2024 college football Week 2 picks against the spread, betting odds, lines, trends: Vegas expert reveals picks

Week 2 of the college football schedule features one of the biggest matchups of the season as No. 4 Texas travels to Ann Arbor to face No. 9 Michigan. Both teams played in the College Football Playoffs last year and both are entering new eras in 2024. Texas has entered the SEC, and while Michigan hasn’t switched conferences, the Wolverines are playing in an expanded Big Ten and are breaking in 18 new starters and a new head coach in Sherrone Moore. The latest Week 2 college football odds via SportsLine consensus list the Longhorns as 7-point road favorites.

Other Week 2 college football lines of note include No. 15 Tennessee (-7.5) taking on No. 24 NC State in Charlotte and Deion Sanders and Colorado (+7.5) taking on Nebraska. Before locking in any Week 2 college football picks, be sure to see the college football betting guide from legendary Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall. 

For years Vegas-based Marshall was synonymous with The Gold Sheet, the famed sports betting newsletter. With a background in play-by-play work and sports information while in college, Marshall joined TGS in 1981 when hired by the legendary Mort Olshan and served as executive editor for many years. 

An in-demand guest on numerous sports talk radio and TV shows across the country, Bruce’s vast array of editorial work has been featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the New York Post and many other outlets. He has won various handicapping titles and also is working on several book projects.

Now, using his Tech Corner technique that evaluates all the trends, Marshall has turned his attention to the latest college football odds for Week 2 and evaluated each matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top college football predictions for Week 2

One of the top college football picks Marshall is recommending for Week 2: He’s backing Arkansas (+7) to stay within the spread at Oklahoma State at noon ET on Saturday. He also expects the Over 60.5 to clear. 

It’s a make-or-break season for Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, who has seen his win count come down the past two years after a surprising 9-4 campaign in 2021. Arkansas raced out to a dominant 70-0 win over Arkansas Pine Bluff in Week 1, covering as a 50-point favorite. Transfer quarterback Taylen Green injected some life in the offense as he had a hand in four touchdowns. 

“Sam Pittman has been a decent underdog play since taking over Razorbacks in 2020, going 17-9 in that spot. Arkansas is also on a 19-6-1 Over run since mid 2022,” Marshall told SportsLine. See which other picks to make here. 

How to make college football picks for Week 2

Marshall has evaluated every other matchup and he’s found an alarming 21-6 betting trend you need to know about in one of the week’s biggest games. Get betting analysis for each matchup at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and what alarming trend do you need to know about in one of the week’s biggest game? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams to back, all from the legendary Vegas expert who has won multiple handicapping titles, and find out.

Week 2 college football odds 

See full Week 2 college football picks, odds, predictions here

Friday, Sept. 6

BYU at SMU (-11, 55)

Duke at Northwestern (-3, 38.5)

Saturday, Sept. 7

Texas at Michigan (+7, 45)

Bowling Green at Penn State (-33, 49.5)

Arkansas at Oklahoma State (-7, 60)

Kansas State at Tulane (+10, 49.5)

South Carolina at Kentucky (-9.5, 45)

Iowa State at Iowa (-3, 36)

Michigan State at Maryland (-9.5, 44)

Virginia at Wake Forest (-2, 54)

South Florida at Alabama (-31, 64.5)

Kansas at Illinois (+5.5, 55.5)

Western Michigan at Ohio State (-39, 54)

Colorado at Nebraska (-7.5, 57.5)

Houston at Oklahoma (-29.5, 52.5)

Appalachian State at Clemson (-16.5, 52)

Boise State at Oregon (-18, 61)

Texas Tech at Washington State (-1, 65.5)

Mississippi State at Arizona State (-7, 56.5)

Utah State at USC (-28, 61.5)