Not only is Week 1 of the college football season here, but the debut episode of Chris “The Bear” Fallica and Geoff Schwartz‘s new betting podcast “Bear Bets” went live on Thursday.
The FOX Sports gambling duo will discuss its favorite picks and bets in college football and the NFL, with episodes dropping every Thursday and Friday.
In addition, the tandem will also have a regular segment called Group Chat, in which it opens the discussion up to FOX Sports Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich and Will Hill to discuss the biggest gambling topics of the week.
In this week’s Group Chat, the team chatted about a few of the grandest topics entering the 2023 season, including favorite Heisman bets, team win total bets to hit and how Colorado will do in Year 1 of the Deion Sanders Era.
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Let’s dive into the action!
FAVORITE HEISMAN BET
Geoff Schwartz: FSU QB Jordan Travis
“I’m going to ride the Jordan Travis campaign after they win Sunday against LSU. I think he’s the lead dog to win this one. I think he’s got everything you want in a Heisman quarterback. He plays in an offense with all of those wide receivers and Mike Norvell can really coach an offense.”
Will Hill: FSU QB Jordan Travis
“It’s not too often in college football where you get a showcase game, and you’re the only game on. You get that Sunday night with Jordan Travis. When you’re betting on the Heisman, you’re betting on the program and you’re betting on the team. Not only has Travis improved every year exponentially, but he’s got a tremendous coach in Norvell, good receivers and a ton of offensive line experience.”
The gambling Group Chat breaks down the 2023 Heisman Trophy odds
Sammy P: Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
“I know, I know, it’s always a quarterback that always wins the Heisman. But not really. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in college football. If we’re talking numbers, how about 30-1 on a guy who is substantially better than the next-best receiver and will probably get 20 touchdowns and 100 receptions this year on an Ohio State team that could run the table and go 12-0? Last year, they had C.J. Stroud, who liked to spread the ball around. This year, whoever wins the job by Week 2 or 3, is going to literally play “Madden” the entire game and just throw the ball to Harrison for the entire game. … There’s no way Caleb Williams should be 5-1 and Harrison should be 30-1.”
The Bear: Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman
“He’s down to 40-1 (on most sportsbooks), and I’m assuming a lot of people are seeing the same thing I am: an offense that’s got some skill players back and Bobby Petrino in as a coordinator. They’ve kind of been running in the Stone Age a little bit with the Jimbo Fisher schemes and slow-developing things. Remember, Petrino took Lamar Jackson and that Louisville team to a great season and helped Lamar win the Heisman Trophy. I think with Weigman, now in his second year as a starting quarterback, that A&M finally realizes its potential. … Betting the Heisman, you’re looking for a price. Maybe Weigman won’t win it, but I would expect his price to come down, and maybe it allows you to bet on a couple of other guys as well.”
FAVORITE WIN TOTALS
Sammy P: Buffalo over 6 wins
“You can still find Buffalo over six at a couple of shops, and the price discrepancy is between -105 to +115, so always get the best number. Toledo gets a lot of love because they have all of the talent in the MAC, but Maurice Linguist is a third-year coach and has quietly brought in two of the top-talented classes in the MAC.”
Will Hill: Mississippi State under 6.5 wins
“You’ve got a younger coach, a defensive coach and the offensive line is going to change how they block. They’re not a great defensive team. It’s a tough schedule. I just think it’s going to be hard for this team to get to seven wins.”
Schwartz: Stanford under 2.5 wins
“Vegas is telling you they’re going to be very bad, and they are going to be very, very bad. They’re not going to be favored in a game [after their Week 3 matchup against Sacramento State] this season. Troy Taylor, a brand new coach, I like what he’s doing with the program, but they’re just a bad team right now.”
The Bear: LSU under 9.5 wins
“They won some games last year and kind of snuck up on Alabama. In the first five games of the year, they’ve got FSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State on the road. That doesn’t include a road trip against a revenge-minded Alabama and Texas A&M, who I like this year. I think LSU could finish anywhere between 10-2 and 7-5.”
LSU, Colorado, Mississippi State and more on the gambling Group Chat’s ’23 win totals
THOUGHTS ON COLORADO?
The Bear: Under 3.5 wins
“This could go really poorly, or it could be OK. It’s never been done before. Not only are you revamping the entire roster, you’re also revamping the entire coaching staff. Deion basically ran the entire team off after spring practice. If I had to play it, I’d go under.”
Sammy P: Under 3.5 wins
“I almost drove to Colorado when they first hung five wins back in May. I don’t remember the book, but they had under five wins at -130. It would’ve taken me three days to get there, but I was going to do my damndest to bet Under five wins. Now, you’ve got some books at a number as low as three, with plus money on the Over. Deion has to be an A or an A-plus coach to make this thing work this year because this is not Jackson State, this is Colorado. This is a power conference. His offensive line is in shambles. His defensive line stinks. I had a scout tell me the other day not to be surprised if TCU runs for 400 yards this weekend because their defensive line stinks.”
Schwartz: Under 3.5 wins
“When you look at the highlight videos that Colorado puts out, they’re fun to watch. Shedeur Sanders will play well this year. Travis Hunter is a great line. But watch a little closer at the offensive and defensive lines. The defensive line is tiny, and the offensive line can’t block anyone. In every video, Sanders is running for his life.”
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