With week one in the books, the college football world has some actual game action to judge. This makes it easier to look at some of the college football betting lines around the country and find some of the money makers.
But it is also important to remember one game doesn’t define a season. Making giant, sweeping declarations about teams due to one performance is a good way to lose money. But there are seven games this week I find interesting because of where the line sits.
7 Winning College Football Betting Lines
Florida -28.5 vs South Florida
One of the top teams in the country a year ago, the Florida Gators are replacing a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball. In their opening game against Florida Atlantic, they struggled to put the ball in the end zone. That won’t happen two weeks in a row under Dan Mullen.
Both quarterbacks, Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson, will be more effective this week and lead the Gators to a huge win over a less talented South Florida Bulls team. The Bulls lost their opener to NC State, 45-0. Don’t be surprised if this gets just as ugly.
Pittsburgh -3.5 at Tennessee
One of the better team performances in the ACC, the Pittsburgh Panthers rolled over UMass in week one. Veteran quarterback Kenny Pickett led the offense while John Petrishen led the defense with two sacks. This week, the Panthers will put together a more successful rushing attack against Tennessee, keeping this within three, possibly giving themselves a chance for a win in Rocky Top.
The Volunteers are entering this game with a few extra days rest after their Thursday night win over Bowling Green. They relied heavily on their run game in their opener, which won’t be as successful against a Pittsburgh front that is much better.
Virginia -10 vs Illinois
After beating up on William & Mary, the Virginia Cavaliers host the Illinois Fighting Illini, who will be playing their third game. Virginia is led by quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who had one of the best passing performances of week one with 339 yards and two touchdowns. The Illini weren’t able to stop UTSA’s offense in their loss last week. So they should definitely struggle against an ACC opponent.
After opening the season with a win over Nebraska, Illinois dropped their second game to the UTSA Road Runners, 37-30. With such a weird two games to open their season, who knows how good this team is. But Virginia will definitely come in ready and take care of business.
Miami -9 vs Appalachian State
After a rough opening to their season, the Miami Hurricanes are looking to get their first win of the season. D’Eriq King and company struggled against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but they may be the best team in the country. The Appalachian State Mountaineers are far from that talented and shouldn’t give them Hurricanes trouble.
The last time these programs faced off, there was worry of an upset. Miami handled business on the road, and I don’t expect this to be any different with a focused, veteran team. Mountaineer quarterback Chase Brice gets his second look at this defense after struggling as the quarterback of Duke last season.
South Carolina -2.5 vs East Carolina
The South Carolina Gamecocks weren’t tested much in their season-opening win against Eastern Illinois. But they should still be able to handle an East Carolina Pirates team that was beaten up by App State.
The Gamecocks, under first-year head coach Shane Beamer and with quarterback questions, are still more talented than the team they will be facing Saturday. Expect South Carolina to win by much more than a field goal.
Iowa +4 vs Iowa State
This is a game that makes me a little more nervous because it is based of reactions from this past weekend. The Iowa Hawkeyes handled business in a ranked matchup against Iowa, 34-6. Beating a ranked opponent by 28 is impressive, but doesn’t mean much in the first week of the season.
Iowa State had almost the opposite outcome of their game, struggling on their way to a 16-10 win over Northern Iowa. This is also a rivalry game, so most logic can be tossed out the window. The Cyclones play at home here, and a scare could push them towards a much better performance against their big rival. But I like the Hawkeyes keeping this within a field goal.
NC State -2.5 vs Mississippi State
The NC State Wolfpack handled their business against a lesser South Florida team while the Mississippi State Bulldogs struggled, but snuck out a win over Louisiana Tech. Even though the Wolfpack are on the road, their effective rushing attack from week one will travel well and help them get a win over Mike Leach and the Bulldogs.
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