The real start of college football is this weekend, and it’s an absolute doozy — led by the first-ever opening game by a No. 1 against a defending champion. We have betting predictions for Texas-Ohio State and the rest of college football week 1. Keep reading and we’ll break it all down for FREE!
Texas at Ohio State Betting Pick
This is the game everyone has had circled on their calendars for months. Well, it’s here and the best NCAAF betting sites are favoring Ohio State to win. Here’s the current NCAAF odds:
Honestly, the question marks for each side are almost parallel. Both lost a host of talent to the NFL — 12 for Texas and 14 for Ohio State. Then there’s the quarterback position, where each is vaunting a highly-hyped five-star as a starter for the first time. You know Arch Manning for the Longhorns, but Julian Sayin is also the new face of the Buckeyes.
So in many ways, this game feels like a wash. But here’s what we see being the difference-maker: continuity at play-calling. Ohio State doesn’t have it, while Texas does. Both of the Buckeyes coordinators from last year’s title team are done in Jim Knowles and Chip Kelly. Replacing them are Matt Patricia and Brian Hartline, respectively. Yes, Patricia is somehow back in another big-time gig despite being fired everywhere else, and we certainly have question marks about him.
Texas has less to worry about there. Pete Kwiatkowski has been its defensive coordinator since 2021, and Steve Sarkisian still role plays as offensive play caller despite his head-coaching duties. We really think that’ll be the edge this game. We’re picking the Longhorns to cover the spread. For bettors wanting to put on more risk, just take Texas moneyline here for the better payout.
LSU at Clemson Betting Pick
Here’s another blockbuster matchup between a pair of top-10-ranked teams expected to be in the College Football Playoff. As it stands, Clemson is the marginal favorite at home:
What makes this matchup extra intriguing (besides both teams being named Tigers and playing in “Death Valley”) is it features two Heisman Trophy hopefuls. Quarterbacks Cade Klubnik for Clemson and Garrett Nussmeier for LSU are top-5 in odds for that award given to the nation’s best player (Texas Manning is the current favorite). A win from one of them here would certainly jump those betting lines
You have to like Clemson’s chances here. Not only are they at home, but this will be one of the most experienced teams in the nation. Get this, 16 starters are back for Clemson this year. That’s a rarity in the NIL era where roster continuity is rare. Clemson was a CFP team a year ago already so you have to expect progression with most of the team back.
As for LSU, can you count on them to win a big game? We’re now in Year 4 of the Brian Kelly era, and there’s little to show for it. LSU has lost three or four games every season and get this, it always starts 0-1 in Week 1. LSU always schedules these out-of-conference showdowns in the opener, and they’ve come up short every time. First it was against Florida State (two years in a row), then it was USC. We’re betting it happens again so take Clemson to cover.
Notre Dame at Miami Betting Pick
Did we mention week 1 is loaded? Because it is as this is yet another matchup between ranked foes. But rather than betting the Notre Dame-Miami spread, we see more value in the over/under. Here’s how the odds shake out:
The Fighting Irish made it to the national title game a year ago on the back of stellar defense. However, that was with Al Golden calling plays (who, coincidentally, was Miami’s old head coach). Golden has taken his talents to the NFL though so Marcus Freeman has his work cut out for him to maintain last year’s top-10 defense.
At the very least, we think Notre Dame’s defense plays big in Week 1. Miami made a splash in the transfer portal by getting Carson Beck, formerly of Georgia. But if we’re being honest, Beck is a clear step (or two) behind last year’s quarterback, Cam Ward (who went first overall in the NFL Draft). Beck was always hot and cold for the Bulldogs, and we foresee road bumps for the Hurricanes, especially early on.
How To Bet On NCAA Football This Year?
Football betting is finally here. If you need a one-stop shop for NCAAF football bets (and NFL) the rest of this season, then start with one of the bookmakers listed. These are the “best of the best” in our reviews, partially because they offer some of the best football odds around.
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