Week 2 of the 2026-27 college football season is firmly in the rearview mirror. We’ve had two full weeks of college football, and it’s been back-to-back weeks of wild outcomes. Even with the chaos, there are teams that we’re looking to buy in on, and teams that we’re looking to sell off. We’ve looked at the trends, and done the analysis of the college football games that we’ve seen. Let’s go through the teams to follow and fade in Week 3.
Are you looking for a sportsbook to place bets on our college football picks? Check out MyBookie.ag
Follow or Fade: College Football Trends and Analysis From Week 2
College Football Betting Analysis: Teams to Follow
North Dakota State Bison
The 38-32 final of the North Dakota State Bison victory over Air Force was not indicative of how the game went. The Bison dominated the first half, and the Falcons got back into it on the scoreboard, but the Falcons were never really in it. North Dakota State has won its first three games at the FBS level and has looked absolutely dominant. The stats posted by their skill position players will get the headlines, but the physicality the Bison have carried with them has been the difference.
North Dakota State rolled in the FargoDome over Jacksonville State and Fordham, and then went on the road to Colorado Springs to win in their first Mountain West Conference road game. The Bison stay on the road for a non-conference game against Sacramento State. The Hornets have also made the jump to the FBS level this year, but they haven’t looked quite the same since going 7-5 last year in the Big Sky Conference. Sacramento State just got wrecked by Fresno State, and now they get to face the Bison. North Dakota State should roll again and improve to 4-0.
Best Bet: North Dakota State -28.5 at Sacramento State
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State is 2-0 after heading into Minnesota and absolutely wrecking the Golden Gophers. The Bulldogs racked up nearly 500 yards of offense on the road against a P4 school. Quarterback Kamario Taylor threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns while running for 86 yards on 11 carries. Mississippi State running back Fluff Bothwell ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against Minnesota. He also added three yards receiving on one catch.
Taylor has emerged as a dark horse Heisman candidate, and he gets to test himself against an SEC foe this weekend. The Bulldogs travel to Columbia, SC for a matchup with the South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina has beaten up on Kent State and Towson, but this is their first real challenge. Mississippi State looked dominant against a Minnesota team that was expected to make some noise in the Big Ten this year. The Bulldogs are catching points on the road and look like the side to be on this weekend.
Taylor looks the part and has started the year on fire. Adding a ticket for the Heisman at the current price might be a solid decision. If he has another big game against a Power-Five school, his Heisman odds will decrease. This could be a position to take in a prediction market.
Best Bet: Mississippi State +4 at South Carolina, Kamario Taylor to win the Heisman +2500
North Texas Mean Green
The North Texas Mean Green are only 1-1, but their season opener was on the road at the defending National Champions. Their second game was at home against UNLV, and they looked the part. North Texas beat the Runnin’ Rebels 44-6. The Mean Green also brought physicality to the game that UNLV was unable to match. The Runnin’ Rebels are missing a few offensive linemen, but a good Mountain West team shouldn’t get wrecked by a rebuilding AAC team.
North Texas running back Jaheim White ran for 124 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries. He also added two catches for 34 yards and a receiving touchdown. Quarterback Tayven Jackson went 15-for-26 for 233 yards and two touchdowns through the air and added 15 yards and one touchdown on seven carries. However, the real story was the trenches and the turnovers generated.
North Texas heads to San Marcos for a game with Texas State this weekend. The Bobcats can be explosive at times, but North Texas showed what a physical team can do to an offense that’s a little soft up front. San Marcos is a hard place to play, but toughness tends to travel. Take North Texas and the points in this matchup.
Best Bet: North Texas +3.5 at Texas State
College Football Betting Analysis: Teams to Fade
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas looked great in Week 1 against the Long Island Sharks, but struggled against much stiffer competition from the Missouri Tigers in Week 2. Jayhawks quarterback Isaiah Marshall played like a sophomore making his second career start against Missouri. Marshall went 13-for-30 with only 168 yards through the air. He added a pair of passing touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions and got sacked four times. Marshall also fumbled three times and lost one.
Marshall put the Jayhawks in bad positions against Missouri, but the Kansas defense got bullied on the ground and through the air. There’s the makings of a decent team, but this is going to be a season of growing pains in Lawrence. Arizona State visits Kansas this weekend, and the Jayhawks have more questions than answers on both sides of the ball. The Sun Devils are favorites for a reason, and it’s because they have a lot more experience and toughness. Look for the Jayhawks to continue to struggle this week.
Best Bet: Arizona State -5.5
Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt struggled against Austin Peay in Week 1, and were losing at the half against Delaware in Week 2. The Commodores won both games, but didn’t look impressive in either outing. Vanderbilt really misses the swagger and attitude that Diego Pavia brought to the program. The two-quarterback system that Vanderbilt is currently running has been unsurprisingly uneven. Jared Curtis has looked better in the pocket, but Blaze Berlowitz can move the offense with his legs.
NC State comes to Nashville this weekend. While the Wolfpack looked really bad against Virginia, NC State is still a step up in competition from Delaware and Austin Peay. NC State quarterback CJ Bailey looked lost against Virginia, but found his rhythm in a 73-0 beatdown against Richmond. The Wolfpack have a lot more athleticism, and the majority of the team has ACC experience. The Wolfpack are catching points on the road, but they could pull off the upset if Vanderbilt continues to struggle on offense.
Best Bet: NC State +3.5
UCF Golden Knights
UCF faced a step up in competition this past weekend and did just enough to earn the win. The Golden Knights rolled in Week 1 against Bethune-Cookman, but escaped with a 12-7 win over Pittsburgh at the Bounce House this past Saturday. The Golden Knights only generated 206 yards of offense, and the ground game was stuck in neutral. UCF only ran for 20 yards on 22 carries. The Golden Knights gave up over 200 yards passing to the Panthers and allowed over 100 yards rushing. That’s a solid defensive effort, but UCF can be thrown on a little.
Georgia State comes to Orlando this weekend. Georgia State just racked up nearly 500 yards of total offense on the road at Kennesaw State. The Kennesaw State Owls don’t have a Big 12 roster, but they won C-USA last year and have an experienced defense. Georgia State can move the ball, and it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Panthers keep this one closer than it should be. UCF needs to get its offense moving, and quickly.
Best Bet: Georgia State +18.5
The College Football Experience
For more analysis of every college football game in the 2026-26 season, tune in to The College Football Experience. Colby Dant and Moneyline Mac talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college football picks every week!
