brawl.
North Carolina's defense is far from the best, but it has held the South Carolina Gamecocks and Minnesota Golden Gophers to under 20 points.
Pitt is probably close, or a bit lower, than the level of South Carolina and Minnesota this year, and Acrisure Stadium is not a tough environment to go into.
Maye should be able to score on the Pitt defense. He is by far the most explosive quarterback the Panthers have seen in 2023.
If UNC gets over 30 points for the fourth straight week, Pitt will be unable to catch up with it as long as Jurkovec is playing at his current level.
Florida Atlantic at Illinois (-15.5)
3 of 3
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN
The Illinois Fighting Illini had to breathe one of the biggest sighs of relief in college football after they got done Week 3.
Bret Bielema's team ran through a gauntlet against the Toledo Rockets, Kansas Jayhawks and Penn State Nittany Lions to start the season.
Illinois faces a much more easier opponent in the form of the Florida Atlantic Owls in Week 4.
FAU comes into Champaign shorthanded after quarterback Casey Thompson was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL.
Illinois sits in the perfect spot to take out the frustration from its 1-2 start and feast on an offense with a backup quarterback at the helm.
The Illini could use a big win to propel them into the rest of Big Ten play, where they do not play another ranked team until November 18.
A spread-covering win on Saturday could kick off a winning streak that makes them a contender in the Big Ten West.
Gambling problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visiting ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visiting OPGR.org (OR), or calling/texting TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
