College Football Week 1 Betting Guide – 2018 Season

With Labor Day weekend comes the first full weekend of college football each year — giving sports betting enthusiasts reason to cheer for the coming season. This year we have some fascinating matchups coming up in that first week (along with some cupcake matchups with immense lines). Here are some College Football Week 1 odds from the Xbet website along with commentary about a few of the matchups.

College Football Week 1 Betting Guide – 2018 Season

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— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) July 12, 2018

Saturday, August 25 (“Week Zero”)

• Hawaii (+14) at Colorado State, 7:30pm ET
• Wyoming (-5) at New Mexico State, 8:00pm ET

Thursday, August 30

UCF (-24.5) at Connecticut, 7:00pm ET

UCF comes into the 2018 season with a giant chip on their collective shoulder, as they raised that National Championship banner in their stadium after knocking off Auburn to complete an unbeaten season, the only team to do so in the FBS. They open with an AAC game, at Connecticut — and are huge favorites. Connecticut has been a treacherous place to play for opponents, and one could argue that UCF could come in taking the Huskies less than seriously. I’d look long and hard at taking the Huskies and that bucket of points.

• New Mexico State at Minnesota, 7:00pm ET

Friday, August 31

• Utah State (+25) at Michigan State, 7:00pm ET
• Syracuse (-6) at Western Michigan, 6:00pm ET
• Western Kentucky (+34.5) at Wisconsin, 9:00pm ET
• Colorado State (+6) vs Colorado, 9:30pm ET
• San Diego State (+14) at Stanford, 9:00pm ET
• Army (+11) at Duke, 7:00pm ET

Saturday, September 1

Florida Atlantic (+21) at Oklahoma, 12:00pm ET

What an immense opportunity for Lane Kiffin to re-emerge from the shadows of college football in this opener. This is a national broadcast on FOX, and Kiffin has turned FAU into a real contender in just one season — at least at the mid-major level. Can he take the Owls to Norman and deliver an upset against Oklahoma? Probably not. But can he keep them within three touchdowns in an opening week when the Sooners will be working out the kinks? I’m tempted by these points as well.

• Houston (-25) at Rice, 12:00pm ET
• Oregon State (+37.5) at Ohio State, 12:00pm ET
• Appalachian State (+23.5) at Penn State, 3:30pm ET
• Akron (+23) at Nebraska, 8:00pm ET
• Massachusetts (+18) at Boston College, 1:00pm ET
• Kent State (+16) at Illinois, 12:00pm ET
• Texas State (+16.5) at Rutgers, 12:00pm ET
• Indiana (-10.5) at Florida International, 7:00pm ET
• Northern Illinois (+12) at Iowa, 3:30pm ET

Texas (-11) at Maryland, 12:00pm ET

Last season, Maryland went down to Austin and delivered a 51-41 win over Texas, as the Longhorns’ defense simply got torched. Tom Herman, the Longhorns’ coach, is known as an offensive wizard, but as far as defense goes, the jury is still out. It’s hard to argue for a 21-point swing for Texas here, particularly going on the road. I’m liking the Terrapins here.

Boise State (-10.5) at Troy, 6:00pm ET

This is the same Troy team that went to LSU last year and won at their Homecoming. I’m not sure I’d take Boise and surrender that many points on the road in this opener.

SMU (+3.5) at North Texas, 7:30pm ET

Yes, SMU got demolished in the Frisco Bowl by Louisiana Tech back in December. They have a new coach in Sonny Dykes (who stepped in to “coach” that debacle with a bunch of graduate assistants). SMU has a terrific offense and, with a new coaching staff in place, should have the defense to keep the Mean Green in check here.

UTSA (+17) at Arizona State, 10:30pm ET

UT-San Antonio went to Baylor and delivered a win in the early going last season. They are an opportunistic team with speed at the skill positions. I don’t see Arizona State losing outright, but the Roadrunners should stay within 17 points here.

Washington (+3) at Auburn, 3:30pm ET

Do you think Auburn is ready to work out some frustration after losing to Georgia in the SEC title game and then losing to Central Florida? I agree — and they have the defense to keep Washington from moving the ball as easily as the Huskies have done in Pac-12 play.