It feels like a big college football Saturday for superstar running backs, doesn’t it?
Our staff thinks so, as they’re betting player props for four big-name running backs, including Michigan's Donovan Edwards, North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Oregon's Bucky Irving and Oregon State'sDamien Martinez.
Read on for a full breakdown of all four college football player prop picks below.
Week 12 College Football Player Props
In the table below, you'll find each of our college football staff's top player prop picks from Saturday's slate of games. Click on any pick or team logo to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Time (ET) | Player Prop |
|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
| 4 p.m. | |
| 4:30 p.m. | |
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. | |
Michigan vs. Maryland
Donovan Edwards
Anytime Touchdown (-135 | Play to -150)
This play comes down to opportunity and garbage time.
Edwards has scored in three of his last four games, and in that time, he’s captured 33 carries. Critically, eight of those 33 carries have come in goal-to-go situations.
Toss in 27 targets on the season, and it’s easy to envision him having ample opportunity to find the endzone against the Terps.
Speaking of the Terps, their offense has stalled. They’ve scored just 28 points in the past two weeks, and that could trigger Michigan’s blowout strategy, which can be quickly summarized as "Pound the rock."
Michigan ran the ball repeatedly against Penn State last weekend in Happy Valley and will do the same once they jump on Maryland early.
A heavy dose of running bodes well for this play when facing Maryland’s 77th-rated run defense (by Rush Success Rate allowed).
Given how much juice is involved with a Blake Corum anytime touchdown (-700), this is the preferable play between the Wolverines and Terrapins on Saturday.
Pick: Donovan Edwards Anytime TD (-135 · Play to -150)
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North Carolina vs. Clemson
Omarion Hampton
Over 86.5 Rush Yards (Play to 92.5)
By Greg Liodice
Omarion Hampton is a special talent.
The sophomore running back has claimed his dominance this season, rushing for over 110 yards in each of the last five games and finding the endzone six times.
It’s a marvel to watch. Last week against Duke, he ran 31 times (a career-high) for 169 yards. Even with Heisman candidate Drake Maye under center, North Carolina is adamant about establishing the run. Given how much volume he’s gotten this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hampton garner at least 20 carries this week.
UNC faces the Clemson Tigers this week.
While the Tigers haven’t had the season they thought they would, they effectively stop the run at a high rate. They’re ranked seventh in Rush Success Rate Allowed while allowing only 120 rush yards per game, the 32nd-best mark nationally.
Another aspect is that Clemson has only allowed one 100-yard all season, which only came last week.
The Tigers have some of the best run-stoppers in the nation in Jeremiah Trotter and TJ Parker, but will it be enough?
We’ve seen how Hampton can dissect other defenses with his physicality and ability to find the perfect holes. I think Hampton has a solid chance to rush for the most yards Clemson has allowed this season and easily break the 86.5 total that DraftKings has allotted.
Pick: Omarion Hampton Over 86.5 Rush Yards (Play to 92.5)
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Oregon vs. Arizona State
Bucky Irving
Over 88.5 Rush Yards (Play to 94.5)
By Alex Hinton
For the second consecutive year, Oregon’s offensive line has been named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s “Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit."
This year may be the year it takes home the award. Oregon ranks in the top five nationally in Line Yards, Havoc allowed and PFF's run-blocking grade.
With a back like Bucky Irving, it is not hard to see why Oregon’s running game is so difficult to stop. Irving has four 100-yard games this season and three in Pac-12 play. In his other four Pac-12 games, he has run for 89, 88, 83, and 89 yards, respectively.
Irving has cleared this line in 6-of-10 games this season and narrowly missed in two others.
I backed Irving against Colorado, and he cleared his over despite a blowout. Oregon is again favored by over 20 points, so another blowout could be in play here, which would set up another rush-heavy game script.
Arizona State ranks 78th in Rush Success Rate allowed and 113th in Defensive Line Yards. Two weeks ago, against another physical team in Utah, the Sun Devils allowed 352 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Ja’Quinden Jackson ran for 111 yards while quarterback Nate Johnson nearly cleared this line with 79 yards.
Props.Cash projects Irving for 95.8 yards, and I would not be surprised if he had his fifth 100-yard game of the year. In the first four, Irving ran at least 118 yards in each of them, including 127 and 129 in consecutive games against Washington and Washington State.
You can take him for 125 yards at +290 on FanDuel.
Pick: Bucky Irving Over 88.5 Rush Yards (Play to 94.5)
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Washington vs. Oregon State
Damien Martinez
Over 103.5 Rush Yards (Play to 108.5)
By Alex Hinton
After Oregon’s game with Arizona State, the Ducks will likely be locked in on the matchup between its two biggest rivals with significant Pac-12 and CFP implications.
The No. 5 Washington Huskies will take on the No. 12 Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis. Despite Washington's undefeated record, Oregon State is a short home favorite.
Oregon State’s chances to win will depend on how much Michael Penix Jr. has the ball in his hands. One way to keep him on the sideline is by handing the ball off to Damien Martinez and dominating time of possession.
Martinez has five 100-yard games this season, including each of the last two. I backed him for the first one as he finished with 115 rushing yards against Colorado. Last week, he went for 145 yards back at home against Stanford.
Last season, Martinez amassed 107 yards against Washington as Oregon State ran 175 yards as a team. Oregon State is second in the FBS this season in Rush Success Rate and will face a Washington defense that ranks 131st in Rush Success Rate allowed.
Recently, the Huskies have allowed over 200 rushing yards against Oregon and USC.
Irving and USC’s MarShawn Lloyd both ran for exactly 127 yards against the Huskies. It would be fun if Martinez joined them in rushing for 127 yards.
However, he would hit this line if he ran for 107, too.
Pick: Damien Martinez Over 103.5 Rush Yards (Play to 108.5)
