Betting Stuff: Best bets for Champ Week of the 2025 college football season
Published:
We’re officially on a run. Can it stretch to 3 weeks?
The best price at the time of publication is listed in parentheses, but shop around at any of your preferred sports betting apps.
Last week: 3-0
2025 season: 18-25-1
2024 season: 33-37
Champ Week schedule, odds
SDS is your one-stop shop this season, with live, up-to-date college football odds. You can find point spreads, game totals, and money line odds for every conference championship game below.
Troy-James Madison over 47 total points (-110 via bet365)
Project this total closer to 50. James Madison should do most of the heavy lifting as a 23-point favorite. The Dukes have advantages all over the field and should get a ton of opportunities to score. They rank seventh nationally in adjusted EPA per play thanks to a dynamite ground game and one of football’s best defenses. The Dukes have scored at least 50 points in 4 of their last 6. Troy is just a few weeks removed from a 33-0 shutout at Old Dominion — a team the Dukes put 63 on.
I’m expecting James Madison to continue scoring and give a spirited effort. Coach Bob Chesney is reportedly joining UCLA, but not until after the Sun Belt title game.
BYU-Texas Tech under 50.5 total points (-110 via DraftKings)
BYU did a ton wrong in the first meeting, and it gave up 7 red-zone trips to Texas Tech. Tech kicked 4 field goals and scored just 2 touchdowns from those 7 red-zone possessions. That has been a calling card of the BYU defense all season. The Cougars have only given up touchdowns on 41.9% of red-zone drives this season. BYU gives up field goals, but it limits the damage when teams reach the red area.
Texas Tech’s defense is also the stingiest in the country, giving up just 0.9 points per drive this season. Only 15% of all drives against the Red Raiders have resulted in points.
The first meeting was a 29-7 game. If BYU limits the self-inflicted errors, this will be a grind-it-out game. If not, Tech shouldn’t hit this number on its own.
Virginia -3.5 vs. Duke (-102 via BetMGM)
Virginia has a massive third-down advantage in this game. That was a factor in Virginia’s 34-17 win over Duke on Nov. 15. Given Duke’s erratic tendencies this season, Virginia’s advantages are problematic. The Cavs have a strong pass defense (13th in passing success rate allowed) to counter Duke’s efficiency through the air (24th passing success rate) and they have a secondary that flocks to the football. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah has avoided interceptions this season, but he has been somewhat lucky to do so. Virginia has the edge everywhere else. The Cavaliers have also covered the spread in 7 of their last 10 games. Duke has a losing record against the number this season.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
