College football odds, picks, predictions for Week 3, 2023: Proven computer model backs Tennessee, Purdue

The No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes have captivated the college football world and are expected to roll to 3-0 this week when they take on Colorado State. The Buffs stunned experts and fans alike with a 45-42 upset win against TCU in Week 1, then trounced Nebraska 36-14. Colorado has both won and covered in its last five meetings with Colorado State, so it looks like Coach Deion Sanders and his team have a strong chance at besting their in-state rival as 23.5-point favorites in the SportsLine consensus Week 3 college football odds.

The Week 3 college football schedule features even more exciting games, with No. 1 Georgia (-27) hosting South Carolina in the 3:30 p.m. ET SEC on CBS game and No. 10 Alabama (-32) looking to rebound and get back in the win column against South Florida. Before locking in any Week 3 college football picks on those games or others, be sure to see the latest college football predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a stunning profit of nearly $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds for Week 3 and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top college football predictions for Week 3

One of the college football picks the model is recommending for Saturday: No. 11 Tennessee (-7) wins by double digits at Florida in a 7 p.m. ET kickoff at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida hasn’t quite found a groove yet this season, falling 24-11 to Utah in the season opener and then pummeling McNeese State 49-7. The Gators will have a much taller task defeating Tennessee in Week 3.

The Volunteers defeated Austin Peay just 30-13 in Week 2 as the 40-point favorites, so that could serve as a wake-up call heading into SEC play. Their ground game has been stellar, with Jaylen Wright rushing for 233 yards and Jabari Small contributing another 162 rushing yards. QB Joe Milton also contributed a rushing touchdown in Week 2 in addition to throwing for 228 yards with a touchdown pass to Ramel Keyton. Expect this plethora of weapons to keep Florida busy during Saturday’s game.

Another prediction: Purdue (+2.5) beats Syracuse outright on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Purdue is coming off a 24-17 victory over Virginia Tech. Syracuse has impressed with two victories by a combined 106 points, but with those matchups coming against Colgate and Western Michigan, Syracuse hasn’t been tested like Purdue was with the Hokies.

Syracuse defeated Purdue, 32-29, at the Carrier Dome last year and now Purdue has a chance to avenge that loss at home. The Orange are 6-15 on the road since 2019 and 2-6 in their last eight games against the Big Ten. Hudson Card, who transferred to Purdue from Texas, is completing 62.5% of his passes for 502 yards and two touchdowns to begin his junior year. Syracuse lost six of its last seven games last season and after being untested to open the 2023 college football season, the model is fading the Orange. The Boilermakers are covering the spread in almost 70% of simulations. See which other teams the model likes here.

How to make college football picks for Week 3

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other FBS matchup in Week 3, and it’s calling for several other underdogs to win outright. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and which underdogs win outright? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned nearly $2,500 in profit since its inception, and find out.