Week 0 gave us a great appetizer, but now the real action begins with five straight days of matchups starting with Thursday night college football.
Boise State, last year’s playoff participant, opens the season ranked No. 25 and heads to the Panhandle State to take on South Florida. Meanwhile, Nebraska fans are hoping their squad can follow the path Indiana carved a year ago as they square off against Cincinnati.
Let’s get things started!
What To Expect From Week 1
If you have watched college football in the past or caught any of the Week 0 action, unlike the NFL, those playing this weekend are going live for the first time, hitting and being hit in ways they have not felt since last season.
The execution is often good, but mistakes still take place.
Fumbles, interceptions, missed tackles, and blown assignments happen more than the coaches prefer, yet they know are inevitable. Football bettors also have to take this into account. The wise Week 1 bettor thinks before the game, “nobody knows anything” until the action starts.
It’s time to start the week-by-week, months-long journey on Thursday.
Boise State Broncos vs. South Florida Bulls (+5.5)
Quarterback Maddux Madsen did a lot of handing off the football last year and is ready to showcase more of his talent after 23 TDs and only INTs in 2024. The Broncos also led the nation with 55 sacks a season, spearheaded by edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan, who returns.
The secondary is talented, but played too soft a coverage at times.
South Florida has gone bowling the past two seasons after .500 campaigns, finishing with winning records because of bowl victories. Coach Alex Golesh has turned around the USF program and wants to turn the Bulls into American Conference contenders.
South Florida still has holes on offense, on defense, and over four quarters. Look for Boise State to expose them.
Expert Pick: Boise State -5 (-110) at Caesars (check our Caesars Review)
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (+6.5)
QB Dylan Raiola is supposed to be the golden boy to turn the Huskers’ fortunes around. Unfortunately, there has not been a lot of top-tier talent around him, and the offensive line lost two key players in the portal.
The Huskers’ defense is putting in a new system with only four starters returning. Nebraska is in need of physical players on that side of the ball after being shoved around the second half of last season.
The Bearcats have a solid running game, but need passing, and QB Brendan Sorsby has to develop along with the Cincy pass catchers. Defensive lineman Dontay Corleone will also need more help.
This matchup is at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Chiefs, and it should be 80% Nebraska fans. The call here is the Cornhuskers, who have the better offense, quarterback, and more stable program at this time.
Expert Pick: Nebraska -6.5 (-115) at Caesars
Start Placing Your College Football Bets Today
When it comes to Thursday night college football, we’re backing both favorites this week.
To get the most value, timing is everything. The best wagers often come either early in the week or within the final 24 hours before kickoff.
Check the lines as soon as possible at our top-rated sportsbooks to lock in the best odds available.
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*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.
