College football odds, picks, top predictions for Week 3, 2023: Proven computer likes Tennessee, Purdue

SportsLine's advanced computer model has revealed its 2023 Week 3 college football picks

By CBS Sports Staff

Sep 16, 2023 at 11:07 am ET • 3 min read

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Wyoming has already pulled off one upset as a double-digit underdog, but it will be facing an even tougher test during the Week 3 college football schedule. The Cowboys were 13.5-point underdogs in their 35-33 win over Texas Tech, and they are 29.5-point underdogs against No. 4 Texas in the Week 3 college football odds from SportsLine consensus. Texas is coming off an upset win at then-No. 3 Alabama and has a game at Baylor on deck, making this a potential trap game on the schedule. Should you expect the Cowboys to keep Saturday's game close when you place your Week 3 college football bets?

There are no ranked vs. ranked matchups in the Week 3 college football spreads, but there are still intriguing contests like Florida vs. No. 11 Tennessee (-5.5) and No. 18 Colorado (-23.5) vs. Colorado State. Which Week 3 college football lines have the most value? 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 (-5.5) wins by double digits at Florida in a 7 p.m. ET kickoff at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Volunteers were a bad performance against South Carolina shy of making the College Football Playoff a season ago and absolutely hammered Virginia 49-13 before sleepwalking to a 30-13 win over Austin Peay last week.

However, you can expect Tennessee to be alive and well for this SEC East rivalry. The Volunteers withstood a late Florida charge to win 38-33 at home last year. Bru McCoy had five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown while both Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright both had rushing touchdowns and all three players return for Tennessee.

Meanwhile, the Gators lost quarterback Anthony Richardson to the NFL and the dual-threat quarterback was responsible for 515 yards of total offense in last year's matchup. He's been replaced by Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz but the model doesn't see the Florida offense being nearly as threatening with Mertz in charge. It predicts that the Volunteers cover in 60% of simulations.

Another prediction: Purdue (+2.5) beats Syracuse outright on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Syracuse is coming off consecutive blowout wins over Colgate and Western Michigan, but this is a major step up in class. The Orange have scored defensive touchdowns in each of their first two games, which is unlikely to continue against a Purdue offense that has yet to commit a turnover this season.

The Boilermakers outlasted Virginia Tech last week, giving first-year head coach Ryan Walters his first victory with the program. Quarterback Hudson Card has two passing touchdowns and a rushing score, while running back Devin Mockobee has scored in each of the first two games. Card and Mockobee are combining for nearly 400 yards of offense in the model's latest simulations, which has Purdue covering the spread almost 70% of the time. 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.