2024 College Football Week 6 Odds and Predictions

With all eyes on Georgia-Alabama in Week 5, one of college football’s best rivalries delivered an instant classic. The Crimson Tide went up big early, but Georgia battled back to take a 34-33 lead with just 2:31 remaining in the game. On the first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe hit freshman WR Ryan Williams with a 75-yard touchdown pass that gave the Crimson Tide a 41-34 victory.

The win shook up the latest AP poll and put Alabama at No. 1 with Texas No. 2. Georgia dropped all the way to No. 5. No. 3 Ohio State beat Michigan State and No. 4 Tennessee didn’t play last week. Both teams play in Week 6. Which teams will get a scare or even fall victim to the upset this week?

Last week started with one of the more controversial endings we’ve seen in a while. Virginia Tech played very well against No. 7 Miami and appeared to have caught the game-winning touchdown pass on the game’s final play. That catch was overturned and the Hurricanes survived 38-34 on Thursday night. Miami plays at California (3-1) on Saturday.

There is only one matchup of ranked teams this week. No. 9 Missouri plays at No. 25 Texas A&M. The Aggies, who have won four straight since losing to Notre Dame in the season opener, are the favorite in the first of two huge October games (LSU on 10/26 is the other).

As the calendar flips to October, the Scores & Stats college football experts still have your best interests at hand. We split our best bets last week as we didn’t see Virginia Tech having much success on the road. We did, however, cash on Army’s first-half dominance of Temple. Our experts are looking to do more of the same from now all that way through to the 2024 college football national championship. Strap in for Week 6. Here we go!

College Football Week 6 Odds

Keep an eye on the latest College Football Odds and monitor how the lines change throughout the week.

We are now firmly into our conference schedules in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. There are a couple interesting non-conference tilts like Friday night’s Syracuse-UNLV clash. The Rebels have been in the news as former QB Matthew Sluka left the team due to an alleged NIL deal gone bad. What many didn’t realize is that UNLV had another graduate transfer – Hajj-Malik Williams – who was just as good.

UNLV beat Fresno State last week 59-14. Williams had three passing touchdowns and ran for over 100 yards and another score. UNLV takes on Syracuse which is 3-1 with former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord running the offense.

As mentioned, there is just one ranked-versus-ranked matchup in Week 6. It’s an SEC battle between No. 9 Missouri and No. 25 Texas A&M. It’s one of several conference matchups with a spread of 3.0 or less. Interestingly, there are three Big Ten matchups with spreads of 20 or more. Penn State, which beat Illinois last week, is at home against UCLA as a 28.5-point favorite. Ohio State is a 20.5 point favorite over Iowa and Oregon hosts Michigan State on Friday night as a 24-point favorite.

The Over is 4-1 in Indiana’s (5-0) five games so far this season. The Hoosiers have one of the highest scoring margins (+26.3) in the country. This week, Indiana is a 14-point favorite over Northwestern with the total set at a relatively low 42.5. Surprisingly, Iowa is one of seven teams in which the Over has cashed a winning ticket in all their games. The Hawkeyes’ offense has actually scored 30 or more points in three of their four games.

Iowa has faced some low totals this season. The lowest total this week comes as no surprise. Navy always plays Air Force on the first Saturday in October. The total for Saturday’s game is set at 34.5. Air Force has won each of the last four games in the series. The last three games featured final scores of 17-6, 13-10, and 23-3. Will the Under cash again in Week 6?

College Football Week 6 Schedule

With over 65 College Football games scheduled for Week 6, the following is a list of the featured games of the week: 

College Football Week 6 Predictions

Let’s take a look at the featured College Football Week 6 games and make our spread, total, and moneyline NCAAF picks for each game.

Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks Odds

The Spartans travel to Oregon to take on the Ducks for the first time as Big Ten opponents. The last time the two teams played, it was in the 2018 bowl season. Oregon, led by QB Justin Herbert (now of the LA Chargers), beat Michigan State 7-6 in the Redbox Bowl. Expect much more offense out of the Ducks this time around.

The two programs have met just five times since 1998. Oregon owns a 3-2 series lead and has covered in all five games. Oregon was favored by 14 points in 2014. The Ducks won that game 46-27. That was the largest spread in the series.

Oregon, now ranked No. 6 in the nation, is 4-0 to start the season. The Ducks have only covered once as their lowest spread this season has been 17.5 points. Michigan State started the season with three wins – FAU, Maryland, and FCS Prairie View A&M. They have dropped their last two straight to Boston College and Oregon State. The Spartans are 2-3 against the spread.

Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks Predictions

There’s a reason why Oregon is ranked No. 6 in the country. They are a Top 40 offense and defense. The Duck average over 36 points a game on offense and they allow 18.8 per game. Their average scoring margin of 19.7 points per game against FBS competition ranks 15th nationally.

Dillon Gabriel (1,192 yards, 9 TDs) leads the Ducks offense. WR Tez Johnson (33-311-4TDs) is his top target. Oregon had 431 yards of offense last week in a blowout win over UCLA. The Ducks defense held the Bruins to just 172 total yards and took advantage of two turnovers. Michigan is -2.0 in turnovers per game so far this season. They will have to hold onto the ball if they stand any chance of keeping this close.

Oregon has won its last 10 straight at home. The Ducks are only 2-4 ATS in their last six games. The Under has cashed in five of Oregon’s last seven games and in seven of Michigan State’s last eight. The Spartans also play pretty good defense. They have only given up more than 24 points once and that was last week to No. 3 Ohio State.

Bet: ML pass, MSU +24 (-110), Under 52.5 (-110)

UCLA Bruins vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Odds

Penn State is favored by over four touchdowns in this one, and for good reason. The Bruins are simply bad. They rank 128th in scoring offense, averaging just 14.7 points per game. On the defensive side, UCLA is allowing almost 31 points per game and they are ranked 105th. It’s no surprise that the Bruins are 1-3 this season.

The last time these two teams played each other, Lyndon B. Johnson was the president of the United States. Penn State is 4-0 and 2-2 ATS. The Nittany Lions beat a ranked Illinois team at home last week, 21-7, but did not cover the 17.5-point spread. UCLA lost at home to Oregon, 34-14. The Bruins managed just 172 yards of offense in that game.

As bad as the UCLA defense is, the Under has still cashed in nine of the Bruins last 11 games. The Under has also cashed in UCLA’s last five road games. Penn State, one of the top defensive teams in the country, has also trended Under. Six of the last eight Nittany Lions games have gone Under the total.

UCLA Bruins vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Predictions

UCLA’s offense will find the going very tough once again. Penn State ranks No. 7 in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 11.5 points per game. The Nittany Lions rank in the top 15 in both run defense (72.2 ypg, 7th) and pass defense (154.5 ypg, 15th). UCLA hasn’t scored more than 17 points in a single game this season.

On the other end, Penn State and new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki are finding the end zone pretty regularly. The Nittany Lions score over 36 points a game and rank 20th in the country in scoring. They average nearly 500 total yards per game (496.8), which ranks ninth in the nation. QB Drew Allar has been outstanding and the Penn State running game averages over 250 yards per game.

UCLA’s run defense isn’t bad (26th), but the pass defense is awful (117th). Having to travel across the country doesn’t help either. It will be a hostile environment for an overmatched team on Saturday. Still, 28.5 points is a lot to cover. The Bruins covered last week in a game where they were a 24-point underdog. It all comes down to the UCLA offense in this one.

Bet: ML pass, UCLA +28.5 (-110), Over 44.5 (-110)

Missouri Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies Odds

It’s another SEC game of the week. The only matchup of ranked teams this week, No. 9 Missouri (4-0) takes on No. 25 Texas A&M (4-1). The Tigers were off last week after needing overtime to beat Vanderbilt 30-27 the week before. Missouri has won eight games in a row. After covering the spread in seven of eight games, the Tigers have failed to cover in each of their last two.

The Aggies lost their season opener to Notre Dame. Since, they have won four straight, but they are just 1-4 ATS this season. Texas A&M has only covered in one of their past eight games. New head coach Mike Elko has the Aggies back in the Top 25 after a 21-17 win over Arkansas last week. Elko is down to freshman QB Marcel Reed after losing starter Connor Weigman. Reed has done good enough, but the Aggies are staying in games because of the defense.

Missouri has won seven of the past 10 games in the series. The Tigers are also 6-4 ATS in those ten games. The teams haven’t played in either of the last two seasons. The last meeting was in 2021. That was won by Texas A&M 35-14 at home in College Station. The Aggies are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games. Missouri has covered in seven of its last eight road games.

Missouri Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies Predictions

Luther Burden is one of the best receivers in the country. After a slow start, he’s had six catches in each of the last two games. He’s averaging over 15 yards a catch and has three touchdowns in those two games. Texas A&M will have its hands full trying to stop him and QB Brady Cook. Missouri is also rushing for 206.5 yards per game, which is 26th overall. That will make it even harder for the Aggies.

The Aggies live by the run on offense. They average 231.6 yards on the ground per game. That’s 13th overall. The problem is that they don’t have a Brady Cook or a Luther Burden. Plus, Missouri is actually better than the Aggies on defense. The Tigers give up just 12 points a game, which ranks 12th in the country.

Bet: Missouri +100, Missouri +1.5, Under 49.5

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Odds

The No. 4 Volunteers have the nation’s highest-scoring offense and the second-best scoring defense. Arkansas is 3-2 and coming off a tough loss to Texas A&M. Plus, Tennessee had last week off to rest up and prepare for the Razorbacks. It’s no surprise that we have a double-digit spread here.

The Vols and Razorbacks haven’t played since 2020. Tennessee was a member of the SEC East while Arkansas was in the SEC West, so the two teams didn’t meet that often. They have actually split the last ten games in the series, which dates back to 1998. Arkansas is 8-2 ATS in those games. The Razorbacks are 4-1 ATS so far this season and they are actually 6-0 ATS in the last six games against Tennessee at home.

Head coach Josh Heupel’s team has won its last six straight and has covered in five in a row. Tennessee routinely sees some pretty big totals, but they have still gone Over in four of their last six games. The Over is 7-2 in Arkansas’ last nine games. That’s primarily due to the Razorbacks defense falling apart late last season. So far in 2024, Arkansas is allowing 20 points per game.

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Predictions

No one has stopped Tennessee’s offense, unless you count Oklahoma holding the Vols to 25 points. Tennessee averages 54 points per game. They are led by QB Nico Iamaleava who completes over 69 percent of his passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. What many may not realize is that the Vols running game is what makes the offense go. Tennessee is fourth in the country in rushing offense, averaging 290 yards per game.

Arkansas ranks 36th against the run, but they have yet to see anything like Tennessee. The other thing that many don’t realize is how good Tennessee’s defense is. They rank No. 2 in yards per play, No. 2 against the run, and they are only allowing 7.0 points per game, which is fifth overall.

Heupel’s teams typically play well on the road, especially early. His teams (including his three-year stint at UCF) have covered the first half spread nearly 75 percent of the time when playing on the road. Arkansas will have trouble slowing down the Vols offense and Tennessee will likely take a page from Texas A&M’s defensive playbook. They were able to contain Razorbacks QB Taylen Green and RB JaQuinden Jackson.

Bet: ML pass, Tennessee -13.5 (-110), Over 60 (-110)

Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies Odds

Less than nine months ago, these two teams played for the CFP national championship. Now, they will play for the first time as Big Ten opponents. Washington, of course, is one of four new programs to join the conference this season. This year’s matchup will be nothing like last year’s as the rosters have turned over at both schools.

These two programs have played each other 15 times in college football history. As members of the Big Ten and Pac-10/Pac-12, the two schools met one another in the Rose Bowl four times. Michigan owns a 10-5 advantage in the series and has won the two most recent games. That would include last year’s title game plus a game played in Ann Arbor during the 2021 season. The Wolverines covered the spread in both of those games.

Michigan is off to a 4-1 start this season, but they are just 1-4 ATS. The Wolverines have won 19 of their last 20 games and they have won 11 straight on the road. Washington has won 17 of its last 20 games and is 17-0 SU in its last 17 home games. Like Michigan, Washington is one of the better defensive teams in the country. The Huskies rank 13th against the pass (128 ypg) and give up just 12.4 points per game (13th).

The Under has cashed in each of the last six games for Washington. Michigan faces some pretty low totals. In addition to its stout defense, the Wolverines are well-known for their running game. Michigan averages nearly 205 rushing yards per game. That tends to shorten games, but the Over is actually 11-5 in Michigan’s last 16 games.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies Predictions

Michigan built a good lead over Minnesota last week then held on for the win. The Huskies traveled to New Jersey last Friday night to take on Rutgers. Washington outgained the home team 521-299, but couldn’t capitalize in the red zone. QB Will Rogers completes 74.8 percent of his passes and RB Jonah Coleman averages 104.2 rushing yards per game. The Huskies have the weapons. They just have to convert.

The Wolverines are winning games with defense and running the football. Michigan ranks 10th against the run allowing just 76.4 rushing yards per game. As mentioned, they run the ball for over 200 yards per game. What they lack is a passing game. QB Alex Orji has started the last two games for Michigan. He has a total of 118 passing yards in those two games.

This is just the third time in the past 20 years that Michigan will play a game in the Mountain or Pacific time zone. They played USC in the 2007 Rose Bowl and Utah in a regular season game in 2015. The Wolverines are 0-2 SU and ATS in those two games.

Michigan’s offense will have to play keep away from Washington. Coming off a loss, expect Washington to be jacked in front of its home crowd. The Huskies were able to slow down a pretty powerful Rutgers running game just enough to stay in the game. Against Michigan, Washington will have to convert in the red zone. The Wolverines having to travel should be a boost for the Huskies.

Bet: Washington -145, Washington -3 (-110), Over 40.5

USC Trojans vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Odds

One could argue that Minnesota could easily be 5-0 this season. They lost a weird one to North Carolina 19-17 in their season opener. They led Iowa 14-7 at the half before losing 31-14. Last week, they trailed Michigan 24-3 at the half before scoring 21 fourth-quarter points. The Golden Gophers ultimately lost 27-24.

Now, head coach P.J. Fleck hosts USC, which comes into this game at 3-1. The Trojans found themselves trailing Wisconsin 21-10 at the half last week. USC then rallied and won 38-21. These two programs have only played each other twice since 2010. USC won both games, but Minnesota covered both. Both games also went Under the total.

The Under has been the play for Minnesota, especially at home. Ten of the Golden Gophers last 15 home games have cashed on the Under. So far this season, Minnesota’s O/U record is 2-2-1. On the other side, USC’s mark is 2-2 in 2024. The Over has cashed in 15 of the Trojans last 20 games, which makes sense given Lincoln Riley’s Air Raid offense and the struggles of the USC defense.

USC Trojans vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Predictions

What’s interesting in many of these new Big Ten matchups is that teams from the West Coast have to travel east and vice versa. Traveling east for USC has not been favorable in the past. In fact, in games played outside the Pacific time zone, USC is 19-34-2 ATS and just 2-7 ATS since 2021.

However, as a road favorite of seven or more points, USC has won 19 straight games. There’s a reason why the Trojans are favored and that’s the offense. QB Miller Moss was awesome last week, leading a comeback that provided the win over Wisconsin. Moss went 30-for-45 for 308 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came in the second half. He also added a seven-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth to give USC a 31-21 lead. For the season, Moss completes over 65 percent of his passes and has eight touchdowns so far.

Riley and the Trojans should be advised though. Minnesota has the best passing defense in the country. Opponents are averaging just 91.8 passing yards per game against the Gophers. It’s one of the reasons why Minnesota is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games. The Gophers might not be able to hold off USC, but they can definitely keep this one close.

Bet: ML pass, Minnesota +8.5 (-110), Under 51.5 (-110)

Auburn Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs Odds

After its loss last week, No. 5 Georgia is now 45-3 SU in its last 48 games. All three losses were to Alabama. The Bulldogs fell behind 28-0 early in the second quarter, but dug in and fought back to take a 34-33 lead with 2:31 remaining in the game. On the ensuing play after the kickoff, Alabama scored on a long touchdown pass and went on to record the upset. Now, the Bulldogs look to bounce back against the other Alabama team.

It’s often called the Deep South’s oldest rivalry. These two teams have played 128 times. Georgia leads the series 64-56-8 SU. The Bulldogs have won the last seven straight over Auburn and Georgia has covered six of those seven. Georgia also typically does well in the game after playing Alabama.

Since 1990, Georgia is 12-2 SU and 8-6 ATS in the game following Alabama on the schedule. The Bulldogs are 6-0 SU when playing that next game at home. Going back to 2014, Georgia is 10-1 SU and 9-2 ATS in 11 games against the Auburn Tigers. In those 11 games, the Under has hit eight times.

The two teams played last year at Auburn. Georgia would go on to win the game 27-20, but the Tigers covered as 14-point underdogs. Last year’s total was just 44.5 and the game is one of the three in the last 11 that went Over the total.

Auburn Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs Predictions

Auburn is struggling. The Tigers lost last week to an Oklahoma team that started a backup quarterback. Auburn did record 482 yards of offense but only scored three times. The Tigers rank 100th in red zone scoring percentage. Not capitalizing against Georgia will be costly and it’s one of the reasons why the Bulldogs should cover this spread.

Georgia ranks in the top ten in pass defense, yards per play, and they rank No. 3 in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 6.0 points a game. Auburn has had some quarterback issues. The Tigers went from starter Peyton Thorne to freshman Hank Brown then back to Thorne. The offense has moved the football – 425 ypg, 43rd in FBS – but they just don’t score. In their last seven games against Georgia, Auburn has scored the following: 20, 10, 10, 6, 14, 10, and 7 points. Don’t expect any offensive fireworks in this one either.

In their last 11 games after a loss since 2016, Georgia is 10-1 SU and 7-4 ATS. Auburn is just 2-4 ATS in its last six games and they haven’t covered a spread at Georgia in the last eight trips to Sanford Stadium.

Bet: ML pass, Georgia -24 (-110), Under 54.5 (-110)

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Odds

Iowa is off to a strong start. They are 3-1 with the only loss by a single point to in-state rival Iowa State. The Cyclones are 4-0 and ranked No. 16. Much has been said about the shortcomings on offense by Iowa over the last few years. In 2024, new offensive coordinator Tim Lester seems to be making some headway. Iowa is averaging 32 points per game and all four of the Hawkeyes games so far have gone Over the total.

Historically, Ohio State has dominated the Hawkeyes. The two teams were in different divisions in the Big Ten under the old conference format. They didn’t meet every year, but since 1992, the two teams have played 16 times. Ohio State is 14-2 SU and 10-5-1 ATS. The Buckeyes have won those games by an average of almost two touchdowns.

Iowa is still one of the top defenses in the country. The Hawkeyes rank No. 4 against the run and they are 23rd in scoring defense, allowing just 13.7 points per game. Interestingly, as mentioned, the Over is 4-0 in Iowa’s games this year. The Under hit in the previous six from last season and all ten of those games had a posted total of 39 points or less.

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Predictions

Iowa has not seen an offense like Ohio State’s yet. The Buckeyes are in the Top 15 in rushing offense, passing offense, and scoring offense. Ohio State is No. 3 in scoring, averaging 52.3 points a game. The Buckeyes average 241 yards per game (13th) on the ground and 311 yards (15th) per game in the air.

The Hawkeyes are 10th in the country in rushing, averaging 250 yards a game on the ground. Success on the ground would allow Iowa to keep the ball away from a potent Buckeyes offense that sports former Kansas State QB Will Howard (68.6%, 8 TDs), RBs TreVeyon Henderson (276 yds., 4 TDs) and Quinshon Judkins (390, 5 TDs), and WRs Jeremiah Smith (364, 5 TDs) and Emeka Egbuka (362, 2 TDs).

Iowa’s Over streak should stay intact this week as both teams put up some points. Both teams at about the same pace and they rank in the upper half of FBS in plays per game. The Buckeyes are an absolute juggernaut. When they have been favored by 20 or more points, Ohio State has won 89 straight. Iowa doesn’t lose a lot of games by 21 points.

Bet: ML pass, Iowa +20.5 (-110), Over 44.5 (-110)

Best Bets for College Football Week 6

Last week, our experts didn’t see the whole Virginia Tech thing happening. Army came through and our experts may have another service academy game this week among their top bets. After searching the Week 6 schedule, these are the Scores & Stats experts’ best bets.

• Tennessee (1H) -7.5 vs. Arkansas
• Army (1H) -6.5 vs. Tulsa

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Our experts like certain trends and many of those trends continue to pay off big dividends. If you are an avid follower of Scores & Stats, you’ll know that our college football wizards are fans of Tennessee, especially in the first half.

Josh Heupel, the head coach of the Volunteers, has been an FBS head coach for seven years. He spent his first three seasons at UCF. All his teams combined are 51-22 against the first half spread. Tennessee has covered the first half spread in all four of its games this season.

Our experts also love the service academies. They are the gifts that keep on giving. We liked Army last week and we like them again in Week 6. All the service academies are good bets in the first half, especially when they are playing as underdogs. Now, the Black Knights are actually 10-point favorites, but Tulsa is coming off a game where they played North Texas.

That means Tulsa is going from preparing for a pass-happy Air Raid team to preparing for a run-heavy triple option team. That is hard and, even if Tulsa catches on, they will have to make their adjustments at halftime. Army has covered the first half spread in all four of its games this season.