College football has become a staple of Friday nights in recent years, and a strong three-game slate in Week 3 means it's the perfect time to use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if their first bet loses or $150 in bonus bets if your first bet of at least $10 wins. The action begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with Houston vs. Colorado and continues with Arizona vs. Kansas State at 9 p.m. ET and UCLA vs. New Mexico at 10 p.m. ET.

An early-season loss to Georgia Tech might have put Deion Sanders and Colorado behind schedule, but the SportsLine Projection Model still likes the Buffaloes to pull off the upset over the Cougars on Friday. They're priced at +155 on the money line and are one of our Friday college football best bets. Before locking in your Friday college football picks on your favorite betting sites like BetMGM, be sure to check out the rest of the top football betting picks from SportsLine's proven computer model. Click here to get the newest BetMGM bonus code and take advantage of one of the best sportsbook promos:  

The model simulates every game 10,000 times and has generated a betting profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks, and is a profitable 31-19 combined on money-line and over/under college football picks since the beginning of 2024. Anybody following its college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.

Best Friday college football picks for BetMGM: 

• Colorado money line vs. Houston (+155)
• Over 54.5 points in Arizona vs. Kansas State (-110)
• UCLA -15.5 vs. New Mexico (-110)

Combining the model's three picks into a Friday college football parlay at BetMGM would result in a payout of +865 (risk $100 to win $865). Bet it at BetMGM here:

Colorado money line vs. Houston (+155)

Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis were both major gets at quarterback this offseason for Coach Prime, but the Colorado offense was at its best with program mainstay Ryan Staub at the helm this week. It was reported that Staub would start this week, which Sanders pushed back on later in the week, but it would make sense after he went 7-for-10 for 158 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 31-7 win over Delaware. Meanwhile, the Houston defense dominated in wins over Stephen F. Austin and Rice, but the Cougars failed to generate 400 yards of offense in either game despite having an enormous talent advantage over both opponents. The model says that Colorado wins in 58% of simulations.

Over 54.5 points in Arizona vs. Kansas State (-110)

This Big 12 matchup will feature two talented and experienced quarterbacks. Noah Fifita is in his third season as the starter at Arizona and has already thrown for 6,489 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. Meanwhile, Avery Johnson threw for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns last year while adding 605 yards and seven scores on the ground. This was a 31-7 rout in Manhattan last year, but the Kansas State has given up 24, 35 and 24 to Iowa State, North Dakota and Army, respectively. This over hits in 56% of the model's simulations.

UCLA -15.5 vs. New Mexico (-110)

UCLA is 0-2 on the season, but Utah and UNLV are both quality programs that received votes in this week's AP Poll. Meanwhile, New Mexico looked competitive in a 34-17 loss to Michigan but then had to dog out a win over FCS Idaho State last week. This feels like a get-right game for UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff as its starting quarterback last season before transferring back to the West Coast this season. The model predicts the Bruins cover in 62% of simulations.

Want more college football picks for Friday, September 12?

You've seen the model's Friday college football best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for college football for the rest of the week, all from the model that's simulated every game 10,000 times. 

Also at SportsLine:

You can also see Friday college football picks from legendary college football handicapper Bruce Marshall, who is 13-6-1 (+637) over his last 20 college football picks. He's already locked in a handful of college football predictions for Week 3. See his best bets right here.