College Football Week 10 Lines & Predictions

Get a jump on the College Football Week 10 lines and odds. Check out the College Football Week 10 lines and predictions from our Lineups writing staff.

College Football Week 10 Lines

Tennessee Volunteers At No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats

Coming off their bye week the Tennessee Volunteers head to Lexington to play the Kentucky Wildcats in an SEC East battle. The Volunteers are 4-4 on the season after their loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide on October 23rd. In their three home games against SEC opponents this season, the Wildcats are allowing 20.7 points per game. The last time the team’s played in Lexington (2019), Tennessee won 17-13 in a game remembered for the Volunteers goal-line stand. Tennessee has an all-time series lead of 86-21-9.

Through eight games this season, Tennessee is scoring 37.4 points per game and averaging 457.1 total yards of offense. They are led by Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker who was originally the backup to Michigan transfer Joe Milton at the beginning of the year. On the season he has thrown for 1,578 yards; averaging 9.5 yards per completion and 17 touchdowns. Hooker is also getting it done on the ground rushing for 416 yards and four touchdowns.

The Volunteers have a dynamic duo at running back with Tiyon Evans and Jabari Small who strike fear in defenses across the SEC. An issue they have is staying healthy; each has missed two games this season. The junior, Evans in his first season at Tennessee has rushed for 512 yards and accounted for seven touchdowns from scrimmage (six rushing and one receiving). Jabari Small has rushed for 313 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Tennessee’s defense is allowing 26.5 points per game and 393.8 yards of total offense in 2021. Linebacker Jeremy Banks who started off his career as a running back is the dominant force in the Volunteers defense. On the season, Banks has 60 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

Coach Mark Stoops has reminded everyone that Kentucky is not just a basketball school. The Wildcats won their first six games of the season including home victories over SEC foes Florida and LSU.

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky especially on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Will Levis, a transfer from Penn State has been tough on opposing SEC defenses due to his efficiency as a passer and physical running style. On the season he’s thrown for over 1,300 yards and averaging close to four yards a carry. Nebraska transfer Wan’Dale Robinson has been the Wildcats leading pass catcher all season; already going over 500 yards for the season. Chris Rodriguez Jr. has arguably been the Wildcats best player all season; rushing for over 750 yards; including a 207-yard rushing performance against Missouri.

Kentucky’s defense has been stingy all season, allowing less than 21 points per game; ranking them within the top 30 teams in the FBS. The Wildcats have been at the top of the SEC East standings all season, having been ranked as high as #11 in the AP poll. A sixth straight bowl game appearance seems to be in the cards for the Wildcats.

Best Bet: Kentucky ML
Author: Scott Steinberg

Indiana Hoosiers at No. 6 Michigan Wolverines

What a fall from grace. The Indiana Hoosiers were ranked No. 17 at the beginning of the year before they got hammered by the Iowa Hawkeyes in their first game. Every game after was a continual disappointment for the Hoosiers and their fans. Now, they have to face yet another elite team in the Michigan Wolverines in Week 10. Many people, including myself, thought that Tom Allen’s Hoosiers were ready for the limelight this season, and that was sadly proven not to be the case.

On the other hand, Jim Harbaugh has finally produced an impressive Wolverines team that has only had two games that were within reach for opponents: Rutgers and Nebraska. Michigan is the No. 4 rushing offense in the nation, barely behind Florida. The other two teams in front of the Wolverines are Army and Air Force, who virtually run the ball every play on offense. Against Ohio State, Indiana was slaughtered by TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, who scored three rushing touchdowns. While the Buckeyes have an objectively better all-around offense (passing and rushing combined), it is hard to imagine that the Hoosiers will fare any better on the road at the “Big House” against such an elite rushing team. Defensively, Michigan is allowing the eighth-fewest total yards and the second-fewest points per game. Everyone that watches college football knows how much Indiana has struggled on offense this season. The Hoosiers rank 120th in the nation in total yards per game; they may not even put any points on the board in this one.

After seeing what the Buckeyes, and many other teams, have done to Indiana, the spread will likely be in the upper-20’s. I am leaning towards the Wolverines to cover in this one, especially since they are 4-1 against the spread at home.

Best Bet: Michigan Wolverines ML
Author: Andrew Norton

No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes at Northwestern Wildcats

A lot of bettors were snakebitten after Iowa’s surprising loss to the Purdue Boilermakers a few weeks ago. And, frankly, I don’t blame them for doubting Iowa. The Hawkeyes were ranked No. 2 right behind Georgia heading into the game, and competing for a championship was not out of reach. Well, that loss predictably dropped the Hawkeyes in the A.P. rankings, and they now find themselves at No .9. However, I think they’re in an ideal bounceback spot here. The team couldn’t keep up with the hype, but that doesn’t mean you should immediately start fading them. Iowa still has one of the best defenses in college football, and they can smother teams and force turnovers when needed. I think the bye week after the Purdue loss was desperately needed, and that rest will push them the remainder of the season.

Northwestern, on the other hand, isn’t exactly built to compete with a team like Iowa. The Wildcats will need to find an answer for talented Iowa running back Tyler Goodson, and I just don’t see it happen after Michigan ran for 294 yards against the team. Northwestern hasn’t had much luck against ranked teams this year, suffering multi-score losses to both the Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines. The Wildcats have their own talented running back in Evan Hull, but while he can rack up numbers against lesser opponents, the Iowa defensive front should have no problem shutting him down. Lay the points with the Hawkeyes as Iowa tries to put their embarrassing loss to Purdue behind them.

Best Bet: Iowa Hawkeyes ATS
Author: Anthony Elio

LSU Tigers at No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide

It’s hard to call this much of a rivalry as Alabama leads the all-time series 54-26-5 and LSU has been blown out in many of those games. In 2019, LSU pulled off a major upset of Alabama in Tuscaloosa with the likes of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire defining one of the best offenses in college football history. However, that upset was sandwiched by Alabama wins by an average of 33.5 points. LSU quarterback Max Johnson has struggled this season and his disappointing effort against Ole Miss was a major deciding factor in their 31-17 loss. Football Outsiders ranks Alabama as the ninth-best defense in the country and they’ve been especially dominant in stopping drives before they really have a chance to start as they have allowed the eighth-fewest drives in which the opponent gains at least one first down.

Meanwhile, Bryce Young has seemingly gotten better with each passing game and ranks third in the country with 26 touchdown passes heading into Week 9. He’s completing an impressive 70% of his passes and ranks second in the country with a QBR of 88.5. Meanwhile, LSU has the 70th-ranked defense per Football Outsiders making this a pretty easy matchup for Young. Brian Robinson Jr. is one of the best running backs in the country while Jameson Williams and John Metchie have combined for 1,311 receiving yards so far. It’s hard to imagine the LSU defense having any ability to slow the Alabama offense down.

This looks to be a significant mismatch on both sides of the ball and Alabama should rout LSU like they have in years past. The fact that this game will be played in front of a rocking home crowd is the icing on the cake. Take Alabama to cover whatever spread they’re given at home and thank me later – this team should be fired up and ready to impose itself as the significantly better team.

Best Bet: Alabama Crimson Tide ATS
Author: Jacob Wayne