With the paycheck game lagging far behind the Group of 5 teams, it's time to identify some of the schools that are gaining national attention in college football.
This week, I'm setting my sights on a star passer who's ready to tear apart the Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences.
San Jose State, Nevada (7:30 p.m. ET, truTV/Max)
Nonpublic teams are more likely to finish the season as gambling darlings than, say, Alabama or Notre Dame.
When you root for a team like San Jose State, you don't have to pay a premium for a helmet, so to speak.
The Spartans are 4-0 ATS this season, easily covering the deficit by an average of 10.8 points per game.
So why are sportsbooks still posting hefty numbers during SJSU games?
Now, just a month ago, there was understandable skepticism regarding the SJSU program.
Brent Brennan was one of the last coaches to win a major job during the offseason, and SJSU fell on hard times late in the process.
AD Jeff Konya turned to Ken Niutarolo, a proven winner (109 wins, 10 bowl bids) at the Naval Academy.
But the big question remained: What kind of offense would the option-heavy Niutaroro run in the Bay Area?
He quickly addressed that concern by hiring Craig Stutzman as his coordinator.
Stutzman's “spread and shred” attack was a revelation.
SJSU's go-to receiver, Nick Nash, leads the nation in receptions and touchdowns.
And watching Emmett Brown spin it, you'd never know that Niutarolo coached triple-option quarterbacks in Annapolis for 20 years.
The diminutive sophomore has improved, averaging more than 320 passing yards per game and posting an impressive 13-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
This could be the last week this MWC contender plays against the Spartans before his secrets are revealed.
Nevada will put up a good fight, but Brendon Lewis will cower in the shootout in the face of SJSU's pressure defense.
The Spartans rank 30th in both pass rush performance and defensive chaos.
Look for Lewis to make some costly turnovers for the Spartans to easily win.
Recommendation: San Jose State -6.5 (-115, FanDuel).
Arkansas at South Alabama (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
This game features two up-tempo offenses with dynamic two-way quarterbacks facing a defense ranked in the bottom 20 of the FBS.
Casual observers may notice two contradictory violations that have simple explanations.
In the case of Arkansas State, they have drawn two elite Power 4 defensemen in the past two weeks (Michigan, Iowa).
South Alabama similarly played on the road in Death Valley last week but was manhandled by LSU.
Additionally, the USA had a game earlier in the season in which star quarterback Gio Lopez was sidelined with grass on his toes.
Do you want to bet on college football?
When Lopez and Arkansas State's Jalen Raynor are playing against a poor Group of 5 defense, they're filling up the stat sheet.
In games against Central Arkansas and Tulsa, Raynor performed like an All-SBC quarterback, totaling 694 yards and five total touchdowns.
With the exception of the LSU game, Lopez has scored three or more touchdowns in each of his starts this season and led South Alabama to an average of 57.6 points per game in those three games.
He's flanked in the backfield by Fluff Boswell, one of college football's best-kept secrets.
The breakout freshman averages more than eight yards per carry and will run into an energetic ASU defense that ranks 130th in tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Recommendation level: 61+ total points (-110, Caesars).
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Mike Calabrese is a handicapper for the New York Post, focusing on college sports. His betting advice often centers around situational spots such as travel, breaks, and elevation changes.
