Welcome back to another fun season of Friday Bet$ For Realz as some of your favorite Pencil Storm characters share actual bets they are making on NCAA and NFL football. Depending on our bank accounts we will be checking in throughout the 2026-2027 with our blazing hot takes and sure-fire winners. However, it’s important to remember that sports betting is for suckers, so as long as you are cool with that…..Let’s Boogie!
Colin on the 6 -3 Ohio State Buckeyes
I was at Ohio Stadium last weekend to personally witness the Oregon Ducks put 38 unanswered points on the Buckeyes to end any chance of a playoff berth in the final season before CFP switches to 24 teams and participation trophies for everyone.
I should note that working at Colin’s Coffee we spend roughly 20 hours a week discussing the OSU football program. (And about 45 minutes on hoops) I am going to spare everyone the ugly details. Here is all you need to know: Ohio State isn’t very good. It just isn’t happening this year. The talent is subpar (by previous standards) both lines are weak, the coaching has struggled to find answers and losing the starting QB hasn’t helped either. Remember the old Chris Rock joke, “Whatever happened to the word crazy? We don’t have to explain everything in detail, dude is just crazy” That sentiment also applies to Ohio State in 2026. They just aren’t very good. Anywhere. Case closed. End of story.
Before the season, while I thought we would play better than this, I still predicted a 3 loss season. No program could put 25 players into the NFL is just the previous TWO seasons that survive a brutal schedule like this. Losing on the road at Texas and USC plus a home loss to the very talented Ducks are completely reasonable losses. Buckeye fans might not want to admit this, but all three of those programs currently have WAY more NFL talent than OSU. And they all have way worse losses than OSU.
It should be noted that road wins from the Buckeyes at Indiana and Iowa are far better road wins than #5 Notre Dame, #7 Miami, #2 Utah or #10 BYU currently have on their resume.
But that is not the standard in Columbus. So now, for the first time in a long time, we will find out what kind of culture coach Ryan Day has built. Do these 51 new players want to play for pride or are they happy to get paid and laid while wearing those nifty scarlet and gray uniforms under the bright lights. Tune in Saturday vs Northwestern and the answer will be revealed.
Brian Phillips (Former Radio Morning Show Host CD101)
Indiana -8.5 vs USC. Trojans going east against a team that can get pressure on Maiava. Indiana hasn't covered all year, but at some point, that has to change.
Oregon -10.5 vs Michigan. The total is 38.5, which does not inspire confidence in a double digit spread. That said, how is UM going to score here at all. This looks like a 20-3 or at best 20-7 kind of game.
Boise State -14.5 vs Oregon State. This game lost a ton of luster after Beaver QB Braden Atkinson was ruled out. Boise QB Maddux Madson might be back. Regardless it seems like the Beavs have been figured out a bit. It's a shame because I was looking forward to this one.
Colorado State +8.5 at Washington State. I'm a Wazzu alum, but I'm not staying up for this 10:30 kick. I realize the Rams defense is terrible. I mean they fired their DC several weeks ago at halftime (or he quit depending on who you believe.) That said the Cougs have shown almost no pulse on offense all season and their defense is at this point pretty worn out. With a 1-8 team in Pullman this year I expect the atmosphere on a chilly Palouse night to be not unlike a morgue. CSU can move the ball and score enough to probably win outright. I'll hand the coaching advantage to CSU as well. Blech. Our basketball team sucks too. Just bad vibes all around.
Big $ (Pencilstorm Browns Beat Writer)
After a 3-1 start to my pencil storm season , I'm diving in headfirst
Much like the selection committee , I'm heavy on the SEC ...
Keelon (who is probably my fav player in the country and my hope to qb in the Browns next stadium) is probable. Either way, Tide rolls over vandy , Bama -15.5
Jason Witten has brought life to the sooner O, Oklahoma -1.5 against ole miss
I'm betting against A/M as much as betting for TENN
Vols -2.5
Notre Dame has heard the echoes of '93 and will slam the BC door shut . ND -28.5
BYU are too tough to let the holy war loss keep them down - Cougars -7.5 over Baylor
As always , good luck , fade or tail
Jeremy Porter (Pencil Storm Co-Editor in Chief, rock and roll musician, Mexican fast-food enthusiast, proudly representing that state to the north in hostile online territory MICHIGAN GO BLUE!)
NCAAF - Both UM and OSU stunk the joint up bit time last weekend with losses, and I had `em both to cover. Illinois - UCLA is an interesting matchup, but I think UCLA will cover -10. I like NW +14 at OSU. I won't bet on it, but I'd take Oregon over Michigan -10.5.
NFL - I did ok last week some parlays and another Lions win. The Giants/Commanders game last night was ugly and I had the Giants all day, so what do I know?
Sunday kicks off in Munich, Germany where the Lions are -2.5 against the patriots. Gonna take Detroit, obvs...but I still lack confidence in this team.
Bills -7 over the Jets seems like a lock.
I have to believe that KC -3 over Atlanta is safe - at least on paper.
And my game of the week is Minnesota at Lambeau. The North is strong, but Minnesota is unraveling, which is odd for a 6-2 team. It's also getting cold up this way, and the Pack is strong at home, obviously. Gotta take GB -3.
Colin Gawel (Pencilstorm guy / musician solo and with Watershed)
(Sorry for any typos. banging this out before Godzilla starts on IMAX)
I used to think September was the best time to bet college football. With the addition of NIL I think it might be November. Plenty of teams have reasons to quit and plenty have reasons to run up style points. From personal experience I can tell you October is definitely not my month.
Anyway, I like LSU and Oregon to roll big this weekend. Feel free to tease those lines. Lane Kiffin and Dan Lanning enjoy running up the score just for fun and now they truly need style points to impress the committee.
Also, I wonder if Ol Miss is checking out. Boomer Sooners.
I put a Heisman bet on Jeremiah Smith at +380. Everyone concedes his is BY FAR the best player in college football and his numbers actually haven’t dropped much even with a true freshman backup QB playing. More importantly who else is there? Who is that QB at Miami? Nobody cares or knows him. That is not going to get it done. CJ Carr has a shot but Notre Dame doesn’t play another game anyone will watch and this vote is a political vote. Does anyone seriously think SEC and Big Ten writers are going to vote for anyone from form the ACC or Big 12 with those embarrassing schedules? Keep your eye on Gunner at Georgia though. A name like that plays in the deep South. Better than the Republican party in 2026 anyway.
Ben Galli (Pencilstorm NBA Beat Writer)
Ohio State +12.5 vs UConn
I found +12.5 on DraftKings (it’s lower elsewhere), and I see the Buckeyes playing well enough to cover Friday night in Hartford. The team has some talent but is a work in progress.
UConn is missing their third-best player and could be looking ahead to a big matchup with Arizona next week. I think Ohio State puts together their best game of the early season to keep this close enough.
Colts -3.5 vs Dolphins
Who can’t wait to bet on Kyle McCord in the NFL?! The former Buckeye Orange qb is set to start on the road having never taken an NFL snap.
Track record for those guys in their first game? Not good, not good. I did consider maybe the Colts are tanking too, but the Jets have their first-round pick, so Miami gets the edge here as well.
Some others I like:
Oregon -10.5 vs Michigan
Lions -2.5 vs Patriots
Chiefs vs Falcons Over 47.5