College Football Bowl Season Odds Breakdown
Only in college football can a week last 10 days. Week 1 of the 2019 NCAAF season begins Saturday, August 24 with a pair of games, starting with the No. 8 Florida Gators “hosting” their in-state rivals, the Miami Hurricanes, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. But that’s just an appetizer for what’s to come: a full slate of 83 FBS games on the NCAA football lines, stretching all the way to September 1.
Not sure which games to check out? We’ll help you get the 2019 campaign off to a roaring start by taking a closer look at the five most meaningful games on the Week 1 NCAA odds board, listed in order of appearance. That means we start in Orlando; we don’t get to see the Gators and Hurricanes lock horns every year like they used to, but it’s must-see football whenever they meet.
NCAA Odds Week 1: Best Odds and Matchups
1. No. 8 Florida Gators at Miami Hurricanes (Saturday, Aug. 24, 7 PM ET, ESPN)
After an impressive 2018 season that saw them win the SEC East at 10-3 SU and 9-4 ATS, including a 41-15 romp over the Michigan Wolverines at the Peach Bowl, Florida have cracked the Top 10 on the preseason polls. Now that expectations have been raised, it’ll be difficult for the Gators to dominate NCAA football betting in Year 2 under head coach Dan Mullen. But they’ve got plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to support junior QB Feleipe Franks, maybe even enough to beat that 7-point spread on Bovada’s odds board at press time.
The Hurricanes seem to have Florida’s number, though. They’re 7-1 SU and ATS versus the Gators dating all the way back to 1986, when these teams used to meet every year for the Seminole War Canoe Trophy. None of that should matter in this “Week 0” matchup, of course – the last time they met was in 2013, and new head coach Manny Diaz has some rebuilding to do. Choosing redshirt freshman Jarren Williams to start at quarterback over Ohio State transfer Tate Martell is only the beginning.
2. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at No. 1 Clemson Tigers (Thursday, Aug. 29, 8 PM ET, ACCN)
This game is all about the defending champions. No offense to the Yellow Jackets, but they’re going through a sea change under first-year head coach Geoff Collins, and they’ve been handed one of the most difficult schedules in college football – starting with Thursday’s trip to Memorial Stadium. Clemson are laying 35.5 points in their season debut, and they’re expecting even bigger things this year from sophomore QB Trevor Lawrence, who has gained about 20 pounds of muscle since his breakthrough 2018 campaign.
3. Duke Blue Devils at No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (Saturday, Aug. 31, 3:30 PM ET, ABC)
Again, this one’s all about the Crimson Tide and this year’s leading Heisman Trophy candidate, QB Tua Tagovailoa. If you’ve bet on NCAA football for a while, you probably won’t be too concerned about the 34 points ‘Bama are laying to Duke at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; the Tide went 11-0 SU and 7-4 ATS last year in games where they were favored by at least three touchdowns. And Blue Devils head coach David Cutcliffe needs a new quarterback after Daniel Jones went No. 6 overall to the New York Giants in the NFL Draft. Will senior Quentin Harris be that man?
4. No. 13 Oregon Ducks at No. 16 Auburn Tigers (Saturday, Aug. 31, 7:30 PM ET, ABC)
The only matchup of Top-25 teams on the Week 1 NCAA football odds is a dandy: the Auburn Tigers facing the Oregon Ducks at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with the Tigers laying just three points at press time. The Ducks hope to lead the Pac-12 back to respectability this year, with senior QB Justin Hebert forgoing the NFL Draft and returning for one last shot at glory. Auburn have to replace QB Jarrett Stidham (now with the New England Patriots), but head coach Gus Malzahn has two quality options in Bo Nix and Joey Gatewood playing behind a reinforced offensive line.
5. Houston Cougars at No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners (Sunday, Sept. 1, 7:30 PM ET, ABC)
This is our first chance to see former Alabama QB Jalen Hurts as a Sooner, and he should have every chance to shine with Oklahoma laying 24.5 points in Norman. Houston’s defense was already poor last year, and now the Cougars have to rebuild under first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen, their former offensive co-ordinator in 2008-09.
Odds as of August 13th,2019.