Friday CFB Best Bets for October 16, 2026
Memphis at a touchdown leads Friday’s college football angles. Purdue depends on Washington’s quarterback news, while App State-Coastal remains a pass.
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Friday’s three-game college football schedule takes us to New Orleans, West Lafayette and Conway. Memphis has an appealing offensive matchup, Purdue tries to build on consecutive Big Ten wins, and App State’s quarterback uncertainty keeps the Sun Belt game off the card for now.
Memphis is the first choice at a touchdown. Purdue is a conditional lean until Washington’s quarterback picture is settled.
Friday, 6:01 p.m. ET price check: the DraftKings Network board displayed Memphis -6.5 at -118 and Purdue -3 at -115. Neither observed price meets our stated limit. Pass at those prices rather than treating the morning references below as available offers; a smaller spread does not waive the price condition. Recheck the line and price offered in your location.
Friday’s games and betting card
All kickoff times are Eastern. Memphis visits Tulane at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. Washington plays at Purdue at 8 p.m. on FOX, and App State visits Coastal Carolina at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. The matchups and times are confirmed by Memphis, Washington and App State.
| Game | Pick | Book/Price |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis at Tulane | Memphis -7 | DraftKings, -108 |
| Washington at Purdue | Purdue -3.5, pending final quarterback news | DraftKings, -105 |
| App State at Coastal Carolina | Pass pending quarterback news | No selection |
The DraftKings reference prices above were observed at 9:15 a.m. ET on Friday, October 16. Recheck the available line and price before betting; offers can change and vary by location.
Memphis -7 at Tulane, if -110 or better
Memphis has enough balance to put pressure on Tulane in several ways. The Tigers’ official season statistics show 247 rushing yards per game and 7.6 yards per offensive play through six games. That balance matters when laying a touchdown on the road. Memphis can create quick scores and use the run to protect a lead. Memphis season statistics
Jaylin Carter supplied the clearest recent example. He ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in last week’s 38-13 win over UAB. Memphis trailed at halftime before scoring all 28 points of the second half. The slow start is a concern, although the ground game helped Memphis recover. Memphis-UAB recap
Tulane managed 280 total yards in its 20-17 loss at Army. Kadin Semonza completed 14 of 26 passes for 158 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. The Green Wave allowed 329 rushing yards. Army’s option offense is a different assignment, but Tulane still needs sharper play up front. Tulane-Army recap
The strongest counterargument is Memphis’ own run defense, which allows 4.9 yards per carry. Geoff Clark at Covers favors Tulane partly for that reason. If the Green Wave stay ahead of the chains, they can keep the favorite within one score. We still prefer Memphis’ ability to threaten through both the run and pass, but this is an offensive matchup bet, not faith in a dominant defense. At -7, a seven-point win pushes; at -7.5, it loses. Memphis defensive statistics | Clark’s opposing view
News to watch: Tulane coach Will Hall described defensive linemen Kam Hamilton and Ed Smith IV as day-to-day in his October 13 media session, according to reporting published by On SI the following day. Their status remains pending official availability updates. Tulane injury reporting
Price cutoff: Memphis -7 at -110 or better. At -7 and -110 or better, the matchup remains worth considering. Keeping the full touchdown matters more here than a small difference in juice. Pass at -7.5; do not chase a bigger spread.
Purdue -3.5 (-105) vs. Washington, pending quarterback news
Purdue’s recent work up front is the reason to consider the home favorite. The Boilermakers rushed for 305 yards while holding Minnesota to 27 in a 41-13 win. Fame Ijeboi contributed 195 yards and three touchdowns; quarterback Ryan Browne added 81 rushing yards. Purdue’s running game gives Washington more than one ball carrier to account for. Purdue-Minnesota recap
Washington allowed Iowa to run for 263 yards in its 41-24 loss last Friday. The concern for the Huskies is whether they can keep Purdue out of manageable second and third downs. If the Boilermakers establish the run again, they can limit the obvious passing situations in which a defense has more freedom to attack. Washington-Iowa recap
The counterargument is Elijah Brown. After replacing the injured Demond Williams Jr. against Iowa, Brown completed 28 of 39 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Washington was chasing a large deficit, but the improved passing gives Purdue backers a real concern. Washington’s game recap
Friday game-day update: the Big Ten report posted at 6 p.m. Eastern lists Demond Williams Jr. as a game-time decision. Elijah Brown is available, but that designation does not confirm him as the starter. Keep the quarterback condition unresolved until the team confirms its decision. Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne is available, while offensive lineman Joey Tanona and tight end Kylan Fox remain out; last week’s rushing production should not be treated as automatic. Official Big Ten game-day report
The final availability report has arrived, but Williams’ game-time-decision listing leaves the quarterback question open. If Williams plays, reassess the matchup; if Brown starts, his relief performance above is already part of the risk. Availability is not a starting assignment, and the price condition still applies.
Price cutoff: Purdue -3.5 at -105 or better, only after the quarterback check. Pass at -4 or a worse price pending reassessment. A field-goal win loses this bet; recheck the quarterback picture first.
Friday, 1:19 p.m. ET update: the DraftKings Network board displayed Purdue -3 at -112. That is a different line and price from the morning reference, and -112 is outside our stated price limit. Keep the quarterback condition and wait for an acceptable price. Check the available line before betting.
App State at Coastal Carolina: wait for the quarterback decision
The key information is still missing. App State’s October 14 preview lists Malachi Singleton as questionable and Henry Hasselbeck next on the depth chart. Hasselbeck has appeared in all five games, but his nine pass attempts provide little evidence for projecting a full game as the starter. App State preview
Last week’s results need care, too. App State’s 10-3 loss to Old Dominion came in heavy rain and strong wind. Coastal’s 27-21 win at Marshall included six Marshall turnovers. Those results are difficult to project forward. Both details appear in App State’s matchup preview.
Friday morning’s DraftKings board showed App State -1.5 and a total of 48.5. With a near-pick’em spread and an unresolved quarterback situation, there is no need to force a side, total or player prop. The decision can wait until Singleton’s status and the available price are clear.
Bottom line
Memphis -7 is the lead angle at -110 or better, Purdue needs a final quarterback check and its price condition met, and App State-Coastal remains a pass. Keep stakes within a preset entertainment budget and avoid chasing earlier losses.