College Football DFS: Friday Picks
What's better than Halloween night? College football on Halloween night! This year, the holiday gives us three games and no shortage of intriguing matchups and storylines. We've got a ranked Group of Six team, an ACC tilt and the winless Sam Houston Bearkats all in one evening.
DraftKings and FanDuel are both up and running Friday night, and below we break down some of the best plays on each slate.
Friday College Football DFS Slate Overview
Vegas doesn't have any of the three games surpassing 50 total points; Friday evening could be a lower-scoring affair. But while there aren't many potent offenses on the slate, there are plenty of porous defenses.
In the ACC, North Carolina faces Syracuse in a battle of two programs that have underwhelmed this season. But despite shaky quarterback play from both teams, both defenses look like they can be exploited through the air, especially the Orange (274.3 passing yards allowed per game), who are also weak in the defensive trenches (162.8 rushing yards allowed per game).
In the American Conference, Rice hosts No. 25 Memphis, looking for a big upset. With a triple-option team like the Owls, the ground game is what you'll want to focus on, and Memphis' run defense has been nothing to write home about. On the flip side, Memphis has a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in Brandon Lewis, who looks mightily enticing as well.
Down south, Louisiana Tech hosts Sam Houston. It's a matchup that will be
College Football DFS: Friday Picks
What's better than Halloween night? College football on Halloween night! This year, the holiday gives us three games and no shortage of intriguing matchups and storylines. We've got a ranked Group of Six team, an ACC tilt and the winless Sam Houston Bearkats all in one evening.
DraftKings and FanDuel are both up and running Friday night, and below we break down some of the best plays on each slate.
Friday College Football DFS Slate Overview
Vegas doesn't have any of the three games surpassing 50 total points; Friday evening could be a lower-scoring affair. But while there aren't many potent offenses on the slate, there are plenty of porous defenses.
In the ACC, North Carolina faces Syracuse in a battle of two programs that have underwhelmed this season. But despite shaky quarterback play from both teams, both defenses look like they can be exploited through the air, especially the Orange (274.3 passing yards allowed per game), who are also weak in the defensive trenches (162.8 rushing yards allowed per game).
In the American Conference, Rice hosts No. 25 Memphis, looking for a big upset. With a triple-option team like the Owls, the ground game is what you'll want to focus on, and Memphis' run defense has been nothing to write home about. On the flip side, Memphis has a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in Brandon Lewis, who looks mightily enticing as well.
Down south, Louisiana Tech hosts Sam Houston. It's a matchup that will be largely ignored on the national scale due to the middling Bulldogs and the downright awful Bearkats, but for DFS purposes, Sam Houston's defense should be a gold mine. The Bearkats are ranked 127th in total defense, and they're extremely susceptible to both the run and the pass.
College Football DFS Tools
- FanDuel Lineup Optimizer
- Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
- Team Trends
- Targets
- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
DFS Plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for Friday, October 31
QB Gio Lopez, North Carolina vs. Syracuse ($6,900 on DraftKings, $8,200 on FanDuel)
Lopez hasn't been all that inspiring as the Tar Heel's starting gunslinger this season, but if you're looking for a cheap play on both slates who could very feasibly outperform his price point, Lopez is a solid play. First of all, Syracuse's pass defense has been suspect, allowing 274.3 passing yards per game, the worst mark on the slate. The Orange also allow 26.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Lopez, meanwhile, is coming off his most productive passing game of the season against a solid defense in Virginia. He scored through the air and by ground as well — he's not exactly a dynamic dual threat, but he has multiple ways to stress a defense. And as the second-cheapest quarterback option on both slates, it's not hard to see Lopez playing better than he's priced Friday night.
RB Benjamin Hall, North Carolina vs. Syracuse ($5,200 on DraftKings, $6,100 on FanDuel)
North Carolina's backfield has been arduous to sift through at times this season, but Hall appears to be the lead back now with 14 and 11 carries, respectively, in each of his last two games. He has yet to put up big numbers this season, but that could change against a Syracuse run defense that's surrendered 162.8 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry. The Orange also allow 24.3 fantasy points per game to tailbacks, the third-worst mark in the ACC. Hall is a sneaky play here that's well worth the price point (eighth-priciest halfback on DraftKings, 11th-priciest on FanDuel) and could be the best budget tailback on the slate.
WR Johntay Cook, Syracuse vs. North Carolina ($5,700 on DraftKings, $8,000 on FanDuel)
Cook is far from a bargain as the second-priciest pass-catcher on both slates, but he should be well worth it against the Tar Heels. North Carolina's pass defense has been just fine, allowing 235.0 yards per game. Still, it allows 20.7 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, and Cook looks primed to cash in. Syracuse's leading receiver has 39 grabs for 501 yards and two scores this season, and sees an average of 7.4 targets per game. What's more, after he saw just two targets in the loss to Georgia Tech last week, there should be a concerted effort by the Orange to get their top receiver the ball.
WR Darrell Gill, Syracuse vs. North Carolina ($5,100 on DraftKings, $7,100 on FanDuel)
I like both of Syracuse's top wideouts here, and Gill comes at a much lighter price point than his teammate, Cook. Both receivers have been extremely productive this season, and while Cook has been the volume option in the passing game, Gill has been the big-play threat. Both should have a great opportunity to feast against the Tar Heels defense, which, as mentioned above, has been kind to opposing passing games. Gill also appears to be heating up, as he has 18 targets over his last two games with a touchdown in each outing.
Also Consider: 
WR Jamai Hawkins, Memphis vs. Rice ($4,100 on DraftKings, $6,600 on FanDuel)
DraftKings College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 31
QB Brendon Lewis, Memphis ($8,100) vs. Rice ($12,000 on DraftKings)
Lewis is pricey on both slates, but on DraftKings, where he's the second-most-expensive quarterback, he looks like a great pick. Rice's pass defense hasn't been abhorrent, allowing 217.3 passing yards per game and 23.6 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, but it's not a unit that should give you pause here. Lewis, meanwhile, has played well with Memphis and he's coming off his best outing of the season, having tossed for 306 yards and two scores against South Florida. Lewis has thrown for 1,644 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions this season, but it's his legs that really sweeten the deal here, as he also has 470 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
RB Quinton Jackson, Rice ($6,400) vs. Memphis ($9,000 on FanDuel)
Jackson is a workhorse who averages 15 carries per game and is coming off a 248 total-yard, four-touchdown performance in Week 9 against UConn. He's one of the more productive backs on this slate, and he's just the third-most expensive option on DraftKings. Memphis' run defense, meanwhile, allows 130.3 yards per game on the ground, which isn't horrible but also shouldn't scare you away. Rice and its triple-option offense, meanwhile, is as committed to the run as any team in the country: the Owls only throw the ball on 26.3 percent of their plays, the fourth-lowest mark in the nation. Regardless of how this game unfolds, Rice will run the ball and Jackson figures to be the main beneficiary.
WR Devin Gandy, Louisiana Tech ($4,800) vs. Sam Houston ($6,400 on FanDuel)
Gandy is the Bulldogs' leading wide receiver, but he's just the seventh-priciest pass-catcher on the slate and the third-priciest Louisiana Tech receiver. Against a pass defense as abysmal as Sam Houston, that makes him a no-brainer. Sure, you could also scoop up Marlion Jackson, priced just above Gandy, but the latter has been more consistently targeted (5.0 targets per game to Jackson's 3.7). For what it's worth, Gandy also took a kickoff to the house last week against Western Kentucky; he's dynamic in open space, of which there should be plenty against the Bearkats.
FanDuel College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 31
QB Blake Baker, Louisiana Tech ($10,600) vs. Sam Houston ($8,500 on DraftKings)
Baker is expensive, but it's hard to say no to any offense lining up against Sam Houston. That's especially true for quarterbacks, considering the Bearkats allow 33.0 fantasy points per game to opposing signal-callers, good for dead last in the nation. That's unsurprising considering Sam Houston allows 272.4 passing yards per game, 8.9 yards per attempt and 2.0 passing touchdowns per game. Baker has been hot and cold in 2025, but he's coming off an excellent performance against Western Kentucky in which he tossed for 340 yards, one touchdown and one interception while rushing for 49 yards. Against a defense as weak as the Bearkats, he has a great chance to stack stellar outings.
RB Clay Thevenin, Louisiana Tech ($8,300) vs. Sam Houston ($6,100 on DraftKings)
The Bulldogs' top tailback Clay Thevenin has yet to put together a huge game in 2025, but Sam Houston is easily the best chance he'll get. The Bearkats' defensive incompetence has already been well-documented above, but in addition to being one of the worst units against the pass, they're brutal against the run as well, allowing 183.9 rushing yards per game, 4.7 yards per carry and 2.3 rushing touchdowns per game. That's translated into an average of 25.0 fantasy points per game surrendered against tailbacks, the second-worst mark in Conference USA. Thevenin, meanwhile, has been the Bulldogs' lead back and therefore has the best chance to capitalize on the Bearkats' porous run defense. He's also coming off a six-catch outing in Week 9; he'll have plenty of ways to hurt Sam Houston's defense Friday night.
TE Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech ($6,600) vs. Sam Houston ($5,300 on DraftKings)
Finley is staring you right in the face on the FanDuel slate. He's just the 10th-priciest pass-catcher on FanDuel, while he's the fourth most-expensive on DraftKings. The tight end is Louisiana Tech's leading receiver with 22 grabs for 288 yards. He's been a touch streaky this season, but again, the Bearkats' defense has made nearly every offense it's played look formidable. Finley has seen 13 passes come his way over the last two games, and he should continue to get peppered with targets against one of the worst defenses in America. It doesn't really get more enticing than that.
WR Kobe Paysour, North Carolina ($6,300) vs. Syracuse ($4,600 on DraftKings)
Paysour is one of maybe two options worth considering in this Tar Heels' passing attack, but that doesn't necessarily make him a bad one. Over the past two games, he's reeled in nine of his 14 targets for 154 yards. He's clearly quarterback Gio Lopez' favorite option in the passing game, and there's no reason that shouldn't continue in Week 10. What's more, Syracuse allows 28.8 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, which isn't shocking considering its pass defense allows 274.3 passing yards per game. This is a good matchup, and Paysour is in a prime position to capitalize.
