College Football Week 1 Betting Guide
The 2016 College Football season is underway but the majority of the action begins next week. Here’s a look at some of the line movement and odds for Week 1.
Cal and Hawaii kicked off the 2016 season on Friday night in Australia, with the Golden Bears recording a 51-31 victory but the Rainbow Warriors notching the first cover of the year in back-door fashion. Hawaii, which was a 20.5-point underdog at kickoff according to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI, scored with 3:40 remaining in the fourth quarter to barely cover the spread for backers, and burn bettors that laid nearly three touchdowns on Cal.
Bet Week 1 College Football Odds
Below is a quick-hit look at some of the bigger games in Week 1. Be sure to visit our NCAAF College Football Betting Odds page for a complete list of the most up-to-date odds from multiple sports books.
Charlotte at Louisville, 7:00PM ET, Thursday, September 1
The Cardinals will open at home against a blood donor on Thursday night. Louisville opened as a 38-point favorite but the line is already up to 39.5 so if you like the Cardinals, don’t wait any longer. The point spread is liable to reach 40 by kickoff on Thursday night.
Appalachian State at Tennessee, 7:30PM ET, Thursday, September 1
The Vols received plenty of offseason hype this year thanks to a loaded offense and a Heisman sleeper at quarterback in Joshua Dobbs. But after Tennessee opened as a 22.5-point favorite versus Appalachian State, the line has been bet down to 20.5. Perhaps this is just sharps doing their best to move the line past the key number of 21, but if the spread continues to fall then it’s a clear indication that the wiseguys are fading the Vols in their home opener.
Kansas State at Stanford, Friday, 9:00PM ET, September 2
One of the bigger matchups on Friday is a non-conference tilt between the Wildcats and Cardinal. Remember, Stanford had a great year in 2015 but its season got started with an ugly road loss to Northwestern. That said, the Cardinal should be okay on Friday night, as the team is listed as a 16-point favorite. The total, however, has dropped two points from 50 down to 48.5.
Oklahoma at Houston, Saturday, 12:00PM ET, September 3
One of the biggest games this opening weekend will be at NRG Stadium in Houston where the Sooners and Cougars battle at Noon. Houston is a legitage playoff sleeper this season but the Cougars will likely need to run the table if they’re going to sneak into the final four. Standing in their way right off the bat is Oklahoma, which is a 10-point favorite at the moment.
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LSU vs. Wisconsin, 3:30PM ET, Saturday, September 3
The SEC will meet the Big Ten on Saturday when LSU and Wisconsin meet at Lambeau Field. The pressure is on Les Miles to produce at least a playoff appearance in Baton Rouge the line is already moving away from his Tigers in the opener. After LSU opened as a 10-point favorite, the line has dropped a half-point down to 9.5.
Georgia vs. North Carolina, 5:30PM ET, Saturday, September 3
One of the more underrated matchups on Saturday will be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Bulldogs will kick off the Kirby Smart era as a 2.5-point favorite over the Tar Heels, who will look to get back to the ACC Championship Game after losing to Clemson last season. The Bulldogs opened as a 3-point favorite before the line dropped to 2.5.
USC vs. Alabama, 8:00PM ET, Saturday, September 3
The big matchup of Week 1 will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the defending champion Crimson Tide will battle the Trojans. The line is already moving in favor of ‘Bama, which opened as a 10-point favorite but is now -10.5 at most sports books. The total, meanwhile, has stayed steady at 54.
Clemson at Auburn, 9:00PM ET, Saturday, September 3
The Tigers will once again boast one of the top offenses in the nation, led by Heisman favorite Deshaun Watson under center. Clemson did lose some depth defensively, however, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers are as dominant defensively as they were throughout most of the 2015 season. After opening as a 7.5-point favorite, Clemson is now -7 for Saturday’s matchup with Auburn.
Notre Dame at Texas, 7:30PM ET, Sunday, September 4
The lone Sunday matchup in Week 1 is a good one, as traditional powerhouses Notre Dame and Texas square off on primetime TV. The Longhorns opened as a 4.5-point underdog but Texas is now only +3.5 as it tries to find traction under coach Charlie Strong. Beating the Fighting Irish, which is considering a fringe playoff team this year, would go a long way to jumpstarting a Texas program that needs to be relevant again in the Big 12.
Ole Miss vs. Florida State, 8:00PM ET, Monday, September 5
The final game on the Week 1 schedule is a good one, as Dalvin Cook and Florida State take on Chad Kelly and Ole Miss at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Monday night. Kelly and Co. pulled off one of the bigger upsets of the 2015 college season by beating Alabama 43-37 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. After opening as a 6.5-point underdog for Monday night’s tilt, the Rebels are now only +4 to knock off FSU.