2024 NCAAF Week 1 Action: Betting College Football Totals Picks

Previous Betting News

If you love the simplicity of making Over/Under total wagers that take the guesswork out of often arduous ATS picks, then you’re going to enjoy the handful of Week 9 college football Over/Under picks that you’re about to get! Okay, let’s get started.

Top College Football Over/Under Trio Of Matchups In The Spotlight!

Washington at Utah

When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 29, 2016
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
TV: FS1
Total: 52.5

Analysis:
What a conundrum this Week 9 Pac-12 pairing is as far as the Total is concerned. One the one hand, you have two teams that can score the ball consistently with Washington Huskies (6-1 O/U) putting up a stellar 48.3 points per game and Utah (4-4 O/U) averaging 29.9 points per contest. On the other hand, both teams have stingy defenses with the Huskies limiting their opponents to just 14.6 points per contest while the Utes allow 21.6 points per game. So, what’s the right pick for this matchup? The Over!

Utah is coming off a 52-45 win over UCLA the last time out while Washington rolled all over Oregon State 41-17 to remain unbeaten. With a total sitting at a manageable 52.5 points, I really like the Over. The Over is 4-0 in Washington’s last four games and an identical 4-0 in the Huskies’ last four road dates. The Over is also 6-0 in Washington’s last six games against a team with a winning record and a near-perfect 9-1 in their last 10 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.

Not only that, but the Over is 4-0 in Utah’s last four games after they gave up at least 450 total yards in their previous game and 8-3 in their last 11 games following an SU win and 4-2 in their last six games overall. I expect Washington approach the 40-point mark while Utah puts 17-21 points on the board.

Miami at Notre Dame

When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 29, 2016
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC
Total: 58.5

Analysis:
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-3 O/U) have lost two straight and four of their last five games and were on the wrong end of a humbling 17-10 loss against Stanford in a game that played well Under the 53-point total the last time they took the field two weeks ago. The Miami Hurricanes (4-3 O/U) got pounded in its emphatic 37-16 blowout loss against explosive Virginia Tech this past weekend in a game that finished just over the 52.5-point total. For this Week 9 matchup, I’m going to encourage you to play the Under with both of these teams playing Under the total in two of their last three games and Miami not scoring more than 19 points in three straight games.

The Under is 9-2 in Miami’s last 11 games following a bye week and 16-5-1 in Notre Dame’s last 22 games following a bye. The Under is also 22-9 in Notre Dame’s last 31 games against teams from the ACC and 12-5 in their last 17 games in the month of October. With Miami struggling mightily to find the end zone these days, the Under is the pick!

Pick: Under 58.5 Total Points

Georgia at Florida

When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 29, 2016
Where: EverBank Field
TV: CBS
Total: 43.5

Analysis:
The Georgia Bulldogs are coming off an uninspiring 17-16 loss against mediocre Vanderbilt the last time out in a contest that played well Under the game’s 42.5-point total. The Florida Gators rolled all over struggling Missouri en route to a commanding 40-14 win that played just Over the game’s 51-point O/U Total. Now, with the Gators looking to hold on to their slim CFB Playoff hopes, I’m thinking a pick for the Under is in order! First and foremost, Florida ranks a stupendous second nationally in points allowed (12.0 ppg). Combine that with the fact that both of these teams can be mediocre at best on offense.

The Total has gone 5-2 in Florida’s last 7 games following an ATS win and an identical 5-2 in their last seven games following a win of at least 20 points. The Total has also gone Under in eight straight games when Georgia allows less than 20 points in their previous game and 4-0 in the Bulldogs’ last four neutral site games. The Under is also 9-1 in Georgia’s last 10 against a team with a winning record and 11-3 in their last 14 games overall. Last but not least, cementing this pick for me is the fact that the Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these longtime rivals.

Pick: Under 43.5 Total Points

Previous Betting News

It’s the time of year that all college football fans wait a long time for, with Week 1 of the season set to go this weekend, with the first batch of games coming on Thursday night. As you all probably already know, making predictions in the opening week of the season is tough, even in games where you have a strong Power 5 team going against a weaker opponent, you know that at some point the starters of the stronger team are going to get pulled to give the bench guys some playing time. That can have a major impact on the outcome of games, but we are still going to go ahead and see if we can pick some winners. For the purposes of this piece, we are going to focus on some O/U picks that we like this weekend. Let’s get to it so you can bet against the NCAAF Odds.

NCAAF Week 1 O/U Betting Picks | 2022 College Football Analysis

Ball State Cardinals at Tennessee Volunteers – UNDER 68

This is one of those games where you might see one team take their foot off the gas as the game progresses. Tennessee is in as a 34 ½ point favorite for this one, so you would expect them to get the job done quickly and get some of the bench guys in, which means that the scoring might slow down in the second half. In terms of the point total, you have to look at what the Cardinals have done, which includes seeing 10 of their last 14 games versus non-conference foes fall UNDER the point total. Let’s stick with that trend here.

Penn State Nittany Lions at Purdue Boilermakers – UNDER 54 ½

One of the better games on the Week 1 schedule sees the Penn State Nittany Lions hit the road to face Purdue, with the point total for this game set at 54 ½. While that number may not seem particularly high in the grand scheme of things, but I think we are looking at a tight defensive struggle in this one. The trends for both teams certainly point that way. The UNDER has hit in 6 of the last 7 games overall for Penn State, while Purdue has seen their last 4 in the month of September go UNDER.

North Carolina State Wolfpack Vs East Carolina Pirates – OVER 55

With this one, I think we are looking at an offensive battle, and I believe that the OVER will hit quite comfortably. These are a pair of teams who are used to seeing the totals go that route, based on what we have seen in the past. The OVER has hit in 7 of the last 10 games for the NC State Wolfpack, as well as in 6 of their last 8 games played on grass. The Pirates are 7-1 O/U in their last 8 games against teams from the ACC.

Arizona Wildcats at San Diego State Aztecs – OVER 47 ½

While I don’t see there being a ton of offense in this game, I think the point total of 47 ½ is low enough that these teams can combine to take it OVER. The Arizona Wildcats have a history of the OVER hitting when they face teams from the Mountain West, with their last 6 meetings going that way. It’s a similar story with the Aztecs, with each of their last 4 non-conference games also going OVER the point total.

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MyBookie Odds for the Games

Previous Betting News

The 2021 NCAA football season is closing in, and sportsbooks are already beginning to post lines for the opening slate of games. The first full slate of games starts Wednesday, September 1st, and runs through Monday, September 6th.

Week one matchups are set and ready to kick off in just under three months. We will cover a handful of crucial games and provide an early analysis of why that particular contest might go over or under the point total once posted. That being said, let’s jump right into action so you can plan your bets against their NCAAF odds.

NCAA Football Week One Over/Under Picks To Must Bet On

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Miami Hurricanes UNDER

Alabama posted one of the most prolific offensives statistically last season, and a majority of the pieces are now scattered among NFL rosters. The Crimson Tide usher in another wave of blue-chip players, highlighted by quarterback Bryce Young, one of the top bets to win the Heisman.

Players that are back are littered throughout the defensive two-deep, and the addition of former Volunteer linebacker Henry To’oTo’o doesn’t hurt. Expect this Alabama defense to return to a classic Nick Saban squad.

Miami gets DEriq King back under center along with critical pieces at wideout. The Hurricanes welcome back prominent figures on defense that will help Miami improve on its 59th defensive ranking last season.

With a new quarterback for Alabama and stout defensive players back, expect this one to hit the under.

Notre Dame at Florida State UNDER

The Seminoles welcome the Fighting Irish to Tallahassee for a prime-time kick-off on Sunday night. Notre Dame is fresh off another trip to the College Football Playoffs while the Seminoles try and quickly forget about the mess in 2020.

Ian Book is gone to the NFL, so the Fighting Irish will have a new quarterback under center for the first time since 2018. Wisconsin graduate transfer Jake Coan, who played in 25 games as a Badger, is the frontrunner for quarterback duties.

The Irish return two NFL-caliber running backs, so expect the Irish to focus on the ground game in the opener against a Florida State defense that ranked 108th in division-1.

Many question marks are surrounding the state of the Florida State football program, and rightfully so after a 3-6 campaign last year. UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton transferred in, but it is unclear how healthy he will be at the start of the season.

Notre Dame will hold FSU to a low figure, and we just don’t see the Irish getting away from the rushing attack. Under is the play here.

Oklahoma Sooners at Tulane Green Wave OVER

The Sooners return quarterback Spencer Rattler who is a frontrunner to win the Heisman in 2021. Rattler threw for 3,031 yards in 11 games and only threw two interceptions over the last seven games.

Expect the Sooners, who return a majority of their offense in 2021, to score at will against a Green Wave defense that ranked 75th in the nation in total defense in 2020. Oklahoma has taken a step forward on defense since the hiring of Alex Grinch two seasons ago, but Tulane should still be able to muster up a couple of scores late in the game to add to the point total.

When this total comes out, be sure to jump on it early.

College Football Betting News

Previous Betting News

Did you know that Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien is the active leader in the FBS in career passing yards (9,876)?

Will anyone play any defense when UCLA hosts Cincinnati?

If you like taking the guesswork out of making often difficult ATS picks and you love wagering on the final score of college football games like I do, then you’re going to love the pair of NCAA Football Week 1 Over/Under Total picks that you’re about to get.

NCAA Football Week 1 Over/Under Betting Picks

Boise State at Troy

When: September 1, 2018 at 6:00 PM ET
Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium
NCAA Football Odds: Boise State -10 / Total: 48

Why Bet on Boise State?

The Boise State Broncos and the Troy Trojans both won an identical 11 games a year ago and have the look and feel of double-digit winners heading into 2018. More importantly, both of these programs can put points on the board in a hurry, which is why I love the Over 48 points in this intriguing regular season opener.

Boise State scored 38 points or more in three of their final five regular season games a year ago while Troy put 32 points or more on the board in each of their final four games last season.

Quarterback Brett Rypien is an experienced starter and junior running back Alexander Mattison rushed for 1,086 yards and 12 touchdowns, so I expect the Broncos to definitely be able to score the ball this coming season.

Why Bet on Troy?

I know Troy loses four-year starter Brandon Silvers at quarterback, but the Trojans have a trio of talented signal-callers ready to replace him including three-star freshman Gunnar Watson. Whoever is under center has a trio of returning receivers in Deondre Douglas, Damion Willis and Sam Letton as well as Louisville transfer Traveon Samuel, one of Lamar Jackson’s top targets the last three seasons. Four starters return on the offensive line, so both, the passing and rushing attacks will get competent blocking up front.

The Over is 16-8 in Boise State’s last 24 road games and 4-2 in Troy’s last six games overall. I’m going with Boise State for the road win and the Over 48 total points and you should too.

Latest NCAA Football Week 1 Betting Trends

NCAA Football Week 1 Over/Under Pick: Boise State 31 Troy 23

Cincinnati at UCLA

When: September 01, 2018 at 7:00 PM ET Where: Rose Bowl NCAA Football Odds: UCLA -14.5 / Total: 64

Why Bet on Cincinnati?

Cincinnati won four games in 2017 while giving up a whopping 31.8 points per game last season. UCLA won a modest six games and allowed an insane 36.6 points per game in their final year under former head coach Jim Mora Jr. I know the Bruins have a new head coach in Chip Kelly, but let’s be for real. Kelly’s strength is offense and certainly not stopping the opposition.

Cincinnati has made some changes on the offensive side of the ball among its coaching staff, but senior quarterback Hayden Moore, running back Gerrid Doaks and senior wideout Khalil Lewis are all back-to-back and that will give the Bearcats a small measure of experience.

Still, Cincinnati allowed at least 31 points in eight games last season and their prospects for improving on that side of the ball aren’t overly encouraging seeing as how they have question marks on all three levels of their defense.

Why Bet on UCLA?

UCLA is turning to Kelly to lead them back to prominence and that’s a good thing, seeing as how he turned Oregon into a perennial national championship contender before going on to flounder badly in the NFL.

Still, Kelly inherits two talented running backs in Bolu Olorunfunmi and Soso Jamabo, although identifying a replacement for quarterback Josh Rosen is the top priority for Kelly.

Whoever starts under center will have a trio of experienced pass-catchers in junior Theo Howard an tight ends Caleb Wilson and Devin Asiasi. The bad news is that only two starters return on the offensive line and the defense is going through some major transitions as well.

Look, the bottom line for this regular season opener is that no one should expect any sort of competent defense to be played while both offenses pretty much have their way.

The Over is 2-1 in Cincinnati’s last three games and the Bearcats have allowed at least 31 points in three of their last five games overall. UCLA has given up 27 points or more in each of their last five games while allowing at least 35 points in three of those contests.

This one looks like a shootout waiting to happen and even though I’m not real find of the high, 64-point total, I’m expecting these two rebuilding programs to top it.

NCAA Football Week 1 Over/Under Pick: UCLA 35 Cincinnati 30

Previous Betting News

The first Associated Press Top 25 of the new season has been released and there aren’t really any surprises in College Football. The defending SEC champion Alabama Crimson Tide received 52 first-place votes from the AP voters, easily pulling away from No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Florida State. Both the Buckeyes and Seminoles received first-place votes, as did No. 4 USC. But none of those schools received more than four first-place votes from the voters. Here’s an analysis on two NCAA football betting lines for games where I’d lean the under in Week 1.

Analyzing the College Football Week 1 Betting Totals Under Picks

No. 25 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech

When: Monday, Sept. 4, 8 PM ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
TV: ESPN
Stream: Watch ESPN
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening College Football Lines: UT -4 (58)

Vols Missing Key WR

It’s SEC vs. ACC in the final game of Week 1 and Tennessee, which lost a ton of talent off last year’s team, will be without senior receiver Josh Smith due to a collarbone injury. Smith’s injury is the latest blow to UT’s receiving corps. Coach Butch Jones said last week that freshman Jacquez Jones is out for the season after suffering a knee injury.

Smith has been affected by injuries throughout his UT career. He received a medical redshirt in 2014 after suffering a season-ending ankle injury against Oklahoma on Sept. 13 of that season. He missed spring practice this year after undergoing hernia surgery. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound Smith has played in 25 games the last two season with 13 starts. Last season, he had 13 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. It’s likely that Smith misses 4-8 weeks.

Georgia Tech Also Missing Starter

Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson has kicked sophomore running back Dedrick Mills off the team due to violating athletic department rules. Mills was arguably Georgia Tech’s most important player after posting a team-best 771 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016. He was named to the 2017 All-ACC preseason first team.

Mills was also suspended twice last season, once in September for one game and then again in November for two games. Both times he was suspended for violating Georgia Tech policy. With Mills gone, the top returning rusher is A-Back Clinton Lynch. J.J. Green and Qua Searcy will also be heavily relied upon to carry the option offense as well. Johnson insisted that losing Mills would not change his expectations for a team coming off a nine-win season that included six victories in the final seven games.

Series History

Tennessee and Georgia Tech have met 43 times, with the Volunteers holding a 24-17-2 series lead over the Yellow Jackets. One-time SEC rivals, this year’s meeting will mark the first between the programs in 30 years, when Tennessee defeated Georgia Tech 29-15 in Knoxville during the 1987 season.

What To Know About OSU

For the second consecutive year, OSU begins its season on the road. This game was moved from Sept. 23 to the earliest opener in school history, in order for Colorado State to open its new on-campus stadium against a Power 5 opponent and for the Beavers to get two bye weeks (Sept. 23 and Oct. 21).

The Oregon State Beavers went 4-8 last season, with a 3-6 mark in Pac-12 play. Oregon State won its last two games of the season, beating Arizona 42-17 and coming from behind to beat Oregon 34-24.

The Beavers return leading rusher Ryan Nall, who nearly reached the 1,000-yard plateau last season (951 yards, 13 TDs, 6.5 ypc). His 13 TDs ranked 18th nationally. Overall, the Beavers ranked 49th in the NCAA in rushing (191.7 yards per game). Oregon State ranked 44th in the nation in passing yards allowed a year ago (211.2).

Defensively, the Beavers allowed 218.0 rushing yards per game and recorded 18 sacks in 2016. The defensive line returns nearly every contributor from last season and should get a boost from highly touted junior college transfer Craig Evans, a 330-pound tackle.

What To Know About CSU

Colorado State returns 16 starters from a year ago – 6 on offense, 8 on defense and a pair of specialists. Statistically, the Rams return 93.9 percent of their rushing yardage, 95.5 percent of their passing yards and 88 percent of its total scoring.

Three returning Rams earned All-Mountain West recognition in 2016 – WR Michael Gallup (first team), OL Jake Bennett (second team) and QB Nick Stevens (honorable mention). Stevens boasted the nation’s highest pass-efficiency rating from Oct. 11 to the end of the season. CSU went 5-1 at home in 2016, the final season at Hughes Stadium. The Rams closed the door on the 49-year-old stadium on Nov. 19, 2016, with a 49-31 win over New Mexico.

CSU is 60-57-1 (.513) all-time in season openers. That includes a 22-15-1 (.592) mark in home openers. The Rams have not lost a home opener since 1993 (23-9 loss to Oregon). CSU is 5-0 in home openers since 1995.

College Football Expert Predictions

Tennessee and Georgia Tech both are down a key offensive player so that’s why I lean under there. Oregon State, meanwhile, just isn’t very good offensively.

Previous Betting News

The 2016 college football season will be kicking off in top this gear this week, as teams begin their quest for the nation’s top honors at the end of the season. To help us prepare for the games and the whirlwind of activities that will be flooding in the NCAA football betting lines boards, let’s take a look at the college football week 1 game total picks below.

Top 5 Winning College Football OVER/UNDER Picks for Week 1

South Carolina Gamecocks at Vanderbilt, Thursday, Sept. 01

Pick: UNDER 43

South Carolina Gamecocks and Vandy are arguably two of the worst offensive teams in Week 1, so it should probably not come as a surprise that we expect a slugfest when the two meet on Thursday. Vandy averaged just 15.2 points per game scoring last season and the team has barely made any improvements in the offense, meaning you shouldn’t anticipate an all-of-a-sudden offensive outburst from them. On the flipside, the Gamecocks have an anemic offense that ranked among the worst in the SEC last year and a new head coach in Will Muschamp, who is a well-known defense-first type of coach. No way will this game be going above 43 points.

Northwestern State at No. 23 Baylor, Friday, Sept. 02

Pick: OVER 55

We really don’t expect the Demons to put up much of a fight against the Bears. North Western’s offense is weak and the defense isn’t better. Still, we expect a high-scoring contest in this game, largely because the Bears have an exceedingly efficient offense. QB Seth Russell was the most efficient Power Five conference quarterback prior to his injury last season, while Baylor’s offense led the entire nation in scoring (48.1) and total yards per game (616) last year. With Russell and a good number of his attacking pieces like RB Shock Linwood and WR KD Cannon returning in 2016, expect the Demons to receive a relentless shellacking right from the first minute to the dying seconds of their Friday night encounter. And while you are at it, expect a highly likely OVER total. FYI, the total has gone OVER in 5 of Northwestern State’s last 6 games on the road.

Kansas State at No. 8 Stanford, Friday, Sept. 02

Pick: UNDER 48.5

Stanford was one of the best defensive teams in the Pac-12 last season, and things should be more-or-less the same this season for that defense. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffrey had a historic season as he spearheaded Stanford’s offense, so the Wildcats will definitely have their work cut out for them. Even so, Kansas State is returning with eight starters on defense and I highly doubt if this unit will be as bad as it was when it allowed 31.5 points per game last season. With the experience they bring and the fact that Stanford will be breaking into a new quarterback this season, the Wildcats should be able to prevent an offensive explosion from Stanford. Combine that with Kansas State’s middling quarterback in Jesse Ertz and the likely possibility that K-State coach Bill Snyder will have a plan in place to limit McCaffrey’s touches, this game should be able to offer a good UNDER betting value.

No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 15 Houston, Saturday, Sept. 03

Pick: OVER 68

This one really is a no-brainer. You all know what Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield-led offense is capable of doing. You also know that Houston’s Gregg Ward Jr. is arguably the best dual-threat quarterback outside the Power Five conferences. Add the fact that both Oklahoma and Houston had suspect defenses last season when they faced top-notch offenses and some of the vulnerabilities from those defenses haven’t been addressed, I expect this game to be high-scoring back-and-forth affair as both teams score at least 35 points apiece en route to an almost certain OVER total.

Missouri at West Virginia, Saturday, 03

Pick: UNDER 51

Skyler Howard is a talented quarterback and the fact that he will have a wide variety of weapons at his disposal both aerially and on the ground should see him have a productive season. That productivity may, however, be a problem getting out of the gate, as Mizzou returns with one of the best defenses in the country—the Tigers ranked No. 5 in the FBS in scoring defense last season. And to further help our case for an UNDER total in this game, new Missouri head coach Barry Odom is inheriting a pathetic offensive unit from last season, with the Tigers finishing second-last in the country (126th out of 128 teams) in scoring offense a year ago. So, even with the good things we’ve been hearing from the training camp about a new-look Missouri offense, you’d be a fool to believe that this Mizzou offense will be all fixed-up when it takes to the field this week.

Previous Betting News

It can be tough to find value in college football betting, especially in the weeks where the big guns are going against lesser opposition. Therefore, I like to ditch the straight up bets in favor of the OVER/UNDER when college football Saturday’s roll around. The beauty of playing the point total is that you can be in profit by winning around 53% of your bets. I have looked at the upcoming action for Week 10, and have selected a few games that I think might be winners in the OVER/UNDER. Let’s take a closer look at those games to see if we can turn a profit.

Here’s A Closer Look At The College Football Top Over/Under Of The Week (Nov. 5th)

Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs – OVER 61.5

Everything in this match-up would appear to point to the UNDER, but I don’t think that is how this one is going to play out. The Mississippi State Bulldogs have been leaking points for the past two weeks, and have seen both of their previous outings go OVER in a big way. The last time the Aggies hit the road, it was against another SEC opponent in the form of Alabama, and that one too went OVER. I see this one turning into a shootout, and think the total will be closer to 70.

Indiana Hoosiers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights – OVER 58

You look at the previous two meetings between these teams, and you must wonder why the point total is so low. The combined for 68 points in 2014, and 107 points last season, and there is no reason to believe that they won’t light up the scoreboard again this weekend. Indiana are going to put up some points against a porous Rutgers defense, and that is going to force the Knights to start chucking the ball all over the field.

Vanderbilt Commodores at Auburn Tigers – OVER 45

Historically speaking, this has been a match-up that has delivered low-scoring games, with the OVER/UNDER going 1-4 in the last 5 meetings between these two. The difference here is the way that Auburn have been playing offensively over the past 4 games. They are on fire, and have tallied 192 points in their last 4 games. Yes, the Commodores have been good defensively, but they are not up to the task of slowing the Tigers down.

Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern Wildcats – UNDER 41

This looks like a game destined to be decided by 7 points or less, as that just seems to be the way that things go between these two. The last three times these teams have hooked up, they have combined for 41 points or less, and the number has been dropping each year. Last season they combined for just 20 points. More of the same this Saturday, I believe.

Maryland Terrapins at Michigan Wolverines – OVER 54

The one things that the unbeaten Michigan Wolverines have not done this season is show any sort of mercy to their opponents. They seem quite happy to run up the score and play offensive football to the finish, and that could mean big trouble for the Terrapins this weekend. Michigan have taken their OVER/UNDER record to 6-2 this season, but more importantly, they are a perfect 2-0 O/U when they are favored by 21.5 to 31 points, which they are this weekend.