This is gearing up to be one of the most exciting Saturdays in college football this season. Five games feature ranked opponents, including two between top-10 teams: #4 Ohio State vs. #5 Indiana and #2 Notre Dame vs. #8 BYU.
This weekend could change the season's landscape as it heads into the second half of the year. Plus, several of these matchups will be a part of the early slate, ensuring non-stop action all day.
We’ll focus on the afternoon, including 12:00 p.m. ET and 3:30 p.m. ET games, and look for players who can help their team by scoring touchdowns.
Let’s break down our top college football Anytime TD scorer predictions for PrizePicks on Saturday, October 17, highlighting three players who could reach the end zone.
Make your CFB anytime TD scorer predictions on PrizePicks now!
{{cfb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Best College Football Anytime TD Scorer Picks for PrizePicks – Saturday, October 17
With a loaded slate of important matchups, targeting players who could score TDs is as exciting as ever. But who could scamper into the end zone with favorable matchups on Saturday? Let's dive into our top CFB Anytime TD picks.
Anytime TDs on PrizePicks include rushing, receiving, recoveries, and returns. PrizePicks often list player TDs as Demons and Goblins, meaning users can only select "More." For standard projections, users can select “More” or “Less.”
Demons are tougher to win but are the only way to get higher payouts. Meanwhile, Goblins are lower than a standard projection, but they are easier to win, so there is a lower payout.
All stats are via CFB Stats, PFF, and Game on Paper unless otherwise noted.
Cincinnati vs. West Virginia Anytime TD Scorer Prediction – 12:00 p.m. ET
West Virginia QB Michael Hawkins Jr.: 1.5 Anytime TDs (Goblin)
West Virginia comes into this week with three straight losses, but this has been a fun team to watch. The offense is prolific, averaging 32.3 points per game over that stretch.
Unfortunately, the defense hasn't helped, allowing 46.0 points per game during that time, and that points to a track meet for college football Anytime TD picks.
Hawkins has been integral to the West Virginia offense throughout the season. He is one of the country's most dynamic rushing quarterbacks, and you could put him among the top rushers overall. He leads all quarterbacks with 717 rushing yards, which ranks fifth overall, and leads the FBS with 12 rushing TDs.
He has scored a rushing TD in all six games this season, including multiple TDs in four of those games.
Hawkins enters this weekend with another favorable matchup against Cincinnati. The Bearcats have allowed 8 rushing TDs, including 3 to quarterbacks. All 3 of those rushing TDs came in the red zone, which is great for Hawkins, as 11 of his 12 rushing TDs have come from inside the 20.
Add Michael Hawkins Jr. + West Virginia to win to your PrizePicks lineup now.
North Carolina vs. Duke Anytime TD Scorer Prediction – 3:30 p.m. ET
Duke RB Nate Sheppard: 0.5 Anytime TDs (Goblin)
The college football world forgets that Duke is the reigning ACC champion, likely because it didn’t make the College Football Playoff. The Blue Devils are on a revenge tour to prove the committee made a mistake with a 4-1 start to the season, including three wins by at least two possessions.
The Blue Devils’ offense looks very different from last year. In 2025 with QB Darien Mensah, they were one of the country’s heaviest passing teams, ranking in the 81st percentile in passing play percentage (53.6%). The backfield also featured two players: Sheppard led with 200 carries, and RB Anderson Castle followed with 115.
This season, with former San Jose State QB Walker Egat under center, the Duke offense ranks in the 82nd percentile for rushing play percentage (58.6%). Sheppard is the workhorse in the backfield with 118 carries, with RB C.J. Campbell second at just 42.
The volume is definitely helping Sheppard's stats, as he’s fourth nationally in rushing yards (734). Still, he’s productive overall, ranking fourth in missed tackles forced (38), 14th in yards per carry (6.3, minimum 70 carries), and 13th in yards after contact per carry (4.1).
Saturday's matchup against in-state rival North Carolina looks like a chance for Sheppard to be the focal point of the game plan and put up big numbers.
Opponents have been pounding the ball on the ground against the Tar Heels' defense, averaging 39.8 carries per game, placing UNC in the 15th percentile.
His dual-threat ability makes Sheppard dynamic: 8 rushing TDs and 3 receiving TDs. North Carolina has allowed a running back to score in all four games against FBS opponents, yielding 4 rushing TDs and 1 receiving TD.
Add Nate Sheppard + Duke to win to your PrizePicks lineup now.
{{cfb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
#13 Missouri vs. #9 Ole Miss TD Scorer Prediction – 3:30 p.m. ET
Missouri RB Jamal Roberts: 2.5 Anytime TDs (Demon)
Last season, Missouri had one of the best rushing attacks in college football, averaging the eighth-most rushing yards per game (228.3). RB Ahmed Hardy led the backfield and finished with the second-most rushing yards in the FBS (1,649), and Roberts had a great season even as a backup, totaling 753 rushing yards at 6.1 yards per carry.
With Hardy still not ready to return after a gunshot wound to the leg in the offseason, this is Roberts' backfield for the foreseeable future. That may not be a problem, as he ranks second in the country in rushing yards (828) and seventh in rushing TDs (8).
Over the last two weeks, he’s been playing on another level, with back-to-back games of 200+ rushing yards and 2+ TDs.
In Weeks 5 and 6, he led the country in rushing yards (433), ahead of Louisville RB Isaac Brown (360). Roberts also led in yards after contact (328), followed by Tennessee RB DeSean Bishop (269).
This week gives Missouri a chance to pick up its second upset of the season as 5.5-point underdogs for the spread on PrizePicks. Missouri excels where Ole Miss struggles, as the Rebels rank in the 19th percentile in rushing yards allowed per game (176.4) and the 18th percentile in rushing TDs allowed (11).
Add Jamal Roberts + Missouri to win to your PrizePicks lineup now.
Make College Football Anytime TD Picks on PrizePicks
This Saturday should be spent watching college football. The schedule is packed with potential season-shifting matchups, including five ranked games and two featuring top-10 teams.
Who could find pay dirt to help their teams on Saturday? Make your college football anytime TD predictions on PrizePicks. Pick college football players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right.
With Team Picks, you can make predictions on college football game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 36 states.
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily college football predictions, picks, and news all the way through the 2026 College Football Playoff.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
