The college football world changed forever on July 27, 2021, when Texas and Oklahoma applied for SEC membership, a seismic shift in the football landscape that had ripple effects throughout the country.
The PAC 12 imploded, sending Washington making a 2,000-mile trek across the country to face Rutgers in a Big Ten Conference matchup. Or Stanford – with their campus less than 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean – facing Clemson for the first time as a member of the ACC.
There are positives, however. Like this week’s Georgia at Alabama regular season game now that the SEC has abandoned its division model; it’s only the fourth time since 2008 these two teams have played in the regular season.
With big games on deck, what should bettors look for in the final September weekend of college football action? We’ve got you covered as we’ll provide our top four college football player prop picks for Saturday’s contests below.
The Wolverines have employed a two-head rushing attack over the past two weeks to win games against Arkansas State and then-No. 11 ranked USC at home. This week, Michigan finishes its five-game home stretch with a matchup against Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers have allowed over 123 yards per game on the ground, so Michigan should be able to move the football. Expect Donovan Edwards to carry the load this week as he gains at least 55 yards in another win for Michigan on Saturday.
The No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats have a unique offense over the past few years, one that is predicated on a running quarterback. Sophomore Avery Johnson is a mobile signal caller, rushing for 261 yards on 39 carries, numbers second only to running back D.J. Giddens.
Their opponent this week – No. 20 Oklahoma State – has struggled at stopping either the passing or running attack. Given the Wildcats' preference to move the ball on the ground, expect Johnson to finish the game with less than 161 passing yards, a number he’s failed to reach three out of four games thus far.
The No. 17 Clemson Tigers have blown the doors off their competition since losing to Georgia 34-3, racking up over 1,000 yards in two games and well over 110 points. Part of that is the emergence of their rushing attack, something Clemson could not establish in their season opener.
The Tigers may find life hard rushing the ball in this game, too. That’s why I expect quarterback Cade Klubnik to showcase his arm in this win against a porous defense like the Cardinal have, and tight end Jake Briningstool is the surest option Clemson has. He’ll surpass the 40.5-yard mark on Saturday and become the first tight end to do so against Stanford.
Michigan State has started the season 3-1, losing only last week to a ranked Boston College team by four points. Still, these Spartans are heavy underdogs heading into this matchup against No. 3 ranked Ohio State.
I’m calling this a trap game as the Buckeyes are playing their first road game this season. I think the Spartans keep it tight, and I expect running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams – who has 271 yards in four games – to at least exceed his 67.8-yard average Saturday against an Ohio State defense that has yielded an average of 120 yards per game on the ground.