College Football Props of the Week: Week 4
Walter Waddell
Multiple times each week, FTN Bets’ resident college basketball junkie, Brad Evans, will attempt to posterize the ‘books with his favorite selections, whether sides, totals, teasers or parlays. As always, fade or follow Brad’s picks — fading is encouraged — that’s up to you.
2-leg alternative line parlay play: Oklahoma St. (+9.5), Gonzaga (-7.5) (Tipico Sportsbook)
Odds: +122
Leg 1: Oklahoma St. (+9.5) at Kansas
Don’t feel sorry for the blue bloods. For years, brand name programs like Duke, North Carolina and Michigan St. repeatedly tattooed the opposition, logging multiple Final Four and national title appearances while fighting off unsavory off-the-court accusations. Comeuppance? Quite possibly. Kansas, too, is choking down an enormous slice of humble pie. In an unusual position at 6-5, it, for once, is looking up at multiple teams in the Big 12 standings. Mediocrity and inconsistency on both ends – it ranks No. 6 in offensive efficiency and No. 5 in defensive efficiency within conference play – has KU on pace to acquire a middling seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks’ interior defensive chops match up well with a Cowboys crew that generates over 56% of their points on the block. However, Cade Cunningham (41.3 3PT%), Rondel Walker (37.1%) and Bryce Williams (33.9%) could gain an edge along the perimeter, an area Kansas has struggled to contain this year. Toss in OSU’s rigid defense (No. 1 eFG% D in B12) and an outright win isn’t out of the question.
Leg 2: Gonzaga (-7.5) at BYU
Every year ‘Zags naysayers spout the same tired phrases, casting doubt on the Bulldogs’ legitimacy. Undeniably, the crutch argument they lean on most is, “they never play anybody.” Of course, they’re hilariously off spouting such baseless nonsense. Mark Few always schedules a murderer’s row non-conference. This year was no different. To be fair, yes, the WCC usually presents few challenges, but BYU, top-30 in the NET, is undeniably a tournament team as the landscape shapes up today. The Bulldogs lifted a leg on the Cougars 86-69 January 7 in Spokane. In that lopsided affair, BYU’s self-inflicted wounds (16 TOs) combined with Corey Kispert’s hot shooting (23 points) proved to be the difference. Inside the Marriott Center, the rematch should be tighter. Still, the ‘Zags, No. 1 in both offensive and defensive efficiency in the WCC, simply own too much firepower at every position. How on Earth a team, even of the Cougars’ respectable defensive standing (No. 36 in D efficiency nationally), can defend Kispert, Jalen Suggs, Drew Timme, Andrew Nembhard and Joel Ayayi is beyond this writer’s elementary comprehension. To pull off the stunner, Alex Barcello and Brandon Averette must drain an ungodly amount of treys, an unlikely outcome.
Season record: 17-23
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