It might’ve been an underwhelming Week 0 in college football. However, Week 1 of the college football season should be absolutely insane.
There are tons of intriguing matchups, including a top-five matchup between Texas and Ohio State. In addition, Clemson will compete against LSU in a battle of the Tigers. That’s also another top-ten matchup in Week 1 that could have major implications down the line.
Below, I’ll talk about the most valuable college football odds for Week 1 and provide some of my favorite bets this weekend.
Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (-1.5)
Saturday, August 30 – 12:00 PM EDT at Ohio Stadium
It feels like we’re getting a College Football Playoff game in Week 1 of the NCAAF season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are fresh off an NCAA College Football Championship. However, they’ve lost a bunch of players to the NFL since.
Head coach Ryan Day has announced that redshirt freshman and former transfer Julian Sayin has landed the starting gig at quarterback. He’s got a ton of great wide receivers to throw the ball to, but he’ll be thrown into the fire right away, having to face the Texas Longhorns.
Meanwhile, Arch Manning will be the starter for Texas. He has more reps and has started games before. But this is the first time he’s the true starter for the Longhorns. His first true start will be on the road at Ohio State. That certainly won’t be easy.
With two inexperienced quarterbacks, the Under 47.5 (-110) at Caesars is the play.
LSU Tigers vs. Clemson Tigers (-4)
Saturday, August 30 – 7:30 PM EDT at Memorial Stadium
The LSU Tigers haven’t won an opener since the 2019 season. Unfortunately, they’re underdogs again this weekend, with a road game against a dangerous Clemson squad. LSU has been involved in tight games in these openers, but it can never seem to finish the job.
At this point, media members believe Brian Kelly’s on the hot seat, especially if he can’t get into the College Football Playoffs this year. If LSU is unable to knock off Clemson on the road, they’ll have another tough road ahead.
Unlike the Texas-Ohio State game, both teams have their starting quarterbacks from last season. It’ll be Garrett Nussmeier of LSU against Cade Klubnik of Clemson. Both are sensational quarterbacks, but they’ve got their work cut out for them.
Clemson’s defense has one of the best defensive lines in football, and LSU’s defense has a monster amount of experience thanks to all the transfers that came.
There’s a lot at stake for both teams, but I’ll back LSU at +4 (-110). This should be a back-and-forth battle.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes (-2.5)
Sunday, August 31 – 7:30 PM ET at Miami Gardens
On Sunday, there will be two more college football games, including another top-ten battle between Notre Dame and Miami.
The Hurricanes paid lots of money to bring in former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck. Beck will finish his career with the Hurricanes. However, his wide receiver core isn’t nearly as good as what he had in Georgia.
While Miami fixed its entire defense with transfers, Notre Dame stayed much more committed to the players on the roster. The Fighting Irish added Malachi Fields and Will Pauling as transfers on offense and brought in DeCVonta Smith in the secondary. I’d expect Notre Dame to be much more prepared, despite being on the road.
Don’t forget, Miami lost three of its last four games to close out last season. They’re ranked 10th solely because of the transfers they got in. But the Hurricanes might not even finish in the top-25 when it’s all said and done. Take Notre Dame at -130.
Bet On College Football Odds for Week 1
Above, I added three best bets for the most talked-about matchups in Week 1. However, there are plenty more games on the schedule, including some games on Thursday and Friday. The Syracuse-Tennessee and Alabama-Florida State matchups are also super intriguing games to consider placing a bet on.
The odds for these lines change all the time leading up to the game. If you see this article and the correct numbers portrayed at your sportsbook, consider placing a bet and tailing along if you agree with all the analysis.
*21+ Seek help with a gambling addiction at 1-800-GAMBLER
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
Upgrade To OddsTrader Turbo Today
If you’re looking for even more picks for Week 1 of the College Football season, consider joining OddsTrader Turbo today.
Heading into the college football season, 5-star picks have hit at 73%! With OddsTrader Turbo, you’ll also get game alerts and real-time line movement updates so you can follow along with your bets in real-time!
