Last season’s College Football Playoff ended with Indiana lifting the trophy after a 27-21 victory over Miami. So it’s no surprise this season to see the Hoosiers featured in FOX’s opening Big Noon Kickoff.
Equally unsurprising in College Football Week 1 odds: Curt Cignetti’s squad is quite popular, even though it’s nearly a six-touchdown home favorite vs. North Texas.
“Action is one way. They’re laying the 40 points with Indiana,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said.
Bookmakers and sharp bettors offer their Week 1 college football betting insights on a handful of the most notable matchups.
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High On The Hoosiers
Indiana was great on the field all of last season, then late in the year became a betting-window behemoth. In their last five games, the Hoosiers went 5-0 straight up (SU) and 4-1 against the spread (ATS).
That included an impressive three-game win-and-cover streak:
- A 13-10 victory over Ohio State as a 3.5-point underdog in the Big Ten title game
- A 38-3 blowout of Alabama as a 7.5-point favorite in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals
- A 56-22 beatdown of Oregon as a 3.5-point favorite in the CFP semis.
Indiana then capped its 16-0 SU season with that victory over Miami within the CFP championship recreation, falling simply in need of overlaying as a 7.5-point favourite.
The general public betting plenty usually keep in mind what they final noticed and react to it. That’s the case at Caesars with North Texas vs. Indiana, in a midday ET Saturday kickoff on FOX.
Caesars opened the Hoosiers as large 40.5-point favorites, briefly went to Indiana -41.5, then really backed as much as -39.5. As of Wednesday afternoon, it’s Hoosiers -40.
North Texas was nice to bettors all through final season, going 12-2 SU/10-4 ATS. However issues have drastically modified since then.
“North Texas shouldn’t be the identical workforce as final 12 months. Coach Eric Morris and the vast majority of the workforce moved on to Oklahoma State,” Feazel mentioned, whereas noting the Hoosiers are 19-10 ATS during the last two seasons. “Indiana has been superb to bettors the previous couple years.
“We anticipate much more bets coming in on Indiana by kickoff.”
Lane Leads LSU
Lane Kiffin enters his first season as head coach for the Tigers (Getty Photographs).
Clemson vs. LSU is arguably the largest Saturday recreation in faculty soccer Week 1 odds. Dabo Swinney is attempting to place Clemson again on the CFP map, whereas a brand new period begins at LSU below Lane Kiffin.
Caesars opened LSU as a 9.5-point house favourite and stretched to -10.5 on Aug. 19. The road has been at LSU -10 since Monday.
“There was a bit pushback at 10.5,” Feazel mentioned, alluding to Clemson curiosity. “It’s two-way motion, however I anticipate that altering as soon as we get nearer to recreation time. I anticipate extra motion on LSU, particularly on parlays and moneyline parlays.”
Feazel additionally famous early sharp cash on Underneath 51.5, with the entire dipping to 50.5.
Prime-25 Tilt
No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss is the lone Week 1 assembly of Prime 25 groups. The Rebels, behind QB Trinidad Chambliss, are coming off a stellar 13-2 SU marketing campaign (9-6 ATS).
Kiffin led that cost within the common season, earlier than darting to LSU. Pete Golding then guided Ole Miss all the best way to the CFP semifinals, the place the Rebels misplaced a thriller to Miami, 31-27, as 3.5-point underdogs.
Golding then went from interim to full-time Ole Miss coach. And with Chambliss returning this 12 months, bettors are excessive on the Rebels in faculty soccer Week 1 odds.
Ole Miss opened -6.5 at Caesars and is as much as -7 as of Wednesday afternoon, for a 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday neutral-site recreation in Nashville.
“No shock, we’re seeing extra Ole Miss motion coming in. I wouldn’t anticipate that to alter, with the depth and expertise of this workforce,” Feazel mentioned. “The Rebels have one of many higher quarterbacks on this draft class, and Chambliss is getting motion on Heisman Trophy odds, too.”
On-Campus Sharp Facet
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin can be at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, going up towards Louisville-Ole Miss. It’s a quasi-neutral-site recreation at Lambeau Area, 2.5 hours from the Badgers’ campus.
Faculty soccer betting knowledgeable Paul Stone picked Notre Dame to win the nationwide title. Nevertheless, he’s not on the Combating Irish in Week 1, at the very least on the unfold as a 20.5-point favourite.
Stone believes Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph may preserve the Badgers throughout the lofty quantity. Stone recommends taking the factors, and he really acquired Wisconsin at +21.
Joseph performed final season at Previous Dominion, the place he threw for two,624 yards and ran for an additional 1,007, accounting for a complete of 34 touchdowns.
“In Previous Dominion’s season-opening 27-14 loss at Indiana final 12 months, Joseph broke free for lengthy landing runs of 75 and 78 yards,” Stone mentioned. “If Joseph can use his legs to generate some offense, I feel the Badgers can preserve it throughout the beneficiant quantity.”
On the flip aspect, the general public plenty — as anticipated — are on Notre Dame this week.
“Notre Dame has been one of many championship futures darlings, and that’s gonna translate into motion on Week 1,” Feazel mentioned. “Proper now, we’re seeing heavy, heavy motion on Notre Dame.
“Though 20.5 is a whole lot of factors, that’s not stopping bettors from laying that quantity right here, even for a recreation in Wisconsin’s yard.”
Oh Say Can You ACC
Faculty soccer Week 1 odds wrap up with a Monday night time ACC conflict. SMU travels to Florida State for a 7:30 p.m. ET kick.
The Seminoles are coming off two straight sub-.500 seasons. Then in final week’s season opener, the ‘Noles (1-0 SU/0-1 ATS) had been unimpressive in a 34-17 win as hefty 31.5-point house favorites vs. New Mexico State.
With these parts in thoughts, the Mustangs are a rising highway favourite this week at Caesars.
“Florida State performed final week and struggled towards the quantity,” Feazel mentioned. “So we noticed some line motion in consequence, from SMU -1.5 by -2 and -2.5, as much as -3.
“There’s strain pushing again on the three. It’s gonna be a extremely guess recreation, and to this point, bettors are backing SMU. I anticipate motion to be one-sided on SMU main as much as recreation day.”
