Friday College Football Predictions & Picks: Best Bets for Sep. 25
By Chris Amberley in College Football
Published:
- Friday’s college football schedule runs from Army–Temple through Clemson–Cal
- Unbeaten Indiana and Northwestern meet in their Big Ten opener
- My Friday college football predictions, picks and best bets for Sep. 25 are below
Friday’s college football slate begins with Army at Temple and finishes with Clemson visiting Cal. In between, Indiana opens Big Ten play against an unbeaten Northwestern team, while Navy returns from a bye at UAB.
The schedule offers different kinds of tests. Indiana must handle an improved Wildcats offense, and the two service academies have to make their running games work on the road.
I’ve narrowed my Friday college football picks to three matchups. Here are the spreads and totals I’m targeting, followed by analysis for each game.
Friday College Football Picks for September 25
Lines as of Friday, September 25. Compare the current college football odds before betting; prices and available spreads can differ by sportsbook.
These are separate straight-bet opinions, not a six-leg parlay. The half-point matters on Navy: I prefer laying 6.5 to laying a full touchdown. Indiana’s -20.5 also avoids a push if the Hoosiers win by exactly 21.
Northwestern vs Indiana Prediction
I’m backing Indiana’s passing game in its conference opener. Josh Hoover has completed 37 of 51 passes with ten touchdowns and no interceptions through three games. His 12.73 yards per attempt show how quickly the Hoosiers can turn a possession into a scoring chance.
The National Championship odds contender has more than one way to move the ball. Turbo Richard has rushed for 315 yards on 41 carries, and Charlie Becker is coming off a 127-yard receiving game against Western Kentucky. Northwestern has to limit both the run and explosive passes to keep this close.
The Wildcats’ offense is the reason I also lean over. Aidan Chiles threw three touchdowns and ran for two in a 41-7 win over Colorado. I expect Indiana to create more stops, but Northwestern has shown enough to contribute to a game that reaches 50 points.
Northwestern’s improvement is also the risk to the spread pick. I would rather lay less than three touchdowns than chase Indiana if the line climbs. New customers at BetMGM can claim the BetMGM promo code for a bonus to use on this game.
Navy vs UAB Prediction
Navy has had an extra week to prepare after its 38-30 loss at FAU on September 12. The Midshipmen are 1-1, and their rushing production is the main reason I like them to rebound: 376 yards per game at 6.9 yards per carry through two games.
Braxton Woodson has averaged 148 rushing yards with four rushing touchdowns. UAB allowed 225 rushing yards in last Saturday’s 21-14 loss at Louisiana. That creates a clear challenge for the Blazers, even after they held Louisiana scoreless in the second half.
The over is a smaller lean because it needs more from UAB. The Blazers managed only 218 yards in their latest loss, so I’m not treating their scoring contribution as automatic. Navy’s ability to create chunk gains is the stronger part of the case. Grab the bet365 bonus code to lock in these lines.
Army vs Temple Prediction
- Spread pick: Army -3 (at theScore Bet); total lean: Under 48.5 (at theScore Bet)
I’m taking Army to control enough of the game on the ground to win by more than a field goal. The Black Knights enter at 1-1, while Temple is 1-2. At -3, an Army win by exactly three would return the stake. Tail this pick with theScore Bet promo code.
The under goes with my expectation of Army sustaining possessions and making Temple work with fewer opportunities. That is a game-script judgment, rather than a claim that rushing teams always produce low totals. Short fields or a quick Temple lead would make this bet harder to cash.
I prefer taking the available field goal to laying 3.5. Army can win the game without covering the larger number, so I would check both the spread and the price before placing the bet.
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
