LSU vs. Florida State picks, Sept. 3 college football odds
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The first full weekend with college football closes out Sunday with a bang, and we’ve picked out our college football picks for LSU vs. Florida State and the other games that day.
College football picks for LSU vs. Florida State, Week 1 games: Which bets to make on Sunday
Week 0 provided a tantalizing teaser of what was to come when college football made its full return. That tease is nothing more than a distant memory as teams from all around the country are back in action.
While there are elite matchups all throughout the week, Sunday’s games stand out as particularly intriguing. Here are our favorite college football picks and betting lines for Sunday's games.
Northwestern vs. Rutgers odds: Northwestern +6.5 (-108 or better)
Northwestern went 1-11 last season and was the worst team in the Big Ten. Rutgers was not much better at 4-8 but is still favored by nearly a touchdown in this matchup.
Both teams struggled with ineffective offenses, particularly because of the quarterback position. They both also lost money for spread bettors and were consistently disappointing over the course of the campaign.
We expect this matchup to be close, but that is more of a condemnation of both teams than it is praise. Because Rutgers gave up nearly 30 points per game last season and now has the burden of covering a large spread, we’ll take the underdog with the points.
Oregon State vs. San Jose State odds: Oregon State -16.5 (-118 or better)
San Jose State is one of few teams that have already been in action this season, losing to Heisman winner Caleb Williams and the USC Trojans 56-28.
No. 18 Oregon State might not hold the same name-brand value as its Pac-12 counterparts, but it is becoming a force in the conference. It led its rivals with just 19.3 points allowed per game last season (11th nationally) and won four straight games to close out 2022, including a win over No. 9 Oregon and a bowl-game win against Florida.
Leading rusher Damian Martinez is back, and Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei will be under center. We expect the Beavers’ defense to anchor down and suffocate the San Jose offense en route to a cover.
LSU vs. Florida State best bets: LSU -2.5 (-115 or better)
The No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 FSU showdown will be highlighted by the subplot of an early Heisman face-off between two top candidates, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and FSU’s Jordan Travis.
LSU exceeded expectations and won the SEC West in 2022 — they are now top-10 in odds to make the College Football Playoff and have the team to get there. The offensive line is solid, the playmakers are excellent, and the front-seven can wreak havoc on opponents.
FSU, on the other hand, won double-digit games for the first time since 2016 last year. They too have a very talented roster and are only one spot behind LSU in playoff odds, but many of their expected impact players came from the portal. We’ll look to continuity to give the Tigers a slight edge in this heavyweight showdown.
September 3 College Football picks
- No. 5 LSU -2.5 vs. No. 8 Florida State (-115 or better)
- No. 18 Oregon State -16.5 vs. San Jose State (-118 or better)
- Northwestern +6.5 vs. Rutgers (-108 or better)
Here are the top college football promos for Sept. 3 games:
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Grant Mitchell is a sports and sports betting journalist for Catena Media. A member of Virginia Tech's 2021 graduating class and former NCAA Track & Field athlete, he specializes in basketball, football and soccer coverage.
