With the start of the 2017 college football season almost a month away, ‘play time’ is completely over and done with. Now that it’s time to really get down to business, there’s no better place to start than at the very beginning of the NCAAF Week 1. If you want to know which teams are going to be sure-fire straight-up (SU) winners, which ones will cover the spread (ATS) and which games look like locks to either play over or under their respective Week 1 totals, then consider your ticket punched.
I’ve got the goods on a handful of Week 1 matchups that should help you get your 2017 regular season college football betting campaign off to a positive start – and hey – if you want to send some of your winnings my way, well, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Okay, all attempts at humor aside, let’s rock and roll people.
Analyzing The Complete Betting Guide and Winning Favorites for NCAAF Week 1
Straight-Up, No Chaser
Stanford at Rice
When: Saturday, August 26, 9:00 PM Where: Allianz Stadium, Moore Park TV: ESPN NCAAF Odds: Stanford -33.5 Analysis: The Stanford Cardinal may have lost do-it-all superstar Christian McCaffery, but they’re still light years better than the Rice Owls and have absolutely no shot of losing their regular season opener whatsoever. Rice went 3-9 last season and gave up a jaw-dropping 37.3 points per contest defensively while putting up a modest 25.2 points per game offensively. While Stanford lost three games (10-3) and never really contended for the PAC-12 title, the Cardinal were still one of the nation’s best defensive teams under head coach David Shaw and finished the season ranked a stellar 18th in points allowed (20.4 ppg). Stanford may not cover the insane point spread in their opener, but they’re a lock to win outright! NCAAF Week 1 Pick: Stanford 35 Rice 14Ohio State vs. Indiana
When: Thursday, August 31, 7:00 PM Where: The Rock, Bloomington TV: ESPN NCAAF Odds: Ohio State -20 Analysis: Look, while I’m not real fond of head coach Urban Meyer, I do love dual-threat signal-caller J.T. Barrett and I recognize that Meyer has built Ohio State (11-2 SU, 6-7 ATS) into a perennial national powerhouse. With that said, the Buckeyes are the ‘super easy’ pick to beat the hell out of a pitiful Indiana Hoosiers (6-7 SU, 6-7 ATS) squad that lost more games than they won a year ago, including their 38-17 road loss against the Buckeyes. While Ive got Barrett and the Buckeyes as a straight-up winner in their opener against Indiana, I say, don’t be surprised to see them cover the spread as virtual three-touchdown favorites. NCAAF Week 1 Pick: Ohio State 35 Indiana 14Utah State at Wisconsin
When: Friday, September 1, 8:00 PM on ESPN Where: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison NCAAF Odds: Wisconsin -34 Analysis: I’m a big believer in Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badgers and I believe they will challenge for the Big Ten title in 2017, particularly if they get some competent play out of the quarterback position. Utah State went an awful 3-9 a year ago and has absolutely no chance whatsoever of upsetting the far superior Badgers no matter where they play.ATS Winners
Maryland at Texas
When: Saturday, September 2, 11:00 AM on FS1 Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin NCAAF Odds: Texas -17 Analysis: I’ll get right to the point by saying that I’m completely enamored with Texas head coach Tom Herman and I believe he’s going to put the Longhorns back on the national map in a big way in no time at all. Having said that, I’m also going to urge you to back the Maryland Terrapins to cover the spread as 17-point road dogs simply because it’s an early season matchup that looks like a classic ‘trap’ game if you ask me. Texas will likely be a lot better as the season progresses as opposed to early on. I know the Terps went 1-6 ATS on the road a year ago, but I’m backing them to get it done in the Lone Star State in Week 1.
