College football betting: Week 2

You know college football is back when Florida State lost to not one; but two 12+ point underdogs.

That’s the beauty of the early season; the algorithms of Vegas are still gathering data for their lines so said lines are not as sharp, and there are more massive discrepancies still at large.

So what’s the strategy to get this week’s edge on the books? Tail our picks to make a few extra bucks this week:

The following article contains information that is not representative of the opinions of CommRadio. It solely expresses the opinions of Antonio Fondacaro.

Marshall (+20.5) vs. Virginia Tech

Speaking of massive underdogs, the Thundering Herd are projected to be the “get right” game for Virginia Tech.

The reason this spread is so good is the sheer amount of points. With two defensive-minded teams clashing, you're essentially betting against the atmosphere of an already dejected Hokies Fanbase in their home opener.

If Virginia Tech comes out to a slow start? Forget it. The crowd will be silenced early and then we will be on upset watch.

Marshall’s defense is led by DE Mike Green, who had an impressive nine tackles, and 1.5 sacks last week. He is a polished rusher who can grow his skills under head coach Charles Huff.

The bad? Marshall played against Stony Brook last week, the ultimate cupcake game that could take the edge out of a football team.

Marshall was so dominant in their 45-3 win against Stony Brook; the Herd had three quarterbacks throw TD passes. So the jury’s still out for how effective their passing game is.

Virginia Tech could simply be too big of a jump from Stony Brook for the Thundering Herd. With the athletic capabilities of starting Quarterback Kyron Drones; It could be too much for the Marshall defense to handle.

Even in that worst-case scenario situation, Virginia Tech could easily not cover 21 points. Take that spread and hope the Herd’s run game will hold on.

Score Prediction: 22-13 Virginia Tech

Texas (-7.5) vs. Michigan

I’ll admit, betting on Texas to win in the Big House is scary.

However, this is a vastly different Wolverine team than the one we saw last year. The team has only four returning starters from their 2023 National Championship season.

The most notable losses for the Wolverines include six starting offensive linemen, starting RB Blake Corum, and receivers Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson. Did I mention starting Quarterback J.J. McCarthy?

Michigan had a less-than-impressive outing in their home opener against Fresno State, who couldn’t run the football.

The 30-10 box score may say otherwise, but this game was 13-3 after the third quarter. The only reason Michigan pulled away in the game is because the Fresno State defense began to give up after such a poor performance by their offense.

Texas on the other hand dominated Colorado State in convincing fashion. The Long Horns had a virtually flawless game if it weren’t for a batted ball that ended up being a pick thrown by Quinn Ewers.

Despite the clear and obvious disparity between these two football teams, Michigan is being held up purely based on luster from last season and their rank in the AP poll.

Capitalize off this week's correction while watching the Michigan hype train crash with some extra cash in your pocket.

Score Prediction 35-11 Texas

BONUS: Bowling Green vs. Penn State (-34.5)

While not an official pick, this is the Fondacaro special.

I have a confession to make, I’ve been betting on the Penn State spread every week for the past two years.

How have I done? In 2022 Penn State went 10-3 against the spread.

With a 41-17 loss to Michigan, a failed cover against Northwestern, and a 19-point win against Central Michigan ruining the perfect record. Unfortunately failing to cover those three consecutive games in a row.

The Nittany Lions went on to cover seven games in a row after starting 3-3 ATS, including a Bowl game win and an easy cover against the Utah Utes.

In 2023 Penn State went 9-4 against the spread, coming up short against Ohio State, Indiana, and Michigan while also failing to cover against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

If you put $100 on the spread every week in the span of those two seasons, assuming each line is -110, (which if you are a smart bettor it will not be) you would have profited $1,011.9. If you don’t believe me, do the math yourself.

As an honest person, I will be tracking the spread this year. The best value for this week's spread right now is +100 on Sport Trade, and -108 on DraftKings.

Record: 1-0

Profit: +$90.91

If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit https://www.pacouncil.com/helpline/ to get the help you need today.

Antonio Fondacaro is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email adf5400@psu.edu.