👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

College Football Betting Picks: Against The Spread 9/17 And Week 2 Results

Mike Marteny's CFB bettings picks against the spread for Week 2 He has every FBS college football game analyzed with his top wagers and NCAA best bets.

Week 2 is over, and the DVR is (mostly) cleared off. It's time to tally up the week 2 betting scores and see what we came away with. We'll get to that. First, we have three college football games before Saturday for a nice little pregame. All of those are FBS vs. FBS schools, so I need to pick those. We can make money before Saturday. It is possible! Let's see what we're dealing with in the Thursday and Friday pregame before another monster Saturday.

 

CFB Betting Picks 9/16 and 9/17:

Ohio at Louisiana(-20.5)

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and 6 free months of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW

The Cajuns nearly lost to Nicholls State. The Bobcats did them one better and lost to Duquesne. Louisiana does look like the better team, but considering Texas got curb stomped by Arkansas, I'm not sure what that means. I tend to think that neither team wins this by 20. That seems a little high. Give me Ohio, but I have no interest in betting this.

Central Florida(-6.5) at Louisville

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This line opened as high as -9 in some places. UCF has the better offense overall. Louisville has the edge at defense and running back. Considering that the UCF run defense looks like a strength so far this year, I'm inclined to take them. Give me UCF.

Maryland(-7.5) at Illinois

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

I'm not sure the Illini are any better with Brandon Peters under center. The offense will look different, but it doesn't matter. There's no way the Illinois corners can cover both Dontay Demus Jr. and Rakim Jarrett. Maryland wins BIG!

 

Want some CFB DFS tools? If you like what you see here, don't forget to sign up for your RotoBaller CFB DFS Premium Pass. Use code MARTENY and receive 10% off your purchase! You'll love the College Football DFS Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheets and Premium Slack Chatrooms to help you out in real-time.

CFB Betting Picks Week 2 Results:

I promised transparency this year, and you will get it, warts and all. I don't like to be wrong, but I will admit when I am. Here are the results from week 2. I picked 43 games and all 43 played. Winners against the spread will be in bold. My result will follow.

Kansas at (17)Coastal Carolina(-26.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The Chanticleers made this interesting, but the offense was finally too much for Kansas down the stretch.

UTEP at Boise State(-25.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The lack of a running game for the Broncos may be a problem at some point, but Khalil Shakir should be on the Biletnikoff list. He is that good.

Illinois at Virginia(-10.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

There's a reason I didn't bet this. Hello Brennan Armstrong. I knew he had it in him, but now the Hoos need some consistency from him.

Western Kentucky at Army(-5.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This counts as a bad beat since the Cadets were up by 21 in the fourth quarter and blew the big lead. WKU is going to be a force in Conference USA and could put a scare into Indiana this week.

(12)Oregon at (3)Ohio State(-14.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I thought Oregon would give a fight, but I never thought they would win outright without Kayvon Thibodeaux. We really have to take a look at how good Oregon (and Fresno State, for that matter) is. The Pac 12 needed this one.

South Carolina(-1.5) at East Carolina: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Those last second field goals get you every time.....

Pittsburgh(-3.5) at Tennessee: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Orange Kool-Aid sucks!

Miami(OH) at Minnesota(-18.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Treyson Potts looks like the next good Minnesota back (34 carries!!), but this team needs something from the passing game. They can't keep running their backs like this and expect to win in the Big Ten(14).

Tulsa at Oklahoma State(-12.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

This was a nice performance by Tulsa, but the play of Spencer Sanders and the lack of a feature back has the Cowboys looking a mess. I'm wondering if they'll win a spread this year right now.....

(13)Florida(-28.5) at South Florida: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Unfortunately for us, Florida really let off the gas in this one. I guess I don't blame them, but how long is Florida going to keep pretending that Emory Jones is the better quarterback? If Richardson is okay, he needs to start and play the whole game against Aladamnbama.

Wyoming(-7.5) at Northern Illinois: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

It wasn't outright and I'm glad I didn't bet the under. This was a fun game to watch! See what NIU can do without a turnover-prone quarterback? The Huskies scored more than 40 points for the first time since October 26 of 2019, but that was against Akron so it doesn't really count.

Middle Tennessee State at (19)Virginia Tech(-19.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Where's the Hokie run game? That could become a problem. Bailey Hockman had a solid game, but his one interception was a big one and let the Hokies blow this open.

Rutgers(-2.5) at Syracuse: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This game was scoreless at halftime. That means we've had at least one of those in each week so far. I was impressed with the Rutgers defense here. Syracuse's played well too, but the Orange never got anything going on offense. Rutgers did a little bit in the third quarter.

Toledo at (8)Notre Dame(-16.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This was ugly, but not quite the way I expected. The Irish are in trouble. Toledo is a decent team, but Florida State, who tested them in week 1, lost outright to FCS Jacksonville State.

Purdue(-34.5) at Connecticut: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

UConn spreads are about to get a lot more difficult. Just wait until they play UMass!

UAB at (2)Georgia(-24.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Georgia showed off even without the services of JT Daniels. Imagine having Stetson Bennett as your backup. It's an embarrassment of riches at quarterback in Athens right now.

(5)Texas A&M(-16.5) at Colorado: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This was a spirited performance by the Ralphies, even though they ended up losing. A&M could have some problems without Haynes King. However, this was a strong Colorado team they ran into in Boulder. Jalen Wydermyer could be in for a monster season with Zach Calzada taking snaps now.

Ball State at (11)Penn State(-22.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The Penn State defense, not the offense, got this out of hand. I still don't have much faith in that Penn State offense.

Georgia Southern at Florida Atlantic(-6.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

FAU at home? Check. Big game from N'Kosi Perry? Check. I should get two for this one. I think I'm going to need it.

Boston College(-37.5) at Massachusetts: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Would this game have been different if Phil Jurkovec didn't go down with an injury? Maybe, but it's not like Dennis Grosel played poorly. This is on the BC defense.

Buffalo at Nebraska(-13.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

So Nebraska plays their best game under Scott Frost when I'm finally sure they're going to lose. Dickheads......

California at TCU(-11.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

I'm glad I reined in that under bet. Zach Evans could be a special back. This was a huge game for him and we finally saw a nice game from Cal quarterback Chase Garbers. It was a strong OOC performance for the Pac 12 this week for the most part. In-conference? Not so much. We'll get to that later.

Temple(-6.5) at Akron: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

I guess Akron really is that bad. This game was ugly with the exception of Randle Jones.

Air Force(-5.5) at Navy: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This was option football at it's finest. For you nostalgic people or those of you wondering what a fullback is, tune in to Air Force's next game. Or Navy's. Even Army still runs an option most of the time. These teams are a dying breed.

South Alabama(-13.5) at Bowling Green: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

How in the world does a team that smokes Southern Miss almost lose to Bowling Green?

(10)Iowa at (9)Iowa State(-4.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Easy money. Iowa State has jumped a bunch of hurdles in recent years, but the Hawkeyes are the one demon they can't seem to exorcise.

Houston(-8.5) at Rice: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

I should have went more on this one. Rice is still getting favorable handicaps based on an overrated Nebraska transfer and thumping Marshall last year. The Owls can make us a lot of money by betting against them.

(15)Texas(-6.5) at Arkansas: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Well, the silver lining is I'm pretty sure Texas wont win eight games this year. This game wasn't nearly as close as the score suggests.

Eastern Michigan at (18)Wisconsin(-26.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I'm going to bitch about the half, but in reality, the Eagles had no business scoring in this game. This was complete domination by the Badgers.

Appalachian State at (22)Miami(FL)(-8.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The Mountaineers had many chances to win this game. Credit the Miami defense for coming up with the big plays when they needed it, but the Mountaineers looked like the overall better team.

North Carolina State at Mississippi State(EVEN): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The hallmark of a Mike Leach team when it's close to making the next step is when they start dominating in run defense. The Bulldogs clamped down on both Ricky Person and Zonovan Knight in this one. This was a clinic by the Bulldogs D. The offense isn't quite there yet, but it's getting close. There's a lot of talent there.

Texas State at Florida International(-1.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

I knew better. I was leaning Texas State before I got that damn quarter involved.....

North Texas at SMU(-22.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

It's annoying being on the wrong side of a lot of halves, especially with strange numbers. If you loved Jaelon Darden, North Texas has another really good receiver in the same vein. Roderic Burns hauled in 12 passes in this one.

Liberty(-4.5) at Troy: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Troy needs the offense to catch up to the defense. They did a bang-up job on Malik Willis here.

Memphis(-5.5) at Arkansas State: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Another stupid half! I knew when there were 30 first quarter points that my bet was in trouble. This Memphis offense is one of the better incarnations we've seen, but that defense is a disaster.

New Mexico State at New Mexico(-18.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

The Aggies defense looked solid in this one. Bobby Cole is a very good back.

Georgia State at (24)North Carolina(-25.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Virginia Tech is a lot better than they were last year. Georgia State is not a bad team and they got absolutely whipped here. Sam Howell leading the team in rushing is not ideal though. The Tarheels need to find a back system that works, and they need to do it quickly.

Missouri at Kentucky(-5.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

I'll admit it. I'm a Kentucky fan. This team is a blast! They have four skill players on that offense (five if you count Will Levis) that should be playing on Sundays in a year or two.

Washington at Michigan(-6.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

Michigan is a much better team when they have a horse in the backfield. I'm not really sure why Zach Charbonnet didn't work out here, but Blake Corum is a wrecking ball so far this year. The Wolverines finally have a back that takes the pressure off the quarterback.

Vanderbilt at Colorado State(-6.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Every time I believe in Colorado State, they let me down. Allowing 24 points to Vanderbilt is like allowing 50 to a normal team. That defense is really struggling right now.

San Diego State at Arizona(-1.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Okay, so the Aztecs threw 14 times. It was still a dominant ground performance and Jordon Brookshire completed ten of those passes. If the Aztecs finally have an efficient quarterback to go with that stable of backs, look out!

(21)Utah(-7.5) at BYU: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

I knew I didn't like that half. Not that I expected the Cougars to win outright, but you get the point....

Stanford at (14)USC(-17.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

This USC team is almost as talented as that 2007 squad. The fact that they lost to a bad Cardinal team by double digits is just as unforgivable. My only regret is that USC didn't hire Clay Helton back so they could fire him again. He should have been fired more than once for this disaster. There's too much talent on that team to have a showing like that.

UNLV at (23)Arizona State(-34.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Yep. Sloppy Sun Devils. They have a lot to clean up before the conference season starts and very little time to do it.

Hawaii at Oregon State(-10.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

If the Beavers have their version of Jermar Jefferson this year in B.J. Baylor, they are a much better team.

 

College Football Betting Season Results:

Now is the time of the week when we tally up the scores. I was 29-21 coming into the week and 14 points to the black. I was a touch under .500 at 22-23 on the week, putting me at 51-44 on the season. I thought it might be worse since I was on the losing end of four halves and USC got thumped by the Tree again. I'm pretty sure I lost points though. Let's see how many.

The weekly totals follow the bet. Season totals are in parentheses.

1. 4-3 (9-7) = 2
2. 7-7 (18-15) = 6
3. 6-6 (18-10) = 24
4. 4-5 (4-8) = -16
5. 1-2 (2-4) = -10

I lost six points on the week. I'm still eight points to the good on the season. My bank is now at 36 points in a little more than four seasons. Come back tomorrow for the spread picks for this weekend! We've got another big weekend with 74 games. 52 of those are FBS vs. FBS tilts, so it's the biggest betting week of the season so far!



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More College Football Analysis

More Betting Picks

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Patrick Fishburn

Looking for a Spark at Cognizant Classic
Blades Brown

Set for Cognizant Classic Debut
Michael Thorbjornsen

Looking to Bounce Back at Cognizant Classic
Maxx Crosby

Raiders Expect Maxx Crosby to Return
Nino Niederreiter

Out Week-to-Week
Shane Smith

Locked into the Starting Rotation in Chicago After 2025 Emergence
Neal Pionk

Out Week-to-Week With New Injury
Dominic Canzone

Can Dominic Canzone Build on 2025 Breakout?
Noah Hanifin

Unavailable Wednesday
Konnor Griffin

Slugs Two Home Runs on Tuesday
Jack Eichel

to Miss Wednesday's Action
Chandler Simpson

"Tentatively" Scheduled to Make Spring Debut on Friday
John Tavares

Expected to Play Wednesday
Samuel Girard

Penguins Acquire Samuel Girard From Avalanche
Brandon Woodruff

"on Track to Begin the Season in the Rotation"
Victor Hedman

Good to Go for Wednesday
Yordan Alvarez

Not Cleared to Play in Spring Games
Brayden Point

Available for Lightning
Chet Holmgren

Cleared for Action on Tuesday
Mikko Rantanen

to Miss at Least Two Weeks
Anfernee Simons

Suffers Fractured Left Wrist
Draymond Green

Won't Be Limited on Tuesday
Evan Mobley

to Remain Limited on Tuesday
Davion Mitchell

Back in Action Vs. Bucks
Daniel Gafford

Active Tuesday
Dejounte Murray

is Officially Active on Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Back In Lineup Vs. Indiana
Kam Jones

Set To Suit Up Tuesday
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic is Ruled Out on Tuesday
Shaedon Sharpe

Sidelined at Least Four More Weeks
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez's Velocity Down in Spring Debut
Pascal Siakam

Out Tuesday, Micah Potter Cleared to Play
Tristan Vukcevic

to Play on Tuesday
Billy Horschel

Looks to Improve Season at Cognizant Classic
T.J. McConnell

Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell Cleared to Play Tuesday
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Place Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Jonathan Kuminga

Set to Make Hawks Debut on Tuesday
Ryan Kalkbrenner

Slated to Suit Up Tuesday
Joe Highsmith

Returns to Defend at Cognizant Classic
Quinshon Judkins

Out of Walking Boot, Will be Ready for Training Camp
Vince Williams Jr.

Out for Remainder of Season
Jaxson Hayes

Sidelined on Tuesday
Al Horford

De'Anthony Melton Will Play Against the Pelicans, Al Horford Ruled Out
Naz Reid

Listed as Available to Play Tuesday
Jalen Smith

Will Not Play Tuesday Against the Hornets
Breece Hall

Jets Will Use Franchise Tag on Breece Hall if Extension isn't Reached
Trey Yesavage

to be on Strict Inning Limit This Season
Joel Dahmen

Needs Better Consistency Heading Into The Florida Swing
Blaine Crim

Suffers Oblique Strain
Matt Waldron

"Week-to-Week" After Undergoing Surgery
Daniel Berger

Looks to Improve Putting as PGA Tour Begins Its Florida Swing
Oneil Cruz

Looking to Improve Against Left-Handed Pitchers
Sebastian Walcott

has Internal-Brace Surgery, Out 5-6 Months
Ricky Tiedemann

to Back Off for a Week Due to Elbow Soreness
Kirk Cousins

Falcons Plan to Release Kirk Cousins
Zach Ertz

Plans to Return for 14th Season
Jameson Taillon

Can Be a Sneaky Late-Round Value
Matt Wallner

Ready for a Breakout Season?
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Looking for Healthy 2026
Ernie Clement

Expected to Play a Major Role in Toronto
Chris Sale

Signs Extension With Braves
Davis Thompson

Struggling to Find Birdies as Florida Looms
Tom Kim

Not Quite Cutting It in 2026
Nicolai Hojgaard

Wants to Build Momentum from Scottsdale
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Returns After Extended Break for Florida Event
Carson Fulmer

Signs Minor-League Deal With Pirates
Brent Honeywell

Signs Minor-League Contract With Giants
Graham Pauley

Undergoes Imaging for Forearm Tightness
CFB

Gunner Rivers Follows His Father, Commits To North Carolina State
Will Zalatoris

Set to Make Tournament Debut at Cognizant Classic
Linus Ullmark

Available for Senators
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trending Up at the Cognizant Classic
Ryan Reaves

Sharks Activate Ryan Reaves From Injured Reserve
Charlie Lindgren

Activated From Injured Reserve Monday
Josh Norris

Cleared to Return Wednesday
Max McGreevy

Will Need to Improve on the Greens to Compete
Rico Hoey

Returns to Cognizant Classic
Austin Eckroat

Looks to Bounce Back at Cognizant Classic
Aaron Rai

Bounces Back After Rough Start to 2026 Season
Shane Lowry

Continues Playing Well Heading to Cognizant Classic
Max Homa

Has Opportunity to Continue Building Momentum at the Cognizant Classic
Ryan Gerard

Strong Approach Play Behind his Hot Start in 2026
Luke Clanton

Making Fourth Start of 2026 at Cognizant Classic
Kevin Lankinen

Unlikely to Play Wednesday
Josh Morrissey

to Miss Start of Road Trip
Mikko Rantanen

Expected to Miss Time
Anthony Hernandez

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Sean Strickland

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Falcons Planning to Use Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts Sr.
Geoff Neal

Suffers Back-To-Back Knockout Losses
Uros Medic

Shines At UFC Houston
Dan Ige

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Melquizael Costa

Extends His Win Streak To Six
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Falls Short of Victory at EchoPark Speedway
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Fourth At EchoPark Speedway After Early Struggles
Ross Chastain

Finishes Third At EchoPark Speedway
Chase Briscoe

Scores First Career Top-Five Finish at EchoPark Speedway
Tyler Reddick

Nabs His Second Win of the Season At EchoPark Speedway
Joey Logano

Will Be Popular DFS Pick at EchoPark Speedway
Tyler Reddick

on Pole After Qualifying Rained Out at EchoPark Speedway
Chase Elliott

Could Chase Elliott Be Worth Rostering At EchoPark Speedway?
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
William Byron

Is William Byron Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
Rondale Moore

Passes Away
Denny Hamlin

Is Worth Consideration for EchoPark Speedway DFS Lineups
Brad Keselowski

Is A Tournament Option for DFS At EchoPark Speedway
NASCAR

Is Bubba Wallace Rosterable In DFS At EchoPark Speedway?
Austin Cindric

Should DFS Managers Roster Austin Cindric at EchoPark Speedway?
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain A Sneaky DFS Option for EchoPark Speedway?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Worth Rostering for DFS at EchoPark Speedway?
Alex Bowman

Will Start Towards the Rear At EchoPark Speedway
Javonte Williams

Cowboys Sign Javonte Williams to Three-Year, $24 Million Extension
Joel Armia

Wraps Up Olympics With Three-Point Performance
Daniil Tarasov

Available for Panthers
Evan Rodrigues

Set to Return Next Week
Aaron Ekblad

Expected to Play Thursday
Pavel Zacha

Cleared for Action
Travis Etienne Jr.

has "Legitimate Interest" in Joining Chiefs
Zach Charbonnet

Undergoes Knee Surgery on Friday
CFB

Curt Cignetti Agrees to New Deal With Indiana, Will Earn $13.2 Million Per Year
Anthony Hernandez

Set For UFC Houston Main Event
Sean Strickland

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Uros Medic

Set For UFC Houston Co-Main Event
Geoff Neal

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Melquizael Costa

A Favorite At UFC Houston
Dan Ige

An Underdog At UFC Houston
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF