Is Brian HOT?????
Last week – 3-1-1
Overall - 5-2-1
Each week of the football season, professional guest picker Brian Edwards will join us to give his analysis and picks on a few games he likes each week…enjoy and good luck!!!
By Brian Edwards
Week 3 Picks
Charlotte @ Ga State
Pick #1: Ga. St. Team Total ‘OVER’ 20.5 points in the first half.
Pick #2: Ga. St. Team Total ‘OVER’ 40.5 points.
If we’ve learned anything through this early stage of the 2022 college football season, it’s that Charlotte’s defense is downright atrocious. Using that logic, we went with Maryland’s Team Total ‘over’ 24.5 points in the first half at Charlotte last week.
The Terrapins went ahead 28-14 with 12:55 remaining in the second quarter. They went North of their 46.5-point Team Total on a 49-yard touchdown run for a 49-14 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter.
Before getting pummeled by Maryland, Charlotte lost 41-24 at home to William & Mary. In the 49ers’ opener at Florida Atlantic, they lost 43-13. Wait, it gets worse.
In its regular-season finale last season, Charlotte gave up 56 points to Old Dominion. In the previous games, the 49ers allowed 49 and 42 points vs. Marshall and at La. Tech, respectively.
Through three games this year, Charlotte is ranked dead last nationally (No. 131) among FBS teams in total defense, surrendering 553.3 yards per game. The 49ers are No. 122 against the pass (314.7 YPG) and No. 125 at defending the run (238.7 YPG). Finally, they are No. 126 in scoring ‘D’ (46.7 points per game).
Will Healy’s team plays at Georgia St. on Saturday. The Panthers are starving for a win after losing at South Carolina (35-14) and vs. North Carolina (35-28).
They held a 14-12 lead over the Gamecocks with 7:30 left in the third quarter, but Shane Beamer’s team got a pair of TDs thanks to returns of blocked punts to create a misleading final score. Then last week in Atlanta, Shawn Elliott’s squad had a 28-21 advantage on the Tar Heels with 1:00 remaining in the third quarter.
Despite facing two quality Power-Five opponents, Ga. St. managed to average 217.5 rushing yards per game. The Panthers also averaged 4.6 yards per carry. QB Darren Grainger had three TD passes without an interception against UNC.
Georgia @ South Carolina
Pick #3: South Carolina +24.5
After Alabama committed 11 penalties in the first half of a fortunate win at Texas last week, I elevated Georgia into the No. 1 spot in my Week 3 Power Rankings. The Bulldogs looked spectacular in pounding Oregon early and often in Atlanta in their opener.
But Kirby Smart’s team isn’t making the short 70-mile West from Athens to The ATL on Saturday. It’s going to be at Williams-Brice Stadium, where one of the country’s most electric crowds will be poised to make an impact on the game. Nevertheless, UGA is an enormous 24.5-point underdog.
South Carolina’s offensive line has struggled to date and the defense is going to be without at least two starters. DE Jordan Strachan and LB Mo Kaba sustained season-ending ACL tears in last week’s 44-30 loss at Arkansas. CB Cam Smith, a preseason first-team All-SEC pick after garnering fourth-team All-SEC honors last year, is listed as ‘questionable,’ but I expect him to play.
Spencer Rattler threw for 376 yards in last week’s loss to the Razorbacks. He has already developed great chemistry with WR Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells, who was a second-team FCS All-American at James Madison in 2021. Wells had eight catches for 189 yards and one TD at Arkansas and is leading the SEC in receiving yards.
RB Marshawn Lloyd, who tore his ACL in August of 2020 as a true freshman and looked a bit rusty and perhaps a step slow last season, appears to be back in top form. He bullied his way into the end zone on a seven-yard TD run last week and finished the game with 96 all-purpose yards on just 13 touches.
If South Carolina falls behind the number, it has plenty of potential to post a backdoor cover, but we don’t think it’s come to that. UGA wins by 14-21 points.
California @ Notre Dame
Pick #4: California +11
Notre Dame has lost its first two games while looking dreadful on offense, averaging a pedestrian 15.5 PPG. With starting QB Tyler Buchner now out for the season with a shoulder injury, Drew Pyne is poised to make his first career start Saturday at home vs. California.
Pyne will face a defense that returned eight starters from a unit that gave up only 19.7 PPG last season. Remember, the Fighting Irish also lost their best WR (Avery Davis) to a season-ending injury in late August.
California has thrived in underdog roles during Justin Wilcox’s six-year tenure that started in 2017. In fact, the Golden Bears are 13-1 ATS against the spread in their last 14 games as road underdogs.
Furthermore, Cal has compiled a 14-3 spread record with six outright wins in 17 games as an underdog of seven points or more on Wilcox’s watch. The Golden Bears have also cashed tickets galore when listed as double-digit underdogs since Wilcox was hired, going 9-3 ATS with four outright victories.
They’ve upgraded at QB this year with Purdue transfer Jack Plummer, who has 30/11 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 15 career starts.
Pick #5: Vandy at No. Illinois ‘OVER’ 58 points.
The ‘over’ is 3-0 for Vanderbilt with its combined scores hitting 73, 73 and 70 points. The ‘over’ is 2-0 for No. Illinois with its combined scores coming to 73 and 61 points.
Vandy’s QB have combined for an 8/1 TD-INT ratio, while NIU’s Rocky Lombardi has a 4/1 TD-INT ratio and one rushing TD.
The Huskies allowed an average of 33.7 PPG last year. Through two games, they’ve given up 27 points to an FCS foe, Eastern Illinois, before allowing Tulsa to hang 40 points on them last week.
The Commodores have allowed 45 points to Wake Forest and 31 to Elon in the last two weeks.
Last week – 3-1-1
Overall - 5-2-1
Each week of the football season, professional guest picker Brian Edwards will join us to give his analysis and picks on a few games he likes each week…enjoy and good luck!!!
By Brian Edwards
- @vegasbedwards on Twitter (linkage: https://twitter.com/vegasbedwards)
- MajorWager.com Managing Editor (linkage: https://www.majorwager.com/)
- VegasInsider.com Senior Handicapper (linkage: https://www.vegasinsider.com/handicappers/brian-edwards/)
- Owner of BrianEdwardsSports.com (linkage: http://brianedwardssports.com/) Host of the BetCFB Podcast (linkage: https://www.vegasinsider.com/shows/bet-cfb/)
Week 3 Picks
Charlotte @ Ga State
Pick #1: Ga. St. Team Total ‘OVER’ 20.5 points in the first half.
Pick #2: Ga. St. Team Total ‘OVER’ 40.5 points.
If we’ve learned anything through this early stage of the 2022 college football season, it’s that Charlotte’s defense is downright atrocious. Using that logic, we went with Maryland’s Team Total ‘over’ 24.5 points in the first half at Charlotte last week.
The Terrapins went ahead 28-14 with 12:55 remaining in the second quarter. They went North of their 46.5-point Team Total on a 49-yard touchdown run for a 49-14 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter.
Before getting pummeled by Maryland, Charlotte lost 41-24 at home to William & Mary. In the 49ers’ opener at Florida Atlantic, they lost 43-13. Wait, it gets worse.
In its regular-season finale last season, Charlotte gave up 56 points to Old Dominion. In the previous games, the 49ers allowed 49 and 42 points vs. Marshall and at La. Tech, respectively.
Through three games this year, Charlotte is ranked dead last nationally (No. 131) among FBS teams in total defense, surrendering 553.3 yards per game. The 49ers are No. 122 against the pass (314.7 YPG) and No. 125 at defending the run (238.7 YPG). Finally, they are No. 126 in scoring ‘D’ (46.7 points per game).
Will Healy’s team plays at Georgia St. on Saturday. The Panthers are starving for a win after losing at South Carolina (35-14) and vs. North Carolina (35-28).
They held a 14-12 lead over the Gamecocks with 7:30 left in the third quarter, but Shane Beamer’s team got a pair of TDs thanks to returns of blocked punts to create a misleading final score. Then last week in Atlanta, Shawn Elliott’s squad had a 28-21 advantage on the Tar Heels with 1:00 remaining in the third quarter.
Despite facing two quality Power-Five opponents, Ga. St. managed to average 217.5 rushing yards per game. The Panthers also averaged 4.6 yards per carry. QB Darren Grainger had three TD passes without an interception against UNC.
Georgia @ South Carolina
Pick #3: South Carolina +24.5
After Alabama committed 11 penalties in the first half of a fortunate win at Texas last week, I elevated Georgia into the No. 1 spot in my Week 3 Power Rankings. The Bulldogs looked spectacular in pounding Oregon early and often in Atlanta in their opener.
But Kirby Smart’s team isn’t making the short 70-mile West from Athens to The ATL on Saturday. It’s going to be at Williams-Brice Stadium, where one of the country’s most electric crowds will be poised to make an impact on the game. Nevertheless, UGA is an enormous 24.5-point underdog.
South Carolina’s offensive line has struggled to date and the defense is going to be without at least two starters. DE Jordan Strachan and LB Mo Kaba sustained season-ending ACL tears in last week’s 44-30 loss at Arkansas. CB Cam Smith, a preseason first-team All-SEC pick after garnering fourth-team All-SEC honors last year, is listed as ‘questionable,’ but I expect him to play.
Spencer Rattler threw for 376 yards in last week’s loss to the Razorbacks. He has already developed great chemistry with WR Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells, who was a second-team FCS All-American at James Madison in 2021. Wells had eight catches for 189 yards and one TD at Arkansas and is leading the SEC in receiving yards.
RB Marshawn Lloyd, who tore his ACL in August of 2020 as a true freshman and looked a bit rusty and perhaps a step slow last season, appears to be back in top form. He bullied his way into the end zone on a seven-yard TD run last week and finished the game with 96 all-purpose yards on just 13 touches.
If South Carolina falls behind the number, it has plenty of potential to post a backdoor cover, but we don’t think it’s come to that. UGA wins by 14-21 points.
California @ Notre Dame
Pick #4: California +11
Notre Dame has lost its first two games while looking dreadful on offense, averaging a pedestrian 15.5 PPG. With starting QB Tyler Buchner now out for the season with a shoulder injury, Drew Pyne is poised to make his first career start Saturday at home vs. California.
Pyne will face a defense that returned eight starters from a unit that gave up only 19.7 PPG last season. Remember, the Fighting Irish also lost their best WR (Avery Davis) to a season-ending injury in late August.
California has thrived in underdog roles during Justin Wilcox’s six-year tenure that started in 2017. In fact, the Golden Bears are 13-1 ATS against the spread in their last 14 games as road underdogs.
Furthermore, Cal has compiled a 14-3 spread record with six outright wins in 17 games as an underdog of seven points or more on Wilcox’s watch. The Golden Bears have also cashed tickets galore when listed as double-digit underdogs since Wilcox was hired, going 9-3 ATS with four outright victories.
They’ve upgraded at QB this year with Purdue transfer Jack Plummer, who has 30/11 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 15 career starts.
Pick #5: Vandy at No. Illinois ‘OVER’ 58 points.
The ‘over’ is 3-0 for Vanderbilt with its combined scores hitting 73, 73 and 70 points. The ‘over’ is 2-0 for No. Illinois with its combined scores coming to 73 and 61 points.
Vandy’s QB have combined for an 8/1 TD-INT ratio, while NIU’s Rocky Lombardi has a 4/1 TD-INT ratio and one rushing TD.
The Huskies allowed an average of 33.7 PPG last year. Through two games, they’ve given up 27 points to an FCS foe, Eastern Illinois, before allowing Tulsa to hang 40 points on them last week.
The Commodores have allowed 45 points to Wake Forest and 31 to Elon in the last two weeks.
