College Football Parlay Bets for Week 4 (2020)
Bettors and fans, rejoice! Week 4 of this wild College Football season features the return of SEC football. The Big Ten has a firm start date set for next month, and Pac-12 and Mid-American Conferences should start their seasons soon as well. The weekly slate of games continues to grow larger with every passing Saturday, and the “spectacular chaos†continues.
Betting College Football Through Parlays
Parlays are a fun way to incorporate several games from a massive College Football slate into your betting endeavors. I have put together a pair of three-team parlay bets that I like for the Week 4 slate. This week’s parlays feature five different ATS picks with a single total pick mixed in as well. While I did not include any large moneyline favorites in the parlays, I have included five great options at the end of this article that are worth consideration should you desire to create longer odds for an increased payout.
As is the case with these parlay bets every week, feel free to add, subtract, mix, and match from the picks I have outlined below to meet your desired level of risk and reward. Any and all of this week’s picks make fine individual wagers as well.
Odds courtesy of FOX Bet.
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Week 4 College Football Parlay #1
Our first parlay for Week 4 features three different ATS underdogs. They may all be from different conferences (and one is an Independent at that), but together, they combine for +574 payout odds.
(22) Army (+13.5) at (14) Cincinnati
Two undefeated, ranked teams are set to do battle when Army takes on Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon at the historic Nippert Stadium. While I admit that Army being ranked is certainly a consequence of the whacky College Football landscape, the Black Knights aren’t getting much respect as 13.5-point dogs this week.
Middle Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe might’ve been inferior opponents, but Army dismantled both with ease. While the best of this spread may be gone, I’m still in, as Army has taken money to move the line down from 14. The difficulty of planning against Army’s patented triple-option attack cannot be understated. If the Knights can stay ahead of the chains, they should be able to eat clock and keep the ball away from the Bearcats’ offense. What’s more, Army’s defense has been a pleasant surprise in the first two games despite losing their leaders in tackles, sacks, and interceptions from a season ago. The Knights should cover in a thriller.
Mississippi State (+17) at (6) LSU
It’ll be an uphill battle from the start for Mike Leach as he begins his tenure as the head coach in Starkville, as he starts with a road trip to take on the defending national champs. While still talented, this is a very different LSU team than the one that was perfect a year ago. Even if Myles Brennan picks up close to where Joe Burrow left off, the Tigers have an almost entirely new set of defensive starters. Laying 17 points could be a lot to ask in the opener.
In contrast, Mississippi State returns a wealth of experience on the defensive side of the ball. While LSU’s offense should once again put up points, it may not all come together in the very first game, especially when you take into account the weird offseason. On offense, Stanford transfer K.J. Costello will likely get the first crack at running Leach’s Air Raid in the SEC. With so much turnover for LSU defensively, the Bulldogs should be able to gain yards and score points. I’m not saying they’ll win this thing outright, but I like Miss State to stay within 17.
North Carolina State at (24) Virginia Tech (-6.5)
It’ll be hard for North Carolina State to top last week’s 45-42 win over Wake Forest in terms of pure entertainment value, but a road tilt with a ranked Virginia Tech team provides as good of an opportunity as any. The Hokies will make their season debut Saturday and will try to make hay right away on a vulnerable Wolfpack defense.
If Virginia Tech can slow down the revamped NC State offensive attack, they shouldn’t have too much trouble. With a slew of veterans returning, the Hokies’ defense is better equipped for a season-opener than most. On offense, VA Tech must keep the NC State pass rush contained. Doing so will allow Hendon Hooker to make clean throws and complement the rushing tandem of Kansas transfer Khalil Herbert and Raheem Blackshear. Unless there is a season-opener lapse in concentration, I like Justin Fuente’s squad to win by at least a full touchdown.
Week 4 College Football Parlay #2
The second Week 4 parlay highlights several games between mid-major programs. Although they might not be on the big screen at the bar, they present intriguing betting opportunities. Parlayed together, they offer identical odds as Parlay 1 at +574.
Stephen F. Austin at SMU (Over 60.5)
Just like the Boston College-Duke under play a week ago, the total for this all-Texas showdown between Stephen F. Austin and SMU really jumps at me. The Mustangs have a lethal offensive attack led by quarterback Shane Buechele. After hanging 65 points on North Texas in last week’s win, there’s no reason to think that SMU can’t come very close to surpassing the 60.5-point total by themselves.
The other key factor here is Stephen F. Austin’s defense. To their credit, the Lumberjacks have played surprisingly well through their first two games against FBS-level competition. Unfortunately for SFA, the UTEP and UTSA offenses they went up against the last two weeks are vastly inferior to the SMU attack they’ll face on Saturday. Given SMU’s somewhat suspect defensive front, the Lumberjacks should be able to put together at least a few scoring drives of their own as well. I just don’t see how this game stays under.
Georgia State (-2.5) at Charlotte
The Sun Belt Conference has been the early bright spot of this crazy College Football season. After taking part in the incredible Week 2 show in which the conference earned three outright upsets over Big 12 opponents, 19th-ranked Louisiana found themselves having to rally in the second half to squeak past Georgia State by a field goal. Now the Panthers hit the road to take on a Charlotte team that’s also seeking their first win of the season.
The Panthers controlled the line of scrimmage for the majority of last week’s game against Louisiana, something that will serve them well regardless of opponent. The big question entering the season for Georgia State was at quarterback, but redshirt freshman Cornelius Brown played a confident football game last week. And good luck to the 49ers in their efforts to stop Destin Coates and the rest of the GSU rushing attack, which totaled 223 yards last week. Charlotte may have covered in their season-opener against Appalachian State, but after the Mountaineers fell to Marshall last week, it’s fair to wonder if they aren’t quite as dominant as they’ve been in recent years.
FIU at Liberty (-7.5)
Hugh Freeze and his Liberty Flames got their season off to a great start last week, not only by covering the spread against Conference USA power Western Kentucky but also by winning it outright. The Flames will make their home debut this Saturday when they host another C-USA opponent in FIU who will be playing their first game of the season.
There was skepticism surrounding the quarterback position for Liberty coming into the season, but Auburn transfer Malik Willis exceeded expectations in the opener. He was a modest 13 of 21 passing, but his 168 rushing yards and three touchdowns stole the show. Willis’ skillset fits right into the run-pass option offensive sets that Freeze orchestrated throughout his time at Ole Miss. It’s not an easy thing to game plan for, either, especially when you’re set to play your first game of the season, as Butch Davis’ Panthers are. FIU has been dealing with COVID cases while trying to fill voids at a quarterback and various defensive positions that were vacated by NFL draftees. With a game already under their belt, look for Liberty to roll.
Week 4 Moneyline Favorite Add-On Opportunities
(2) Alabama (-5000) at Missouri
(4) Georgia (-5000) at Arkansas
Kansas State at (3) Oklahoma (-3300)
(13) UCF (-1600) at East Carolina
Houston Baptist at Louisiana Tech (-1200)
Texas State at Boston College (-800)
UTEP at Louisiana-Monroe (-400)
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Henry John is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Henry, check out his archive and follow him @HankTimeSports.