After a 1-2 start to the season last Saturday, we're eager to get into Week 2 of the college football slate. We scored a huge win with our Clemson vs. Georgia Under, but our predictions on both West Virginia and South Carolina went down in flames.
As you might have learned by now, closing line value matters but it doesn't guarantee victories. Check out our 3 best bets for Saturday, September 7. Good luck, folks!
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9/7 - 3:30 PM EDT on ESPN2
Holy Overreaction, Batman! Auburn blew out Alabama A&M 73-3 in Week 1, which is why I think we're getting a fantastic value play on Cal in this spot. Keep in mind that the Golden Bears gave the Tigers all they wanted last year in a 14-10 loss in Berkeley.
I know that Cal looked rough at times against UC-Davis last week, but that was the mother of all look-ahead spots. It's hard to be motivated against a little brother program when you've got a road trip against an SEC team on deck. Auburn was much more focused in Week 1 after losing three in a row to end their 2023 campaign.
I'm not too crazy about Cal starting QB Fernando Mendoza, but he usually does a good job of not turning the ball over. If Mendoza gets off to a slow start, it wouldn't surprise me if Justin Wilcox gives former North Texas star Chandler Rogers a few snaps.
Getting Rogers some more playing time may just work out better for Cal backers. He threw for well over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns for the Mean Green last season. Auburn will win this game, but not by more than 10.
9/7 - 3:30 PM EDT on CBS
I get that the Hawkeyes are ranked and that they'll probably have an elite defense once again this season. That said, this rivalry game is usually decided by a field goal or less. Can anyone really trust the subpar offense of Iowa to win by any type of margin?
Cade McNamara did look pretty good last week, but that was to be expected against Illinois State. I actually think that Iowa State QB Rocco Becht has a lot more potential than McNamara. Becht showed a ton of poise last season, as he threw for 3,120 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes better look out for senior wideout Jaylin Noel, who hauled in 66 receptions last year and 7 touchdowns. Look for an old-school, low-scoring affair and for the Cyclones to pull off the road upset.
9/7 - 7:00 PM EDT on ESPN2
I think the wrong team is favored in this one. Though Wake Forest got a big win over an FCS school in Week 1, I'm not that impressed with them. The Demon Deacons dropped 8 of their last 9 games last year and I don't believe they have the horses to compete all that well in a tough ACC.
On the other hand, Virginia is trending upward after notching just 3 victories in 2023. Tony Elliott is a good coach, and he's brought in some nice weapons on offense. The Cavs have two nice transfers at wideout (Trell Harris and Chris Tyree) and a nice tight-end prospect (Tyler Neville).
I respect Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson, but I'm not too high on transfer QB Hank Bachmeier. The well-traveled signal caller struggled at times in CUSA last year with La Tech. He could be in for a rude awakening in the ACC! Give me the Cavs here!