The 2026-27 college football season rolls on with a loaded Saturday slate of games on tap! It’s time to lock in our CFB best bets today before the action gets underway. Check out these CFB picks for Saturday’s college football Week 7 slate on October 17th. Without further ado, let’s jump into this week’s top CFB predictions.
CFB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets: Saturday, 10/17
Our CFB best bets today start with Texas hosting Florida in an SEC showdown. Plus, Oregon takes on Nebraska in a late-night Big Ten matchup. Check out more CFB picks below for the rest of this Saturday’s action. Good luck!
Florida vs. Texas Prediction: Saturday, October 17th
Texas is coming off a tough last-minute loss to Oklahoma in last week’s Red River Rivalry. The Longhorns now host Florida with a prime chance to rebound and get back on track. Let’s count on Arch Manning and Co. to cover the spread at home this weekend for our CFB best bets.
Betting on Texas after a loss has been profitable under head coach Steve Sarkisian. The ‘Horns are 10-0 straight up and 7-3 against the spread following a loss over the past four seasons. They should be hungry to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of this year.
Meanwhile, Florida is trending in the wrong direction. The Gators’ 24-point win over Ole Miss three weeks ago was impressive, but their last two games tell a much different story. Since then, they’ve lost by 28 and 19 points to Missouri and South Carolina, respectively.
Florida’s defense is the big concern. The Gators are allowing 37.5 points and 438 total yards per game in SEC play. They also rank 127th nationally in defensive EPA/Play and 123rd in defensive success rate. Florida is struggling to defend both the run and the pass, which could be trouble against the balanced Texas attack.
With that in mind, the Longhorns’ offense should benefit from this easy matchup. Texas has faced tough defenses in Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee thus far. This home game against Florida’s shaky unit will be a welcome opportunity to get right. Manning and the Longhorns’ slew of offensive weapons can pace the game and build a lead.
Meanwhile, Florida could struggle to keep it close. Texas boasts an elite defense, ranking 6th nationally in EPA/Play and 17th in success rate. The Longhorns are also 12th in total yards allowed per game.
The Gators’ offense was putting up big numbers, but they’ve now failed to eclipse 20 points in back-to-back games. Both Missouri and South Carolina contained stud running back Jadan Baugh, which has seriously hampered the attack. Texas can do something similar with its top-tier run defense. Plus, Florida could be starting backup QB Tramell Jones Jr. this week.
- Expert CFB Best Bets:
- Texas -8.5 (-140 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Nebraska vs. Oregon Prediction: Saturday, October 17th
Let’s turn our attention to the Big Ten for more CFB best bets today. Nebraska and Oregon are both coming off losses in notable matchups last week. The Cornhuskers fell to Indiana, while the Ducks lost to UCLA. As they look to bounce back, let’s take the under in this late-night game.
Quarterback Dante Moore is out again for Oregon. In his absence last week, the offense struggled majorly. The Ducks put up only 272 total yards on offense and scored just 15 points in the loss to UCLA. Backup QB Dylan Raiola got benched after posting an ugly 6-for-19 stat line for 43 yards and two picks.
It remains to be seen who starts under center for Oregon this week. The Ducks could go back to Raiola, who shined in the previous win vs. USC. Or, it’ll be third-stringer Drake Thomas. Either way, expect Oregon’s offense to struggle. The unit ranks 105th nationally in success rate and 89th in EPA/Play.
Nebraska brings in a strong defense that’s allowing just 15.2 points per game and ranks 16th nationally in total yards allowed per contest. The Cornhuskers’ defense performed well last week in their toughest test, holding Indiana’s explosive attack to 20 points. Nebraska also ranks 8th in the country in defensive success rate and 15th in defensive EPA/Play.
Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers could have trouble scoring themselves. Oregon just held UCLA to 17 points last week, and the defense has been playing better lately. The Ducks rank 9th nationally in adjusted EPA/Play on defense. They can limit a Nebraska attack that’s only faced one respectable defense thus far, and it scored 17 points vs. Indiana.
- Expert CFB Best Bets:
- Nebraska vs. Oregon Under 52.5 Total Points (-128 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Best CFB Prop Bets & Other Picks
- Ohio State vs. Indiana – Under 50.5 Total Points (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- LSU -13.5 (-148 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Sam Leavitt (LSU) – 250+ Passing Yards (-105 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Oklahoma -6.5 (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Wisconsin +3.5 (-138 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Air Force ML (-112 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Pittsburgh vs. Boston College – Under 44.5 Total Points (-140 on DraftKings Sportsbook)