Chris “The Bear” Fallica is back with his Week 3 college football picks, aiming to improve on his current season record. Last week, he posted a 2-5 performance, bringing his season tally to 4-8. As we dive into his predictions for the week, let’s see which teams Fallica believes will come out on top.

Chris Fallica’s Week 3 Picks:

• No. 7 Penn State at Illinois: Illinois (+15)
• Iowa State at Ohio: Ohio (+3)
• Syracuse at Purdue: Purdue (+2.5)
• Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M: Texas A&M (-36)
• Underdogs to Play on the Moneyline:
  • Purdue +120
  • Ohio +135
  • Virginia Tech +210 (at Rutgers)
  • Florida +200 (vs. Tennessee)

No. 7 Penn State at Illinois

Pick: Illinois (+15)

Fallica observes that Illinois hasn’t had the most promising start this season, especially considering their close call against Toledo and a pronounced loss against Kansas. However, he suggests that road games within the conference can be unpredictable, often posing challenges even for better-performing teams. Given Penn State’s historical struggles in their initial road games of the season, Fallica believes that while Penn State might be the stronger team on paper, Illinois is poised to deliver its best game this season, making it a tighter contest than many might anticipate.

Iowa State at Ohio

Pick: Ohio (+3)

Both teams have showcased offensive challenges in their recent matches. While Iowa State’s offensive stats have been less than stellar, Ohio’s quarterback, Kurtis Rourke, is noted as a player who could turn the tide in future games. Emphasizing the significance of this game, given it’s a rare instance for a MAC team to play host to a Power 5 opponent, and acknowledging the Bobcats’ defense’s strong performance, Fallica predicts that Ohio is well-positioned for a potential upset.

Syracuse at Purdue

Pick: Purdue (+2.5)

Purdue being an underdog at home seems to baffle Fallica. He questions the significance of Syracuse’s win against Western Michigan and points out that the Boilermakers potentially could have had a 2-0 start. Fallica thinks that Purdue’s coach, Ryan Walters, will have a strategy in place to counter Syracuse’s quarterback, Garrett Shrader. Given these factors, Fallica feels that Syracuse might be getting more credit than they deserve and sees value in backing Purdue.

Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M

Pick: Texas A&M (-36)

In situations where a strong team faces a weaker opponent after a loss, complacency can set in. However, Fallica doesn’t see that happening with Texas A&M, especially after their lackluster defensive showing against the Miami Hurricanes. He expects the Aggies to address and correct their previous mistakes. Considering ULM’s scoring challenges in their past games, Fallica is confident in a dominant performance from Texas A&M.