The Most Reliable Power 4 Teams Against the Spread + Notre Dame

Introduction

One of the most popular types of bets in all of sports—particularly in football—is betting on the spread. The spread provides a handicap that creates a more “even” playing field between opponents. College football, in particular, offers some of the most intriguing spreads throughout the season, as there’s typically a wide variance from game to game due to the large disparity in team strength.

While we all know—or at least hope—that coaches aren’t concerned with covering the spread (otherwise, there would be bigger issues at play), some programs have consistently performed better than others in that regard. Let’s take a look at how teams across the Power Four conferences and Notre Dame have fared against the spread since 2020.

Best Power 4 Schools ATS since 2020 + Notre Dame

ACC: It may come as a surprise to some, given their overall struggles in recent years, but UVA has been the best team in the ACC against the spread since 2020—covering 58.2% of the time with a record of 32-23-1. During this span, the program underwent one coaching change, transitioning from Bronco Mendenhall to Tony Elliott in 2022. While the team’s overall win-loss record has declined under Elliott, their performance against the spread has remained strong.

Big 10: Though they haven’t quite been able to get over the proverbial hump, James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions have been a solid team against the spread. In 64 games since 2020, Penn State holds a 37-26-1 record against the spread, covering 58.7% of the time. A key factor in their success during this span is their performance as an away favorite, where they’ve gone 13-5—covering an impressive 72.2% of the time.

Big 12: Although Arizona State spent most of this period competing in the Pac-12, they hold the best record against the spread since 2020 compared to other Big 12 schools. The Sun Devils have gone 31-23-1 over that span, covering at a rate of 57.4%, making them a fairly reliable team for bettors. Like UVA, ASU has had just one head coaching change during this timeframe, transitioning from Herm Edwards to Kenny Dillingham. Notably, Arizona State has been particularly strong coming off a bye week, posting a 7-2 record against the spread in such games since 2020.

Notre Dame: Far and away the best team against the spread in all of college football since 2020 has been the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. During this period, they’ve covered a remarkable 66.2% of their games, with a record of 43-22-2. In Year 3 under Marcus Freeman—when Notre Dame ultimately lost to Ohio State in the National Championship—the Fighting Irish went 12-4 against the spread. It will be interesting to see if they can replicate that level of success this season, but sportsbooks are undoubtedly keeping a close eye on this Notre Dame football program.

SEC: Though their overall records have been somewhat of a roller coaster in recent years, the Arkansas Razorbacks have been the SEC’s best team against the spread. Under head coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks are 35-25-1 against the spread, covering at a 58.3% rate. Most notably, they’ve been excellent as an away underdog, covering 76.5% of the time with a 13-4 record in that scenario. With how deep the SEC is this season, there should be plenty of opportunities for Arkansas to continue thriving in that role.

Conclusion

There will certainly be no shortage of exciting betting opportunities during the 2025 college football season—from player props to futures and everything in between. But there’s just something timeless about a good old-fashioned point spread. Some programs in recent history have clearly been more reliable than others when it comes to covering the spread, and identifying those trends can offer valuable insight for bettors. Whether you’re looking for a team to consistently cover as a favorite, or if you like looking for that undervalued underdog, there is always something for you when it comes to college football.