We have a confession to make: There aren’t any bowl games for our Saturday football bets.
Three of the four first-round games in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff are on the NCAAF odds board, but technically, these aren’t bowls. That won’t change our college football picks in any meaningful way – aside from the larger betting public these CFP games will draw compared to, say, the Myrtle Beach Bowl or the Gasparilla Bowl this Friday.
Best Bets for Tulane Green Wave vs. Ole Miss Rebels
CFP First Round – Game 3
Even if they don’t show up until the weekend arrives, those casual bettors have already made their presence felt in the marketplace. Underdogs appear to have all the value on Saturday’s NCAAF odds board; we’re particularly excited about the two Group of 5 teams that will be in action, as are the sharps according to the latest betting reports.
You can bet on more than one game, of course, but if you only choose one, consider Saturday’s matchup between the Tulane Green Wave (11-2 SU, 7-6 ATS) and the Ole Miss Rebels (11-1 SU, 7-4-1 ATS). This goes double if you’re putting together a same-game parlay with the spread/moneyline, the total, and one of those extra-tasty NCAAF player props.
Saturday Odds (Ole Miss -17.5)
The football lines for Ole Miss have barely moved despite that early sharp action – and despite the departure of head coach Lane Kiffin, who signed a seven-year deal with LSU on November 30. Kiffin was going to take most of his staff with him, but defensive coordinator Pete Golding will stay behind for Saturday’s game, as will several others.
At the same time, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall has taken the top job at Florida, but he’ll coach the Green Wave for these playoffs; DL Santana Hopper will also be in uniform despite going into the transfer portal. Nobody from either team has opted out as we go to press.
Saturday Picks (Over 56.5 -110)
The computer projections at OddsTrader show 3.3% Expected Value for Tulane as a 17.5-point road dog, dipping to 0.9% at +625 on the moneyline – but the Over shows even more promise at 6.2% EV.
If you’re only placing one straight bet, this is our chosen pick on what should be a pleasant Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, in a matchup between two teams whose profiles are heavily tilted toward offense.
Tulane’s Javin Gordon (Over 18.5 Rushing Yards -117)
College football player props are where the gold is at. We recommended this Gordon prop earlier in the week, and it still projects with an incredible 32.3% EV at press time; that’s almost certainly too optimistic, but it’s a good sign that the betting public has overlooked what Gordon (38.8 yards per game) can do for Tulane versus the No. 34-ranked defense on the latest F+ Ratings chart at BCF Toys.
Digging a little deeper, the OT projections for Saturday’s contest have Gordon rushing for 39.642 yards – just slightly above his season average. These same two teams met on September 20, with Ole Miss prevailing 45-10 and Gordon rushing for 35 yards on eight carries. He could be even busier for their rematch now that RB Arnold Barnes III (10 carries over the past five games) has fallen down the depth chart.
Place Your Saturday College Picks Now
Here’s the big question for your Saturday college football bets: Individually, or collectively? That depends, as usual, on how much money you want to bet – and which online sportsbooks you use. Tulane +17.5 is a sharp bet, and Gordon Over 18.5 rushing yards might be even sharper, so if you’re dealing with a “recreational” sportsbook that might cap your action, consider parlaying those with Over 56.5, so you look more like a typical Green Wave supporter.
If you’re going to bet big, you might even want to hammer Tulane +625 instead of the point spread, and sacrifice some of that projected EV in order to make your same-game parlay look even more casual. Either way, consider waiting closer to kick-off for even better prices on the underdogs; download the free OddsTrader App to keep track of the live college football odds, and bet accordingly.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.