The first weekend of the 2025 college football season doesn’t present the most exhilarating matchups. But the bottom line is, it’s still football.
So bets are flowing for the first few games on the college football Week 1 oddsboard.
“Everybody is excited that football is back. Yes, we’ve had NFL preseason the past couple weeks, but that’s not the same as a college football game that actually counts,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. “Even though it’s a small slate, there’s still that excitement of it being a college football Saturday.”
Bookmakers and sharp bettors offer their Week 1 college football betting insights, kicking off with Kansas State vs. Iowa State from Dublin, Ireland.
Big 12 Battle
It all gets going at noon ET Saturday across the pond, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Kansas State vs. Iowa State has been on Caesars’ betting board since May 23, when the Wildcats opened at -3 (-120).
From then until mid-July, the line dipped to -2.5 multiple times. But over the past two weeks, K-State got as high as -4 occasionally. In the past week, the Wildcats have toggled between -3.5/-3, and they’re currently 3-point favorites while getting the bulk of attention.
“The Ireland game always does big numbers. That game is what’s gonna drive the weekend,” Feazel said Wednesday afternoon. “We’ve got quite a bit of Kansas State money, which is not super surprising.”
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That’s in part due to K-State being the +450 co-favorite to win the Big 12 title, joined by Texas Tech.
On The Move
The matchup generating the most noteworthy odds move is Saturday night’s Stanford vs. Hawaii tilt. The Cardinal opened as 2-point favorites and touched -2.5 a couple times early in the summer.
But the pendulum has since swung toward host Hawaii, which hit -2.5 a few times in the past three weeks and is now a 2-point favorite for this 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
“We’re seeing a lot of movement in the offseason, flipping favorites,” Feazel said. “Thus far, it’s more of the sharper action. And the sharps are definitely on the Under in this game, too.”
A month ago, Caesars opened the total at 55.5, and it’s slowly made its way down to as low as 50.5. Feazel noted sharp action at Under 54.5 and Under 53.5.
At 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX gets into the opening-day festivities with Fresno State vs. Kansas. The host Jayhawks opened as healthy 14-point favorites at Caesars, but the line is now down to Jayhawks -12.5.
“That move would suggest sharper action on Fresno State,” Feazel said.
And speaking of sharp action …
On-Campus Sharp Side
College football betting expert Paul Stone is getting involved in Saturday’s limited slate, banking on the Rainbow Warriors. And it should come as no surprise that Stone got just about the best of the number, at Hawaii +1.5 a month ago.
As noted above, the line flipped as far as Hawaii -2.5.
“The line has moved substantially since the opener. But it’s not as significant as most 4.5-point moves, since it’s across zero,” said Stone, who still likes the Rainbow Warriors as a small favorite. “Hawaii has a dynamic quarterback in Micah Alejado and returns two receivers who had more than 60 receptions last year.
“I think the Rainbow Warriors win this one by a field goal or better.”
I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie
With the first Saturday slate lacking a true marquee matchup, there’s not much in the way of major wagers. The biggest bet Caesars Sports has taken so far: $4,773 on Iowa State moneyline +135.
If the underdog Cyclones beat K-State outright, then the bettor profits $6,443.55, for a total payout of $11,216.55.
Where Caesars is seeing more interesting action so far is in the College Football Playoff championship odds market. Among the notable plays:
- $10,000 Clemson +900. If the Tigers win the national title, then the bettor profits a hefty $90,000 (total payout $100,000).
- $1,000 TCU +20000 (200/1). It’s a long shot, but if the Horned Frogs win it all, then the bettor bags $200,000 profit (total payout $201,000).
- $1,000 Colorado +12500 (125/1).
Can Deion Sanders and Colorado succeed without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter?
The past two seasons, coach Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes were all the rage with the public betting masses. But Coach Prime no longer has son Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, nor Heisman Trophy-winning two-way star Travis Hunter.
Let’s hope that the Colorado bettor followed the most practical wagering advice: Never bet more than you can afford to lose.
Enjoy opening weekend, everyone!
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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