Tuesdays in October and November are different from any other Tuesday in any other month. Why, you ask? Because there's regular-season college football to bet on.
For the first time this season, Tuesday's college football slate features three games: Troy vs. South Alabama, Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State.
Our college football writers dug in to find the best bets for each game in case you want some Tuesday night action on the gridiron.
Continue reading for our Tuesday college football picks and predictions — and be sure to check back tomorrow for even more college football betting coverage.
Tuesday College Football Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college football betting staff is targeting from Tuesday's slate of NCAAF games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 9 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. | ||
Troy vs. South Alabama Pick
By Brett Pund
The South Alabama Jaguars (2-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) and Troy Trojans (1-5, 0-2) kick off this week’s college football action in the Battle of the Belt on Tuesday night.
The Jaguars have dropped two straight to fall to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in the Sun Belt.
Meanwhile, the Trojans have also struggled in the early part of this season, owning just one win over Florida A&M to go with five losses.
With two teams desperate for a rivalry win on Tuesday night, South Alabama enters as a -13.5 favorite with the over/under sitting at 55.
Let’s preview the action and our Troy vs. South Alabama predictions and college football picks for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Troy Trojans
Coming into the season, it was going to be difficult for this Troy program to continue its recent success.
The entire coaching staff left for Tulane, and the Trojans lost their starting quarterback, top three receivers, an NFL running back and only had a combined four starters returning.
To make matters worse for head coach Gerad Parker, the early schedule has done him no favors. The Trojans have had trips to Memphis and Iowa to go along with games against Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State in Sun Belt play.
However, there have been some bright spots among the losses. Running back Damien Taylor and wide receiver Devonte Ross have become top playmakers on offense.
Taylor ranks 18th nationally among running backs with an 83.6 rush grade, per Pro Football Focus, and is eighth with an average of 4.8 yards after contact.
Meanwhile, Ross became the first Troy player with multiple touchdown receptions in consecutive games since 2011.
Parker will need time to turn this around, but a win against a rival could start that rebuild.
South Alabama Jaguars
South Alabama finally returns to Mobile after what has felt like a season on the road. This is the Jaguars’ first home game since Sept. 12, as they have played four of their last five away from home.
However, that hasn’t slowed down South Alabama’s explosive offense. Coming into this one, head coach Major Applewhite’s team ranks first in the Sun Belt in total offense at 466.2 yards per game.
The Jaguars also boast the top rushing attack in the league at 202.5 yards per contest, while the passing attack ranks fourth among SBC schools.
Quarterback Gio Lopez takes a lot of the headlines, but wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett is having a great campaign as well. Pritchett ranks fifth in the country with six touchdown receptions.
On the defensive side of the ball, the unit is led by linebacker Blayne Myrick. He's the current Sun Belt leader in total tackles with 50, which ranks 14th in the FBS.
Troy vs. South Alabama Prediction
When I look at this game, I don’t have any confidence in either defense, but there's a clear advantage when comparing the two offenses. So, I’m electing to back the best unit on the field.
With that said, my best bet is for South Alabama to fly over its team total of 34.5 at FanDuel. If this moves beyond the key number of 35, I would look at rushing or passing player props for Lopez, the Jaguars' quarterback.
The impact of all of the starters Troy lost on defense has shown in the team’s metrics. The Trojans rank outside the top 100 in multiple categories, including Rushing Success Rate Allowed, Defensive Quality Drives and PFF tackle grading.
This is the same unit that's allowing over 200 yards per game on the ground against FBS opponents. That's bad news in this matchup. Meanwhile, South Alabama ranks in the top five nationally in Rush Success and Offensive Line Yards.
While Lopez and Co. will have success running the ball, I could also see the Jaguars throwing all over this Troy defense. The Trojans are below average in defending the pass, and they struggle to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
To make matters worse, South Alabama does a great job of converting drives into points, ranking top-10 in Finishing Drives.
I expect Troy to keep this game competitive with scores of its own, which should keep the Jaguars motivated to keep scoring as well. With the Trojans winning six straight in this rivalry, this should be a spot where South Alabama looks for revenge.
Give me the home team to put together another strong offensive showing against the local rival.
Pick: South Alabama Team Total Over 34.5
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Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee Pick
By John Feltman
Let's head to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for a Conference USA clash on Tuesday evening. The Kennesaw State Owls (0-5, 0-1 CUSA) hit the road and will carry their winless record to take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (1-5, 0-2).
The game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
The Owls got trounced before their bye week against Jacksonville State, as it felt like a classic FCS game from a couple of years ago. They looked like they didn't belong on the same field as the Gamecocks, considering their defense was shredded on the ground all evening.
The Blue Raiders defense looked just as poor in a 48-21 loss to Louisiana Tech last week. Despite this, they enter the matchup as 10-point home favorites.
Oddsmakers set the total at 51.5, and plenty of money is pouring in on the over.
Let's break down this Conference USA clash and take a look at my Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee predictions and college football picks for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Kennesaw State Owls
It can't get much uglier for Kennesaw State in 2024, and its last game against Jacksonville State perfectly depicts that. The Owls got completely dominated from the opening kick in a game many thought the contest would be much more competitive.
Oddsmakers certainly didn't think so, considering they were 17.5-point underdogs before kickoff. The Gamecocks and Owls were FCS foes just two seasons ago, but they both looked like teams of a completely different caliber.
The Owls allowed 578 total yards and 63 points. They were dismantled on the ground for 384 yards, so it's safe to say the defense has essentially been a turnstile thus far.
KSU enters the game at 0-5, but finding any wins on its remaining schedule is tough. The transition to FBS was expected to be a tough season, but nobody thought it could be this bad.
Let's start with the defense since there aren't many positive aspects to speak about. The Owls rank outside the bottom 120 in Havoc, Defensive Finishing Drives and Defensive Quality Drives.
They're also outside the bottom 100 in Passing and Rushing Success Rate Allowed, so defensive stops are far and few between.
The Blue Raiders offense has been quite ugly thus far, so you can say the defense could be in for a break. However, I have no faith in the Owls. Luckily for them, the Raiders are a snail on offense.
Kennesaw has also had a bye week to prepare, so it's possible we could see a number of adjustments made by the defensive staff. This isn't a tough offense to prepare for, but given how poor this unit has looked, it's very tough to gauge if it'll hold on to cover the number.
Offensively, it's been just as bad. Against Jacksonville State, quarterback Davis Bryson went 6-for-14 with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
He has yet to establish consistency in a rush-heavy offense, and his offensive line has been dreadful. The Owls rank outside the bottom 125 in key offensive metrics such as Havoc Allowed and Rushing Success Rate and Passing Success Rate.
The Owls also go very slow on offense, so I would expect limited possessions from both sides with a lack of explosive plays. It's been a miserable offensive season thus far, and even with a plus matchup, they're untrustworthy against any team right now.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Folks, if you want to have fun and dig into some bad defensive metrics, this is the matchup for you. It's fitting that both of these teams are in the same conference.
To stick with the poor defensive metrics, let's look at how putrid it's been for this Blue Raiders unit. Like the Owls, they rank outside the bottom 100 in prominent defensive metrics like Havoc, Passing and Rushing Success Rate Allowed, and Defensive Finishing Drives.
Opponents have scored at will when they enter their territory, which is a big reason they entered the matchup with one victory.
The bright side is that their offense has shown more flashes of upside, even with mixed results.
Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato has 1,554 passing yards with seven touchdowns but five interceptions. The Blue Raiders hardly ever run the ball, rushing it at a 44% clip.
They should find success against this porous Owls secondary, so I'd expect them to move the ball consistently through the air. However, given how bad both teams have been, it's hard to imagine any sort of competency from either unit.
If the Blue Raiders have shown any signs of competency through the earlier portion of the season, I'd be more willing to back them as 10-point favorites.
Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee Prediction
This is a gross game, which calls for a gross pick. I'm targeting the under for the matchup, and it's mostly because I want to fade the Owls' horrific offense.
Right now, the total is sitting at 51.5 — right above a key number of 51. It seems like many believe that we're headed for a high-scoring affair, but I refuse to believe that with the Kennesaw State offense.
Given how bad both of these defenses have been and the slow pace of both offenses, I expect both teams to establish drives with a lot of clock churning. The key will be for the Owls to move the ball a bit, as they run the ball at a 62% clip.
If they can somehow play keep-away, it will lower the number of possessions in the game. The Blue Raiders' passing attack will eventually prevail in the end, but this is all about focusing on the number of possessions for both teams.
Given that there should be a lack of explosives, plenty of these offensive drives should take a lot of time off of the clock.
Hold your nose, and let's dive deep into the dumpster on Tuesday night.
Pick: Under 51.5 (Play to 51)
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Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State Pick
By Cody Goggin
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1 Conference USA) head west to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to take on the New Mexico State Aggies (1-5, 0-3) on Tuesday night. This Conference USA battle is set to kick off from Aggie Memorial Stadium at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Louisiana Tech is an 11.5-point road favorite in a game with an over/under set at 50 points. This is expected to be a comfortable win for the Bulldogs, but the home team may be able to put up a fight.
Let’s dive into my Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State predictions and college football picks for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana Tech had gotten off to a rough start but picked up their its conference win to improve to 2-3 on the year after a 48-21 drubbing of Middle Tennessee last week.
The Bulldogs impressed on offense in this game, putting up a 98th-percentile Success Rate, 97th-percentile EPA per play and 7.6 yards per play. However, they're still only 121st in Offensive Success Rate and 116th in EPA per Play to this point in the year.
Diving in deeper, Louisiana Tech ranks 122nd in Rushing Success Rate and 130th in EPA per Rush this season. It passes at the 45th-highest rate and sits 107th in Passing Success Rate and 85th in EPA per Dropback.
Evan Bullock has been the major difference for this offense for the last couple of weeks. Since taking over under center, Bullock has completed 71% of his passes with 557 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
He's averaging 0.17 EPA per Dropback this season compared to the -0.16 EPA per Dropback that Jack Turner put up when he was starting.
Bullock looked fantastic against Middle Tennessee last weekend, averaging 0.63 EPA per play with 273 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Louisiana Tech ranks an impressive ninth in Defensive Success Rate and 13th in EPA per Play Allowed. Its easy schedule has helped to this point, though, as it's still ranked as the 106th-best defense, per SP+.
The Bulldogs are well-rounded on defense, ranking 19th in Passing Success Rate Allowed and 15th in Rushing Success Rate Allowed.
However, they come in at 110th in PFF coverage grade, 125th in PFF pass-rush grade and 97th in PFF run defense grade, so the film-based metrics don’t seem too fond of this defense despite their raw success numbers.
LA Tech has only played one top-100 SP+ FBS offense, which is the 60th-ranked NC State Wolfpack. We'll need to see this defense perform against better competition going forward to believe in its production.
Luckily for the Bulldogs, this uptick in competition won’t take place this week.
New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State has been brutalized as of late. The Aggies are 1-5 on the season and 0-3 in conference play, dropping their last five games with their only win coming over an FCS opponent in Southeast Missouri State.
NMSU primarily sticks to the ground attack, averaging the 28th-most rushing plays per game despite trailing most of the time. It ranks 67th in Success Rate and 81st in EPA per Play on the ground.
Moving the ball through the air has been the biggest struggle, as the Aggies come in all the way down at 131st in Passing Success Rate and 122nd in EPA per Dropback.
Overall, this offense ranks just 117th in Success Rate and 114th in EPA per Play while entering as the nation's 125th-best unit, per SP+.
Things have also been tough on the defensive end. The Aggies rank 105th in Success Rate Allowed and 118th in EPA per Play Allowed this season.
They're 40th in Passing Success Rate Allowed but allow explosive plays often, ranking 82nd in EPA per Dropback Allowed.
Most of their ability to defend the pass comes from the secondary, as the Aggies are 86th in PFF coverage grade but 115th in pass-rushing grade.
New Mexico State's run defense has been especially putrid, ranking 123rd in Rushing Success Rate Allowed and 127th in EPA per Rush Allowed. Luckily for the Aggies, Louisiana Tech doesn't run the ball as often as it passes.
Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State Prediction
I really like what Louisiana Tech has done on offense since inserting Bullock as the starting quarterback.
The Bulldogs looked fantastic against Middle Tennessee, and New Mexico State’s defense hasn’t been stellar this season either. Their coverage has been solid, but I don’t think the Aggies have enough of a pass rush to disrupt this game.
New Mexico State’s rushing game has been moderately effective this year, and I’d expect it to stick to it. Louisiana Tech’s defense likely is not as good as the overall numbers show, but it has feasted on bad offenses like NMSU all season.
While I think Louisiana Tech is the better team in this matchup and looked great last week, this is probably too large of a number to lay on the road.
This feels somewhat gross — like many midweek Conference USA games — but I’m going to roll with New Mexico State covering as a home underdog.
I’d take the Aggies at 11.5 and would bet them down to +10.5. I think they keep this game within a couple possessions.
Pick: New Mexico State +11.5 (Play to +10.5)
