The 2026-27 college football season rolls on with an entertaining Friday 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 Friday’s Week 4 slate. Without further ado, let’s jump into the top CFB predictions for the week. 

CFB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets: Friday, 9/25

Our CFB best bets today kick off with Friday night’s matchup between Clemson and California. Plus, we’ll dish out CFB predictions for Navy vs. UAB. Check out more CFB picks below, including some college football player props. Good luck!  

 

 

 

Clemson vs. California Prediction: Friday, September 25th

Last Saturday, Clemson trailed by 14 points in the first half at home vs. UNC. This came two weeks after the 51-10 disaster loss to LSU. The Tigers’ season seemed over, and everyone was writing Dabo Swinney’s obituary. Then, after a lengthy weather delay, Clemson somehow rallied in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. 

Can Clemson ride the momentum of that comeback victory to restart its season? Or will it revert and struggle in Friday night’s West Coast trip against California? Who knows at this point, but let’s count on the Tigers coming out ahead.  

Cal hasn’t exactly impressed this year, either. The Golden Bears lost by 21 at home to UCLA and barely squeaked by Syracuse. They were out-gained by nearly 200 yards in that win, while also benefiting from three interceptions (including a pick-six) and a missed game-tying field goal by the Orange. 

The Cal defense is especially concerning. It allowed 461 total yards and 45 points in the loss to UCLA. The Golden Bears also gave up 277 yards on the ground, at 8.7 yards per carry. In the victory over Syracuse, the defense allowed 307 passing yards and 27 first downs while struggling to get off the field. 

Clemson’s offense has issues, but it can ride the run game in this matchup. Cal ranks 133rd in defensive EPA/Rush and 127th in defensive success rate against the run. The Tigers, meanwhile, have a workhorse back in Gideon Davidson, who just averaged 6.6 yards per carry against UNC. 

Plus, Clemson still boasts a formidable defense that can contain and frustrate Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. He has plenty of talent, but can also be turnover-prone and inefficient in tougher matchups. Clemson’s defense enters this game ranked 23rd nationally in net adjusted EPA/Play and 12th in success rate vs. the pass. 

Navy vs. UAB Prediction: Friday, September 25th

UAB enters as the home underdog in this Friday night clash with Navy. The Blazers are worth backing to cover the point spread, and possibly win outright, with a few edges in their favor. 

UAB may be 1-2 on the season, but the record is a bit misleading. In their two losses, the Blazers competed against Illinois and Louisiana while covering as road underdogs in both. Navy, meanwhile, is 1-1 on the year. The Midshipmen failed to cover as favorites in both games, including the loss to FAU. 

In that game, Navy’s defense was shredded for 386 passing yards and 5 TDs through the air by the FAU offense. This is the key matchup that UAB needs to exploit. Navy ranks 132nd nationally in EPA/Pass and 114th in defensive success rate against the pass. UAB has the passing attack and capable receivers to take advantage, just like FAU did. 

The Blazers also feature a strong run game with a trio of talented backs. The offense can be balanced to beat Navy through the air while stringing together productive drives via the rushing attack. The Navy defense hasn’t been challenged enough on the ground, facing an FCS-level Towson squad and a pass-happy FAU team. 

On the other side, Navy’s offense has a big question mark at quarterback. Senior QB Braxton Woodson is out after getting hurt last game, pushing Jackson Gutierrez into the starting role. He showed flashes in relief against FAU, but that mostly came in garbage time against a prevent defense. 

The Navy triple-option scheme is always tough to prepare for, especially when it’s averaging 6.9 yards per carry. However, UAB’s defense has been better on early downs and shown improvements on third down in recent weeks. If the Blazers can bottle up the run and force Gutierrez to the air, Navy’s offense could be slow to get going. 

There’s clear value in taking UAB to cover the +7.5 spread. The Blazers also have the notable home-field edge with a fired-up Friday night crowd in Birmingham. They should play Navy tight and keep it a one-score game. Plus, the Midshipmen have some lookahead potential here with a matchup against rival Air Force on deck. 

 

 

 

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