The Cal Golden Bears (3-0, 0-0 ACC) travel to meet the Florida State Seminoles (0-3, 0-2) Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee for an ACC battle. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college football odds around the Cal vs. Florida State odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
The Golden Bears picked up a 31-10 victory last weekend against San Diego State, cashing as an 18.5-point favorite as the Under (48.5) cashed for a 3rd consecutive outing. Cal hits the road for the 1st time since its 21-14 upset at Auburn as an 11.5-point underdog.
The Seminoles have dropped 3 in a row to start, becoming the 1st team to lose 3 in a row after beginning the season ranked inside the Top 10. FSU has lost 2 of the games by a single score as the Under has cashed in all 3 outings.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Cal at Florida State odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college football odds. Lines last updated at 10:55 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Cal +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Florida State -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Cal +2.5 (-110) | Florida State -2.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 44.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Cal at Florida State picks and predictions
Prediction
Florida State 23, Cal 20
Moneyline
Playing FLORIDA STATE (-135) is risky business, as it has not shown many signs of pulling out of its nosedive.
The Seminoles have dropped 3 in a row to start, but 2 of the losses are by 1 score. The defense has allowed 20 or more points in all 3 games, and it is as much to blame as lightning rod QB DJ Uiagalelei, who has taken most of the abuse via social media.
The Seminoles aren’t going to go winless, though, and Cal (+115) is making a 2nd cross-country trek in the past 3 weeks.
Cal star RB Jaydn Ott suffered a lower-body injury against UC Davis in the opener, and he was not effective in the upset at Auburn, which makes that win even more surprising. Ott had just 11 yards on 10 carries against the Tigers.
If Ott were 100% healthy, the Bears would be an intriguing play as a slight road ‘dog. He is listed as probable, so he is likely to play, but it’s uncertain if he is going to be full throttle.
Against the spread
If you have a little more belief in FLORIDA STATE -2.5 (-110), laying the points isn’t a terrible idea.
We haven’t seen the Seminoles play their best football yet, and a win over an unbeaten Cal +2.5 (-110) side could be just what the doctor ordered to turn things around.
If FSU suffers the loss, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the school make a rapid, perhaps rash, decision to dismiss coach Mike Norvell.
Over/Under
UNDER 44.5 (-110) is worth playing lightly.
The total has gone low in all 3 games for both teams. In fact, FSU has managed 13 or fewer points on offense in both home games.
For Cal, the defense has allowed 12.3 PPG through 3 outings, so the Seminoles should face more stiff resistance. The Noles D has allowed 24.0 PPG in 2 games at home, and it should be able to keep Cal under its season averages. The travel should take a toll on the Golden Bears in their 2nd trip east of the Mississippi.
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Publish date : 2024-09-21 03:54:00
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