We’re treated to two more college football games on Thursday, the final contest of the CFP quarterfinals between Notre Dame and Georgia, and a clash between Duke and Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl. It’s an under-heavy day in what should be a slugfest between UGA and ND.
Below we’ve compiled 5 to use on PrizePicks and Underdog for Thursday NCAAF games from Rotogrinders — both the NCAAF pick’em analysis page and projections page. You can get all the plays with a Rotogrinders subscription.
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College Football PrizePicks & Underdog Plays
In the table below, you’ll find each of our college football staff’s top picks from today’s slate of games. Click on any pick or team logo to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|
| 4 pm ET | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#1″ firstfullname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” text=”Mitchell Evans”][/teammatchup] |
| 4 pm ET | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#2″ firstfullname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” text=”Jordan Faison”][/teammatchup] |
| 4 pm ET | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#3″ firstfullname=”Georgia Bulldogs” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” text=”Arian Smith”][/teammatchup] |
| 4 pm ET | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#4″ firstfullname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” text=”Beaux Collins”][/teammatchup] |
| 7:30 pm ET | [teammatchup shadow=”false” link=”#5″ firstfullname=”Ole Miss Rebels” firstlogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/mis.png” text=”Jordan Watkins”][/teammatchup] |
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game.
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[anchor name=”1″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pick 1: Mitchell Evans”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”false” league=”ncaaf” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” awayname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” awayslug=”notre-dame-fighting-irish” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” homename=”Georgia Bulldogs” homeslug=”georgia-bulldogs” date=”Thursday, Jan. 2″ time=”4 pm ET ET” network=”ESPN”][/gameheader]
[subheader text=”Mitchell Evans” subtext=”Less than 6.5 fantasy points” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/824319_prizepickslogohoriz.png” trailinglink=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/prizepicks” trailinglinkfollow=”false”][/subheader]
The Notre Dame tight end was quiet in the Irish’s win over Indiana in the first round of the CFP with just 3.7 fantasy points (2 catches for 17 yards). He’s posted less than 6.5 fantasy points in 7/11 games. PrizePicks’ fantasy score is a full point per reception, so keep that in mind when taking these squares.
Evans has only posted more than 3 catches in three games this season and he’s not a big-play threat with just a 6.9-yard average depth of target. Even if he does post 3-4 catches, which is possible if Notre Dame gets into a negative game script that requires them to throw more, he could still stay under this number.
Here’s what Evans did in ND’s closest games (he didn’t play vs. Texas A&M):
- 2 catches, 26 yards vs. NIU
- 3-14 vs. Louisville
- 4-26 vs. Georgia Tech
- 5-59-1 vs. USC
Our projections like him to finish with less than the listed total of 6.5 fantasy points.
Pick: Mitchell Evans Less than 6.5 fantasy points
[anchor name=”2″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pick 2: Jordan Faison”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”false” league=”ncaaf” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” awayname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” awayslug=”notre-dame-fighting-irish” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” homename=”Georgia Bulldogs” homeslug=”georgia-bulldogs” date=”Thursday, Jan. 2″ time=”4 pm ET ET” network=”ESPN”][/gameheader]
[subheader text=”Jordan Faison” subtext=”Less than 7.5 fantasy points” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/824319_prizepickslogohoriz.png” trailinglink=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/prizepicks” trailinglinkfollow=”false”][/subheader]
Same goes for ND WR Jordan Faison — our projections like him less than 7.5 fantasy points.
Faison had by far his biggest game of the season against Indiana with 7 catches for 89 yards. But in seven regular season contests, he was under this line six times.
Faison is not a high-volume receiver with just 33 targets in 10 games, and he’s not a redzone threat with just one touchdown.
Pick: Jordan Faison Less than 7.5 fantasy points
[anchor name=”3″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pick 3: Arian Smith”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”false” league=”ncaaf” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” awayname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” awayslug=”notre-dame-fighting-irish” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” homename=”Georgia Bulldogs” homeslug=”georgia-bulldogs” date=”Thursday, Jan. 2″ time=”4 pm ET ET” network=”ESPN”][/gameheader]
[subheader text=”Arian Smith” subtext=”Less than 8.5 fantasy points” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” trailinglogourl=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/824319_prizepickslogohoriz.png” trailinglink=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/prizepicks” trailinglinkfollow=”false”][/subheader]
Another fantasy points under — this one from one of Georgia’s top target-earners.
Smith has been a mixed bag this year, making big plays at times with three 100+ yard games, but a few duds on the schedule too. Without Carson Beck at quarterback, our projections think Georgia’s passing efficiency and volume will drop, making this line a bit too high at 8.5.
Pick: Arian Smith Less than 8.5 fantasy points
[anchor name=”4″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pick 4: Beaux Collins”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”false” league=”ncaaf” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” awayname=”Notre Dame Fighting Irish” awayslug=”notre-dame-fighting-irish” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/uga.png” homename=”Georgia Bulldogs” homeslug=”georgia-bulldogs” date=”Thursday, Jan. 2″ time=”4 pm ET ET” network=”ESPN”][/gameheader]
[subheader text=”Beaux Collins” subtext=”More than 20.5 receiving yards” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/nd.png” trailinglogourl=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/UnderdogFantasy.png” trailinglink=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/underdog-fantasy” trailinglinkfollow=”false”][/subheader]
We’re going the other way on Beaux Collins, Notre Dame’s most-used receiver. He has 57 targets on the season but two quiet games in his last two have suppressed this number a bit.
Notre Dame really hasn’t had to throw much in many of its late-season games, but in three competitive games played earlier in the season, Collins went for:
- 5-62 vs. Texas A&M
- 5-45 vs. NIU
- 5-51 vs. Georgia Tech
Pick: Beaux Collins More than 20.5 receiving yards
[anchor name=”5″][/anchor]
[subheader sizedown=”false” text=”Pick 5: Jordan Watkins”][/subheader]
[gameheader haspick=”false” league=”ncaaf” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/dukd.png” awayname=”Duke Blue Devils” awayslug=”duke-blue-devils” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/mis.png” homename=”Ole Miss Rebels” homeslug=”ole-miss-rebels” date=”Thursday, Jan. 2″ time=”7:30 pm ET ET” network=”ESPN”][/gameheader]
[subheader text=”Jordan Watkins” subtext=”More than 69.5 receiving yards” logo1url=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/ncaaf/100/mis.png” trailinglogourl=”https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2023/07/UnderdogFantasy.png” trailinglink=”https://www.actionnetwork.com/online-sports-betting/reviews/underdog-fantasy” trailinglinkfollow=”false”][/subheader]
Ole Miss star WR Tre Harris is out, opening the door for Watkins to be the featured receiver again, like he was when Harris missed time in the second half of the year.
Watkins’ season-long numbers are a bit skewed by an 8-catch, 254-yard and 5-touchdown performance against Arkansas, but he’s been earning targets at a ridiculous rate in the second half of the year with 8, 7, 14 and 8 in his final four games. He’s also a big-play threat with a 15.9 average depth of target, a big number for a receiver.
Watkins posted an elite 2.32 yards per route run this season and with Harris’s volume having to go elsewhere, Watkins is poised to capitalize.
Pick: Jordan Watkins More than 69.5 receiving yards