We’ve got a trifecta of College Football Playoff games throughout the day, as we’ll see Miami at Texas A&M, Tulane at Ole Miss, and James Madison at Oregon. The stakes couldn’t be higher as some of the nation’s top teams put it all on the line, vying for a coveted spot in the next round.
Fans across the country will be tuning in for what promises to be an action-packed Saturday of football, with each matchup offering its own unique storylines and drama.
The first game of the day will likely be the most exciting one as 10-seed Miami gets the opening-round road date with 7-seed Texas A&M. This matchup has the smallest margin on the spread (Texas A&M -3.5), signaling a closely contested battle that could come down to the final possession.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss (-17.5) and Oregon (-21.5) are both heavy home favorites, looking to hold serve in front of their fans and avoid any upset bids. With such diverse matchups on tap, there’s something for everyone—whether you prefer nail-biting finishes or potential blowouts featuring offensive fireworks.
For all three games, I found some tremendous value in at least one aspect. I like QBs Carson Beck and Trinidad Chambliss to light it up in the Christmas season throwing the football, while Oregon is expected to run the football plenty and give some of the pie to Jordon Davison.
Whether you’re hunting for the best angles or just a fan eager for the CFB Playoff, these games are sure to deliver plenty of excitement. Let’s dive into the key players, matchups, and betting opportunities that stand out for this Saturday’s playoff action.
Carson Beck: Miami at Texas A&M
Over 1.5 Touchdown Passes (-118)
Beck had a phenomenal stretch run for Miami, throwing 3+ in each of his last three games – and 2+ in four of his last five. Don’t expect this guy to have any jitters today, considering his vast experience against SEC foes playing for Georgia previously.
Texas A&M’s defense hasn’t been as dominant of late in meaningful games, allowing 27 points at Texas in its last game, and another 30 against South Carolina back on Nov. 15.
I do believe Miami hangs with A&M throughout the entirety of this game, and if the favorites are putting up points, the underdogs will come barking right back. Even in one of the Canes’ two losses this season, Beck threw two TDs back on Nov. 1 against SMU.
Trinidad Chambliss: Tulane at Ole MissOver 272.5 Passing Yards (-118)
Chambliss has thrown for 300+ yards in each of his last three games – and in seven of his last 10 games. Tulane is allowing the 11th-most passing yards per game (255.2), as well as the fourth-most completions (22.8) and 12th-most passing attempts (34.2).
Ole Miss is a very convincing 17.5-point favorite, and you have to imagine they want to show their old head coach Lane Kiffin what he’s missing. I would expect this team to keep the foot on the gas pedal all day long in order to get some rhythm going into the next round.
If you’re like me and down for taking a calculated risk, give some thoughts to sprinkling a little cheddar Chambliss to throw for 300+ yards (+153).
Jordon Davison: Over 47.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Davison should get a decent workload tonight, as Oregon should handle JMU fairly easily. The Ducks have a mega matchup looming next week against Texas Tech, so I’m sure they’d like to keep
JMU allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (77.2), but the level of competition will be vastly different tonight. Davison’s running style is suited to go against defense, and he did have 50+ yards on the ground in six straight games before getting tripped up at Washington a few weeks ago.
The Ducks are well-rested with this being their first December game, so this should all go according to plan.
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