College Football Predictions & Best Bets for Week 2

Last week was a devastating introduction to a new college football betting season. Every online sportsbook that I’m aware of racked up huge wins as marquee favorites lost outright, over and over again. 

That includes Clemson, Notre Dame, and Alabama. Texas, which opened as a short dog, was a big public loss as well. 

My Week 1 college football picks weren’t exactly sterling. But with the carnage I saw across the online sports betting world last week, I’m pretty satisfied with my 4-5 record. With Georgia and the Michigan under, I was just a hair away from 6-3!

This week’s small set of predictions can get us on the board with a winning week.

James Madison vs. Louisville Prediction

Hello, it’s me again – your local James Madison football expert. The Dukes are an uber-trendy G5 team this year in the college football futures market, angling for their first FBS conference title. (They were clearly the best team in the Sun Belt in 2022 and 2023, but were never granted eligibility.)

JMU is a popular upset target on Friday night in Louisville. There are several reasons why, but chief among them is that the Dukes have scored an ACC win in each of the last two seasons. Last year, they rung up 70 on Mack Brown’s UNC team, ultimately contributing to his dismissal at the end of the season.

While JMU is right to be seen as a potential playoff team, this Louisville squad is the best team JMU football will have played in at least 15 years. You have to go back at least as far as 2010, when FCS JMU beat a Virginia Tech team that eventually won the ACC. Perhaps this Louisville team is even better than that. 

After the great talent drain of 2023, when Curt Cignetti took JMU’s excellent defense (plus other players) with him to Indiana, the talent level hasn’t quite been as overwhelming. I think this 2025 team is good enough to win the Sun Belt – perhaps even convincingly win it – but a road upset of a legitimate top 25 team seems out of reach. 

The point spread has come in from around 16.5, crossing through the key number of 14 on Thursday morning. This game was already a target for me at -14, so I’m happy to see it at -13.5. The Dukes will be fine this season, but I can see this game getting away from them. 

Prediction: Louisville -13.5

Ole Miss vs. Kentucky Prediction

Let’s stay in the state of Kentucky, where Lane Kiffin is traveling with Ole Miss for the Rebels’ conference opener.

A little bit of historical context says everything. Under Kiffin, Ole Miss is 1-4 straight up and 0-5 ATS in the first SEC game of the season. And against Kentucky specifically, these two teams have now played four straight games decided by three points or less.

There’s also the fact that Kentucky is consistently one of the most underrated teams in college football, at least as far as point spread expectations go.

It’s an unsexy dog, but all signs point to the Wildcats here as one of the top bets of the week.

Prediction: Kentucky +10

UAB vs. Navy Prediction 

It’s never good to be in danger of losing to an FCS team in Week 1, but Alabama State is really not the kind of team you want to be locked in a pitched battle with. With apologies to the Hornets, this is not a particularly strong program.

Yet, UAB was fighting for its life in Week 1, locked in a bizarre shootout with Alabama State. The Blazers ultimately won 52-42.

What happens when embattled coach Trent Dilfer has to play a team that’s actually good? We’ll find out this weekend, when UAB travels to play playoff hopeful Navy in Annapolis. The number is -21.5, but if you told me it was 28, I wouldn’t be shocked. 

Navy is 2-0 ATS against UAB under Dilfer and won each of the last two games by at least 25 points. I like the Middies to smoke them again. 

Prediction: Navy -21.5

Army vs. Kansas State Prediction

Kansas State lost its opener to Iowa State, then came home with an Ireland hangover and survived a knife fight with FCS North Dakota. 

It’s safe to say that most bettors are not high on Chris Klieman’s club right now. Yet the Wildcats are still a whopping 17-point favorite against Army, which lost last week to FCS Tarleton.

That’s a lot of disrespect for Army, given how most feel about Kansas State right now. I’m inclined to lean into that sentiment – especially given Klieman’s technical proficiency as a coach in preparing his team for a gap-oriented assignment week like this. 

Prediction: Kansas State -17

College Football Best Bets: Week 2

• Louisville -13.5
• Kentucky +10
• Navy -21.5
• Kansas State -17