The month of October is when college football betting really gets going as we move full-steam ahead into conference play, and we start to get a feel for what each college football team is facing this season.
So as you get set to place your bets this month, just know, there are two Big 12 coaches who are unlikely to let you down in the month of October: Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell and Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy.
Over the last 20 years, here are the most profitable coaches against the spread in October, according to Action Network:
- Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State): 46-25 ATS
- Brian Kelly (LSU): 43-23 ATS
- Matt Campbell (Iowa State): 29-14-1 ATS
In the case of Gundy and Campbell, both coaches usually get off to slower starts, using the month of September to get a feel for their team, what they have, what works and what doesn’t. They’re both developmental programs that ascend as the season progresses. They’re never playing their best football in September.
So that means when the calendar turns, bettors might look at these two teams as bad bets, but it’s really just because they’re undervalued after the first month of the season.
Now as for this season, Oklahoma State is off to an unusually slow start at 3-2 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play, but they’ve already played two contenders in Utah and Kansas State. Meanwhile, Iowa State is off to an unusually hot start at 4-0 for the first time since 2000.
But here’s a look at how the next few weeks shape up.
October Iowa State Football Schedule
October 5: Iowa State vs. Baylor
October 12: Iowa State at West Virginia
October 19: Iowa State vs. UCF
October 26: Bye Week
October Oklahoma State Football Schedule
October 5: Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia
October 12: Bye Week
October 18 (Friday): Oklahoma State at BYU
October 26: Oklahoma State at Baylor
For this weekend’s games, both teams are favored. Iowa State is a 13.5-point favorite over Baylor, while Oklahoma State is a 4-point favorite vs. West Virginia.
While I won’t sit here and tell you how the play those games (at least not yet, I’ll share more thoughts on our YouTube channel with my picks at the end of the week), I’d at least caution you to think long and hard before you bet against Mike Gundy or Matt Campbell. History tells a certain story. And I don’t want to have to say, “I told you so…”
