This is the time of year when the College Football Playoff race heats up and middling teams try to salvage their seasons by securing bowl eligibility.

I’ve got my eye on two underdogs as they continue their “drive for six” – the number of regular-season wins to consider.

Florida (first half +8.5) over Georgia

Florida’s disastrous loss to in-state rival Miami in the opener sparked headlines across the Sunshine State two months ago.

Billy Napier’s spot was red hot and college football pundits were already discussing his ouster as a certainty.

But “Sun Belt Billy” doesn’t go out quietly.

The Gators have bounced back and won three of their last four games. Their only loss in the last six weeks came on the road against No. 7 Tennessee in overtime.

This resurgence coincided with the rise of DJ Lagway to the role of starting quarterback.

The highly touted freshman has shined this year, splitting reps with incumbent starter Graham Mertz.

Last week against Kentucky, he did it all for the first time against an FBS defense.

After Lagway repeatedly burned the Wildcats with his legs, Kentucky brought extra defenders into the box and dared the freshman passer to beat them through the air at Cover-1 and Cover-0.

Lagway completed seven passes for 259 yards to open the game.

What may surprise readers is that Georgia’s defensive profile is similar to Kentucky’s in a few key areas.

According to Pro Football Focus, both the Bulldogs and Wildcats rank in the mid-40s nationally in coverage, while Kentucky is actually the better pass rushing and Havoc squad.

This lack of disruption has allowed teams to take risks downfield with the football.

Mississippi State’s Michael Van Buren Jr. threw for more than 300 yards and three scores, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe did even more damage with 374 yards through the air.

Given Lagway’s downfield success and Georgia’s willingness to leave its corners on islands (25% coverage 0/1 on third and 10+), the blueprint is in place for the Gators to find success through the air.

The other side of this game in the first half is Mike Bobo.

The much-maligned offensive coordinator had trouble planning plays early in games.

The Bulldogs rank 89th in first quarter scoring average, the second-lowest performance among teams nationally.

The performances against FCS Tennessee Tech and Mississippi State have pushed this scoring average up.

I’m betting on Lagway to hit a few deep shots early, on Florida to score 10 points in the first half, and on Georgia to look sluggish in its early attacks.

This game script should be enough to cover the span of the first half.

Tulsa (Moneyline +125) via UAB

It’s white flag time for Trent Dilfer and the Blazers.

UAB has lost six straight, all by double digits.

Their starting quarterback, Jacob Zeno, was ruled out for this game.

And their defense has been downright terrible in 2024.

Betting on college football?

Pick a metric: UAB is in the bottom 15% of college football. The Blazers cannot attack (109th), stay in coverage with the receivers (104th) or generate negative plays (131st in Havoc).

That’s bad news for an up-and-coming Golden Hurricane team.

Tulsa just pulled off the biggest comeback in college football this season, erasing a 42-17 deficit against UTSA with a thrilling one-point win last week.

Cooper Legas was masterful off the bench, recording 333 yards through the air and five scores.

Tulsa needs this win to have a shot at bowl eligibility, so I think it represents maximum performance against a struggling UAB team.

Why you should trust New York Post Betting

Mike Calabrese is a handicapper for the New York Post and focuses heavily on college sports. His betting recommendations often focus on situational points, including travel, rest and altitude differences.