College football is back! Well, sort of.
We finally get some real, live college football games that count in Week 0 before the season starts in earnest in Week 1.
Still, the Week 0 slate presents plenty of fun wagering opportunities, and the “Bear Bets” gambling group chat of Chris “The Bear” Fallica, Geoff Schwartz, Sam Panayotovich and Will Hill are back to break it all down!
Here are their best bets for college football Week 0, with some last-minute futures plays thrown in!
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Florida State (-11) at Georgia Tech (in Dublin, Ireland)
Hill: Florida State team total over 31.5
“I think Florida State’s gonna have an advantage in the trenches. You’re giving Mike Norvell, who’s a good offensive coach, time to prepare against a Georgia Tech defense that is vulnerable, a little light in the trenches. I think Florida State will be able to run the ball. That sets up quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei to do some stuff in play action.”
Sammy P: Over 56.5
“Florida State has so much talent at receiver and running back that Uiagalelei can sort of hide his deficiencies with a power running game and play action. They’re going to score. Georgia Tech’s defense is really bad, guys, that’s the problem. … Florida State could score 38 points in this game, but Georgia Tech is going to score too with former Texas A&M gunslinger Haynes King at quarterback. I think this game goes over. … The total is either going to be in the sixties or the forties, and I’m inclined to think it’s the former.”
Montana State (-10.5) at New Mexico
The Bear: Montana State -7, but avoid at a bigger spread
“New Mexico is right there among the four worst [FBS] teams in the country. The Bobcats are a contender to win the FCS title this year and are consistently a very good team. But this number is growing too high.”
Hill: New Mexico +11
“If you’re New Mexico, you don’t have that many chances to win games this year. You’re a total rebuild. Don’t you get motivated by the fact that you have an FCS team coming into your building and is not only favored but is now an 11-point favorite? … I only look towards the dogs. Devon Dampier, New Mexico’s quarterback, is not a bad player. He played a little bit at the end of last year and threw six touchdowns, no interceptions. He can run a little bit. I’ll take the points.”
First head coach fired
Hill: Dave Aaranda, Baylor (+700)
“The Bears were so bad defensively last year, 6.6 yards per play allowed. Aranda is now going to be calling the defense, so he’s going to have his fingerprints on that unit. If it doesn’t improve, you can point at him. And that schedule is tough. They’re at Utah, at home against an Air Force team that beat Baylor comfortably in a bowl game two years ago, then at Colorado and at Iowa State a couple weeks after that. If things get off to a bad start, it doesn’t sound like he’s on the best footing there.”
Sammy P: Sam Pittman, Arkansas (+400)
“I hate to see a fellow Sammy P out of work, but the schedule is not great from Arkansas. They’re probably going to beat Arkansas–Pine Bluff. But then the Razorbacks go play at Oklahoma State, they come home and play a UAB team that could beat them, then they’re at Auburn, home for Texas A&M and Tennessee back-to-back. A 1-5 record is completely possible by Arkansas’ bye week. Then the Hogs have LSU. If they’re 1-5 going into the bye week with LSU on deck, they will launch Sam Pittman.”
The Bear: Sam Pittman, Arkansas (+400)
“I think Pittman is well-liked there, but Bobby Petrino is now back in Fayetteville on the offensive staff. Who knows if there will be a push to bring him back as head coach? The Razorbacks were in the Sugar Bowl under Petrino. … Sammy mentioned 1-5 going into the bye week, because I wrote that if Arkansas loses to UAB they will be 1-6 heading to Mississippi State on Oct. 26, and that would do it, but 1-5 going into the bye week also feels like the spot if it does get bad out there.”
Favorite player props
Schwartz: Oregon WR Evan Stewart over 850.5 receiving yards
“Both of Oregon’s leading wide receivers last season, Tez Johnson and Troy Franklin, had over 1,100 receiving yards, and Franklin did not even play in the Fiesta Bowl. Evan Stewart, the Texas A&M transfer, is going to have 1,000 yards in this offense. That’s just what this offense is. They churn out a bunch of yards for running backs and wide receivers.”
The Bear: Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel under 3350.5 passing yards
“You’ve got a team that’s going to run a lot. You’ve got a team that’s going to be in a lot of blowouts, which probably means some playing time for former five-star backup QB Dante Moore. Gabriel has had some injury issues in the past, you’re going to want to keep him healthy as you get into the later Big Ten portion of the schedule.”
Sammy P: Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard over 2599.5 passing yards
“When Leonard was a sophomore at Duke, he had over 2,900 yards. Then last year, he rolled his ankle and broke his toe. It was a weird year for him. But by all accounts, Notre Dame is going to throw the ball more this year because they have Riley Leonard. They threw it a lot last year with Hartman, but I think Leonard’s got a solid wide receiver room and an NFL tight end in Mitchell Evans that can get open and snag the ball. This is a bounce-back, buy-low spot for Leonard because of his injuries last year.”
Hill: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders under 3000.5 passing yards (and Colorado under 5.5 wins)
“Shedeur is still playing behind a bad offensive line after getting beat up last year. If things aren’t going well for the Buffaloes — they’re one of my favorite win total under bets for this year — and he’s getting ready for the draft, hoping to be a top pick, does he sit out the last one or two games? I just think there’s a lot of ways to winning an under bet here.”
CFB Preview: Heisman Trophy odds and best bets
Favorite win total unders
The Bear: Temple under 2.5 wins
“The Owls are a bottom-five team this year. They lost E.J. Warner, their quarterback and Kurt Warner’s son, to Rice, and they had trouble scoring even with him. I don’t know how they’re winning three games. I don’t think they can win a road game, even at UConn. And who are you beating at home? Utah State? Army? You probably have to win all three of those games to hit the Over.”
Schwartz: Arizona State under 4.5 wins
“I like their coaching staff. I love the philosophy that Kenny Dillingham is bringing. But their roster is still in upheaval. I don’t know where that roster stands in terms of playmakers right now. But more than anything else, Arizona State’s schedule in the Big 12 is absolutely brutal. In the Sun Devils’ first year there, they face the top six teams in this conference — Kansas, Utah, Oklahoma State, UCF, Kansas State and Arizona. Their ‘easier’ games are at Texas Tech — a very hard place to play — and at Cincinnati, and they host BYU. Arizona State’s non-conference slate is no gimme either. They’re a six-point favorite at home against Wyoming, then at home against Mississippi State and at Texas State. I would take Arizona State at under 3.5. I think the Sun Devils are looking at a three-win season.”
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