We’ve been craving it for the last eight months, and now the college football season is upon us. However, after a long offseason, it’s possible these Week 1 Opening Odds have snuck up on you. Not to worry. Much like the nerdy kid that always sat up front, we did our homework and are ready to help you turn a profit with your college football betting this season.
College Football Week 1 Opening Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Florida Atlantic Owls +21
Oklahoma Sooners -21
Total 68
While the spread has held steady in this intriguing non-conference match-up, the total has slowly risen throughout the offseason, reaching a high of 69 per the CFB betting odds at one point.
The reason behind the move has been two-fold. Although Oklahoma is replacing Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, there is faith that Kyler Murray is the right man to replace him. Murray was fantastic in limited action last year, and he has looked great throughout the offseason. This will be his last season at Oklahoma before he goes on to play baseball, but he is looking to lead the Sooners to another Big 12 title before he leaves.
Lane Kiffin’s offensive genius is the other reason behind the move. Kiffin has long been considered one of the top playcallers in college football, and he helped turn Devin Singletary into one of the country’s top running backs in 2017. Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops has had a slew of ups and downs over the past few seasons, and he could have a hard time calling defenses to stop this offense in spite of the talent mismatch.
Akron Zips +24
Nebraska Cornhuskers -24
Total 53
The excitement for the Scott Frost era is palpable among Husker Nation. Nebraska fans are all-in with regards to their former starting quarterback, and they may have had something to do with the NCAAF betting line moving from 20.5 to 24 since the Week 1 opening odds were released.
Seeing the line move this much is a bit strange considering the unknowns surrounding the program though. This is going to be a total rebuild as Frost will start a true freshman at quarterback for the first time in school history, and is installing a new system. His first year as the head coach of UCF was a wash as he put the pieces in place, and the same may go for Nebraska in 2018. I expect the CFB odds to shift back to close to where they opened by the end of the week as sharp money comes in on the Zips.
Virginia Tech Hokies +7.5
Florida State Seminoles -7.5
Total 56.5
The last game of the opening week of college football has seen some significant line movement. It’s been a tumultuous offseason for Virginia Tech. The Hokies lost a number of last year’s starters to the NFL, and a number of projected starters have either been injured or dismissed from the team. That has raised numerous questions about this year’s defense, and this season might be Bud Foster’s toughest coaching job yet.
Florida State will have a completely new look in 2018. The Seminoles were a very methodical offense under Jimbo Fisher and were one of the most low-tempo teams in the country under his watch. They didn’t run a lot of plays, and that was a source of consternation among their fans.
New coach Willie Taggart is expected to change all that. Taggart ran an up-tempo offense at South Florida and Oregon, and will have FSU getting to the line much quicker in 2018. This offense will run significantly more plays than it has in the past, and that should lead to more points.
Those two factors have been the impetus behind one of the biggest line movements in Week 1 of the college football season. Originally, the CFB betting total for this game was 52, but that has shot through the roof to where it currently sits — 56.5. This total could move even higher prior to kickoff too.
College Football Betting Odds – Week 1 Opening Odds 8/30/18 – 9/3/18
Central Florida -23
Connecticut +23
Total 73
Minnesota -19.5
New Mexico State +19.5
Total Check Back Later
Northwestern +2.5
Purdue -2.5
Total 50
Wake Forest -6.5
Tulane +6.5
Total 56
Utah State +23.5
Michigan State -23.5
Total 50.5
Syracuse -6
Western Michigan +6
Total 64.5
Army +13
Duke -13
Total 45.5
Western Kentucky +34.5
Wisconsin -34.5
Total 51
San Diego State +14.5
Stanford -14.5
Total 48.5
Colorado +7.5
Colorado State -7.5
Total Check Back Later
Florida Atlantic +21
Oklahoma -21
Total 68
Houston -25
Rice +25
Total 55.5
Appalachian State +24
Penn State -24
Total 54.5
Kent State +16.5
Illinois -16.5
Total 56
Texas State +16
Rutgers -16
Total 47
Maryland -13
Texas +13
Total Check Back Later
Oregon State +37
Ohio State -37
Total 64
Massachusetts +18
Boston College -18
Total 63
Northern Illinois +10
Iowa -10
Total 49
Boise State -10.5
Troy +10.5
Total 50
Louisiana Tech -10.5
South Alabama +10.5
Total 51
Marshall +1.5
Miami (Ohio) -1.5
Total 51
Middle Tennessee State +3.5
Vanderbilt -3.5
Total 57
BYU +11.5
Arizona -11.5
Total 60.5
Cincinnati +15.5
UCLA -15.5
Total 62
Washington +2
Auburn -2
Total 48.5
Central Michigan +17
Kentucky -17
Total 49.5
Mississippi +2.5
Texas Tech -2.5
Total 67
Coastal Carolina +29.5
South Carolina -29.5
Total 57
West Virginia -8.5
Tennessee +8.5
Total 61.5
Wyoming -3.5
Washington State +3.5
Total 47
UNLV +26
USC -26
Total 62.5
North Carolina +7
California -7
Total 60.5
Old Dominion -6.5
Liberty +6.5
Total Check Back Later
Indiana -10.5
Florida International +10.5
Total 57
SMU +4.5
North Texas -4.5
Total 71
Michigan +2
Notre Dame -2
Total 47
Akron +24
Nebraska -24
Total 53
Bowling Green +31.5
Oregon -31.5
Total 73
Louisville +24.5
Alabama -24.5
Total 59.5
UTSA +18
Arizona State -18
Total 54
Hawai’i -14
Navy +14
Total 59
Miami (FL) -3
LSU +3
Total 47.5
Virginia Tech +7.5
Florida State -7.5
Total 56.5
