NCAAF Betting: Week 5 College Football Live Betting Preview
The winds of change are blowing a little harder this year. We’ve got new coaches, new quarterbacks, even new conferences on the horizon for some FBS teams. Transition is always a good thing for college football betting; without it, there would be no market volatility and no opportunity to pull in a profit.
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Our live betting preview for Week 5 will help you keep track of the most important changes on campus.
Saturday: Miami (Florida) at Clemson (12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
You’ll find some sharp support for the Tigers (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) this week, as well. They fell 27-24 in overtime to Auburn (-7.5 at home) two weeks ago on a missed field goal for their first loss of the season. This week, Clemson is a 3.5-point home dog as we go to press. Value bettors will appreciate the extra half-point and the extra week of rest the Tigers got after an especially physical game against Auburn.
The Hurricanes (2-1 SU and ATS) are the public team in this situation, as they return to national prominence after a successful rebuild under coach Randy Shannon. They’re coming off last week’s dominant 31-3 final over Pittsburgh (+4 at home). The Miami defense is outstanding, but QB Jacory Harris (six TDs, six INTs) has been turning the ball over of late, playing behind a relatively flimsy offensive line.
Saturday: Tennessee at LSU (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
There isn’t much love these days for the Tennessee Volunteers (2-2 SU, 1-3 ATS). Their program is reeling after the one-and-done that coach Lane Kiffin pulled en route to USC. Last week’s 32-29 win over UAB (+14 on the road) in double overtime was about as ugly as they come. The Vols rank No. 50 in overall efficiency according to the S&P ratings at Football Outsiders, and No. 53 according to Brian Fremeau’s stats.
LSU (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) ranks No. 17 and No. 8, respectively. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Tigers; QB Jordan Jefferson (two TDs, four INTs) has had some issues, and although coach Les Miles is trying to spread the blame around, Jefferson has been getting adequate protection from his line for the most part. The Tigers are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 when favored by double digits, which will be the case this week. Tennessee is on a 7-0 ATS streak as a double-digit road dog.
Saturday: Florida at Alabama (8:00 p.m. ET, CBS)
This is a rematch of the last two SEC championship games, and No. 3 is well on its way. The Crimson Tide (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) and the Gators (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) are both playing at the highest level with new quarterbacks: Greg McElroy (seven TDs, three INTs) for Alabama and John Brantley (six TDs, one INT) for Florida. The main difference is that the Gators have gotten better in the post-Tim Tebow Era as the season has worn on. Last week’s 48-14 evisceration of Kentucky (+14 on the road) even saw some Tebow-like contributions from Trey Burton (one pass, five carries, five catches, six TDs).
Alabama’s last game was a tough 24-20 win over Arkansas (+6.5 at home) that required a spirited second-half comeback. There are enough question marks in the Tide secondary for sharps to load up on Florida at +8 (-115). And the live betting action will be hot and heavy if Burton’s act was more than just a one-hit wonder.
