College Football Week 6 Upset Watch: Best Underdog Odds to Bet
The Boston College Eagles looked like one of the worst power-five programs in college football in the first four weeks of the 2023 season.
Boston College appeared to turn a corner in Week 5 with a home win over the Virginia Cavaliers. That victory could provide a spark for the Week 6 matchup with the Army Black Knights.
Quarterback Thomas Castellanos will be the key for BC to go into Michie Stadium and win as an underdog.
Castellanos, who leads BC in passing and rushing, developed nicely over the last few games and he could put the Eagles in good shape by the end of the season.
Most of the best underdogs to trust on the Week 6 schedule have spreads of seven points or fewer against them, but there is one double-digit underdog in the Sun Belt who could be profitable.
Saturday, Noon ET, CBSSN
It is bizarre to see a power-five program listed as an underdog against Army, even if that team started 1-3.
Boston College lost at home to the Northern Illinois Huskies and then barely beat an FCS opponent in Week 2.
The Eagles have played better football since their opening struggles. They competed with the Florida State Seminoles in Week 3 and won at home against Virginia in Week 5.
Castellanos' development in both aspects of the offense has been vital to BC not being a total laughingstock.
The first-year starter will be vital to BC's success in West Point on Saturday. He can counter the rushing skills of Army's offense and he outduel the Black Knights through the air.
Army has been inconsistent at best this season and it is coming off a 29-16 loss to the Syracuse Orange in which it gave up 26 second-half points.
Army might be able to fend off BC for a half, but the game against Syracuse proved it could be worn down by a power-five program. That is what Castellanos and BC can do on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, CW Network
The Marshall Thundering Herd could be the most dangerous Group of Five underdog facing a power-conference team in Week 6.
Marshall comes into its matchup against the NC State Wolfpack with a 4-0 record and an offense that averages 412.3 total yards per game.
Cam Fancher and Co. already have one ACC scalp on their resume over the Virginia Tech Hokies. NC State is a step up in competition from Virginia Tech, but the Herd should be able to compete.
NC State has had some offensive problems with Brennan Armstrong under center. The Virginia transfer has more interceptions than touchdown passes. He was picked on multiple occasions in two of the Wolfpack's three home games.
Marshall needs to force one or two picks off Armstrong and convert those turnovers into touchdowns.
The Herd can do that behind running back Rasheen Ali, who has nine rushing scores. Ali has four straight multi-score games and his season high in rushing yards came against Virginia Tech.
Marshall needs Ali to remain consistent on the ground, Fancher to make a few throws in key situations and its defense to make Armstrong uncomfortable to not just cover the spread, but potentially leave Carter-Finley Stadium with a win.
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+
The South Alabama Jaguars and UL-Monroe WarHawks both come into Saturday on two-game losing streaks.
South Alabama's losing run is more notable because the defeats came after it upset the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 3.
The Jaguars defense that allowed just seven points in Stillwater was gashed for 30 points in consecutive weeks. That shows the low concession in Week 3 maybe had more to do with Oklahoma State's ineffectiveness.
UL-Monroe turned in the most competitive loss from the two Sun Belt foes in the last two weeks, as it fell by a single point to the Appalachian State Mountaineers last week.
The WarHawks understandably were blown out by the Texas A&M Aggies two weeks ago. They bounced back from that loss with a 40-point performance in defeat.
South Alabama could have trouble stopping the UL-Monroe offense. It allowed 68 points in its two road defeats.
Until the Jaguars prove they can play at the high level they did during the OK State upset, it is hard to trust them as a double-digit favorite.
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