The college football betting season rolls on into Week 6 with some very interesting matchups across the country. A lot of the dynamics in college football have defied preseason expectations. Other developments in terms of injuries and attrition have also reshaped the outlook for various teams.
We’ve circled three games on the board – including the Red River Rivalry – that should offer some value to bettors. Here’s a look at the picks along with odds from BetAnySports.eu.
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners College Football Odds
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | -7 ( -110 ) | 65½ ( -110 ) | -270 |  |
| Oklahoma | +7 ( -110 ) | 65½ ( -110 ) | +230 | |
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The Oklahoma Sooners might actually be a bad team, or at least a mediocre one. They were blasted 55-24 by TCU this past weekend after losing to Kansas State the week before. Oklahoma also has to deal with the possibility of not having starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel available to play. He was concussed due to a dirty hit from a TCU defensive player this past weekend.
You will want to monitor the situation to see if Gabriel can play. Assuming he can’t play, Oklahoma does not have a good backup quarterback and is in very big trouble right now. The Sooners were not able to throw the ball down the field when Gabriel left the game.
Given the problems the Sooners have on defense, they are highly vulnerable against Texas even though the Longhorns also have a backup quarterback. Hudson Card has been solid – not tremendous, but not impotent, either – as UT’s backup quarterback. He has been able to run the offense efficiently. He looked good in Texas’ win over West Virginia this past weekend. Texas is likely to have a massive advantage at quarterback.
Pick: Texas -7
Iowa Hawkeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini Odds by BetAnySports
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | +3½ ( -120 ) | 35½ ( -110 ) | +145 | |
| Illinois | -3½ ( EV ) | 35½ ( -110 ) | -165 | |
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This is a fascinating game for a few different reasons. One is that Iowa has been a double-digit favorite against Illinois on many occasions in recent years. If you go back through the odds and point-spread history of this game in terms of pregame betting lines, Iowa has been a consistent, solid favorite over Illinois. The Hawkeyes have had a good program and the Illini have struggled profoundly. This year, everything is different. Illinois is actually favored against Iowa. Few people would have anticipated that before the season.
The other really intriguing aspect of this game is that one has to wonder if Illinois is actually the favorite to win the Big Ten West Division. The Wisconsin Badgers looks really bad. The Minnesota Golden Gophers just lost at home to Purdue, and the Boilermakers already have a Big Ten loss. Nebraska and Northwestern are terrible. Iowa just lost to Michigan. This is a real chance for Illinois to announce itself as a Big Ten West contender. Can the Illini handle the pressure? The verdict here: no.
Pick: Iowa +3.5
TCU Horned Frogs at Kansas Jayhawks College Football Odds
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCU | -7½ ( EV ) | 68 ( -110 ) | -280 | |
| Kansas | +7½ ( -120 ) | 68 ( -110 ) | +240 | |
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This is a game between two unbeaten teams. Absolutely no one expected both TCU and Kansas to be unbeaten through Week 5 of the season. TCU upset Oklahoma, while Kansas has knocked off West Virginia and Iowa State in Big 12 play. How will these teams handle the pressure? It’s going to be a very emotional game. The home team is a touchdown underdog here. Kansas looks like a very good play against a TCU team which was not expected to be a contender for the Big 12 championship.
Pick: Kansas +7
