College football odds, lines, picks, predictions for Week 3, 2021: Model backing Notre Dame, Cincinnati

The SEC on CBS returns in a huge way when No. 1 Alabama takes on No. 11 Florida in a showdown at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The latest Week 3 college football odds from Caesars Sportsbook list the Crimson Tide as 15.5-point favorites. Alabama has won seven straight in the series, and only two games during that span have been decided by two scores or fewer. Is this a good spot to back the Tide, or can Florida keep it competitive in The Swamp?

Alabama’s top rival, meanwhile, has a big non-conference game as No. 22 Auburn travels to No. 10 Penn State. The Nittany Lions are -6.5 in that matchup, according to the latest Week 3 college football spreads. Which Week 3 college football lines should you target in those matchups and others? Before making any Week 3 college football picks, be sure to see the latest college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 3 of the 2021 season on a 67-50 run on all top-rated college football picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 3 college football odds from Caesars and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top Week 3 college football predictions

One of the top college football picks the model is recommending for Week 3: No. 12 Notre Dame (-7) covers at home against Purdue in a 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday matchup. The Fighting Irish are off to a 2-0 start, and their passing game has been clicking. They rank 11th nationally in passing yards per game (341.5) and they’re in the top 50 nationally in scoring offense (36.5 ppg) and total offense (440 ypg).

The run game is struggling, but Kyren Williams could certainly break out at any point. SportsLine’s model is calling for Williams to rush for 80 yards, while Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan throws for almost 300 passing yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame covers in well over 50 percent of simulations, while the under (59) also hits. 

Another one of the college football predictions from the model: No. 8 Cincinnati (-3) covers at Indiana in a noon ET kickoff on Saturday. The Bearcats are aiming for the College Football Playoffs this season. But if they’re going to be serious contenders, they’ll need to make statements in the next two weeks with Indiana and Notre Dame on the schedule.

Indiana was overwhelmed by Iowa in its opener, and now the Hoosiers take on another talented and physical team in the Bearcats. SportsLine’s model sees this as a low-scoring game that stays in the 40s. That helps the under (51) hit with plenty of room to spare, while the Bearcats pick up the double-digit victory and cover almost 60 percent of the time. 

How to make Week 3 college football picks 

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 3 college football schedule, and it’s calling for a Top 25 favorite to go down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence? And which Top 25 favorite goes down hard? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned $3,500 in profit over the past five-plus seasons, and find out.

Week 3 College football odds (via Caesars)

Here are the college football lines for some of Week 3’s most notable matchups:

Thursday, Sept. 16

Ohio vs. Louisiana (-20, 54.5)

Featured Game | Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns vs. Ohio Bobcats

Friday, Sept. 17

Louisville vs. UCF (-7.5, 69.5)

Featured Game | Louisville Cardinals vs. UCF Knights

Illinois vs. Maryland (-7.5, 59)

Featured Game | Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Maryland Terrapins

Saturday, Sept. 18

Coastal Carolina vs. Buffalo (+10.5, 58)

Featured Game | Buffalo Bulls vs. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Cincinnati vs. Indiana (+3, 51)

Featured Game | Indiana Hoosiers vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

Michigan State vs. Miami (FL) (-6.5, 54.5)

Featured Game | Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. Michigan State Spartans

Northern Illinois vs. Michigan (-27, 54.5)

Featured Game | Michigan Wolverines vs. Northern Illinois Huskies

Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia (-2.5, 50.5)

Featured Game | West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma (-22, 61.5)

Featured Game | Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

New Mexico vs. Texas A&M (-27.5, 51)

Featured Game | Texas A&M Aggies vs. New Mexico Lobos

Purdue vs. Notre Dame (-7, 59)

Featured Game | Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Purdue Boilermakers

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson (-28.5, 51)

Featured Game | Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Alabama vs. Florida (+15.5, 57)

Featured Game | Florida Gators vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Tulsa vs. Ohio State (-25, 60.5)

Featured Game | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Kent State vs. Iowa (-22.5, 54.5)

Featured Game | Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Kent State Golden Flashes

Georgia State vs. Arkansas (-23, 52.5)

Featured Game | Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Georgia Southern Eagles

South Carolina vs. Georgia (-30.5, 48.5)

Featured Game | Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Virginia vs. North Carolina (-9, 65)

Featured Game | North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Virginia Cavaliers

Auburn vs. Penn State (-6.5, 53)

Featured Game | Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Auburn Tigers

Tulane vs. Ole Miss (-14, 73)

Featured Game | Ole Miss Rebels vs. Tulane Green Wave

Arizona State vs. BYU (+2.5, 50.5)

Featured Game | BYU Cougars vs. Arizona State Sun Devils

Iowa State vs. UNLV (+30, 52)

Featured Game | UNLV Rebels vs. Iowa State Cyclones

Fresno State vs. UCLA (-10)

Featured Game | UCLA Bruins vs. Fresno State Bulldogs