College Football Week 2 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Longshot Bets (2022)

Following an exciting week 1 of college football, we start to look ahead to week 2. This can be an incredibly advantageous spot for bettors as the market will often overreact to what we saw in week 1. Like last week, I'm going to highlight a few contests where longshots have a strong edge on the spread or moneyline and provide a little analysis of my reasoning. Let's dive into this second-week slate.

Check out Thor Nystrom's Week 2 College Football Power Rankings >>

Arizona State +11.5 at Oklahoma State

Both of these schools come into this non-conference matchup with victories over their week 1 opponents. Oklahoma State moved the ball with ease against a Central Michigan defense that will be outmatched by many opponents it plays this season. The concern with the Cowboys is the ease at which Central Michigan was able to move the ball as well. With the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Ohio State, there is reason to think this may be more of a bomb than a blip. Competent offenses should be capable of keeping pace with the Cowboys this season.

Arizona State dominated their FCS opponent, Northern Arizona, to the tune of 40-3. The offense, after a slow start, got going and posted 34 points in just over 23 minutes of game time before taking the foot off the pedal in the 4th quarter. The defense started hot and stayed hot, holding Northern Arizona to 3.2 yards per pass attempt and 1.0 sack-adjusted yards per rush attempt. Oklahoma State will provide greater challenges on both sides of the ball, but the spread is more indicative of the teams' success, or lack thereof, from 2021 and not an indication of how much closer these teams are this year. If Oklahoma State isn't careful in this spot, they'll be on upset alert, and that is exactly where I see this game going.

Pick: Arizona State ML (+365)

Duke +10.5 at Northwestern

Northwestern started off their 2022 campaign with an upset win over double-digit favorite Nebraska in Ireland. The expectations for Northwestern in the Big Ten this season were not high, but after the week 0 victory, they've jumped from +40000 to +15000 odds to win the conference. This Northwestern team is better than the squad they fielded last season, but the market has overreacted to a game that Nebraska was taking control of before the vicious Groundhog Day that has plagued the Scott Frost era in Lincoln took shape.

Duke routed an overmatched Temple team in week 1 to the tune of 30-0. This marked the Blue Devils' first time holding an FBS opponent to 17 points or less since 2019. The defense could help them repeat last year's 30-23 win over Northwestern in week 2. In addition, Duke should be able to move the ball on the Wildcat defense again this season. Quarterback Riley Leonard flashed a dynamic ability on the ground and in the air against Temple that could give Northwestern fits. This is a letdown spot for Northwestern, and Duke is more than capable of pulling off the upset.

Pick: Duke ML (+310)

Appalachian State +17 at Texas A&M

Appalachian State is comfortable in this spot. They're a program that has never shied away from playing Power 5 competition, and in turn, they've found ways to overperform in these situations. The week 2 matchup with Texas A&M comes after an emotional and thrilling defeat at the hands of North Carolina over the weekend. Texas A&M is the most talented team on the schedule for the Mountaineers and will be a tough matchup, but App State is rightfully the Sun Belt championship favorite and is more than capable of keeping this game close.

There isn't much to take from Texas A&M's 31-0 win over FCS Sam Houston State in week 1. Haynes King was boom or bust passing the ball with three long touchdown passes accounting for half his yards in the air, while also throwing two interceptions. App State will provide a tougher challenge for the Aggies on both sides of the ball. If the Aggies make mistakes, App State will be able to take advantage with a quick strike offense that was on full display against North Carolina in week 1. With the Mountaineers’ level of talent and pedigree in these games, I expect them to keep this game competitive down to the wire.

Pick: Appalachian State +17 (-109)

Prop Bet Analyzer: View top-rated props and historical prop performance by player >>

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Whether you're new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our Sports Betting 101 Section - including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners - or head to more advanced sports betting strategies - like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread - to learn more.