College Football Week 1 Bets Bets: Expert Predictions for Louisville vs. Ole Miss, Clemson vs. LSU

Dylan Wilkerson Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

Week 0 gave us a taste of college football, but now we are ready for the full meal. College football week 1 brings us matchups like Louisville vs. Ole Miss, Clemson vs. LSU, and so many more.

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Georgia Tech vs. Colorado Best Bet

There is another Mendoza that is on the scene. Alberto Mendoza is running this Georgia Tech offense, and he boasted a 85.5 PFF grade last season. There is strength at the RB and WR positions for Georgia Tech, so they will be poised to handle this Colorado Buffaloes defense. Colorado also lacks strength on the offensive line. There are a lot of things lining up for Georgia Tech in this Thursday night matchup.

Here is our complete Georgia Tech vs. Colorado preview.

Georgia Tech vs. Colorado Prediction: Georgia Tech -6.5 (-115)

Fresno State vs. USC Best Bet

This is an interesting spot for USC. They are coming off of a 6-day rest period, while Fresno State has yet to play a game. Short rest this early in the season feels like a disadvantage, especially for a game where the team with less rest is tasked with a G-6 team that is no slouch. Fresno State is poised to take advantage of an offensive line that is weak outside of left tackle, and Fresno QB Khristian Martin boasted a PFF grade of 82.1 last season. There is a good chance USC comes out sluggish and Fresno keeps it close.

Fresno State vs. USC Prediction: Fresno State Bulldogs +23.5 (-110)

East Carolina vs. Alabama Best Bet

ECU's defensive line is very strong, boasting 3 players with PFF grades of 72 or higher. They will be facing off against an Alabama offensive line that is weak at tackle and has a history of poor run blocking. ECU is going to be able to turn this game into a slugfest, which should cause this to be a low-scoring affair.

East Carolina Pirates @ Alabama Crimson Tide Prediction: u53.5 (-110)

Baylor vs. Auburn Best Bet

This Auburn team has a lot going for them. A lot of the explosive players on offense came over from USF with head coach Alex Golesh, while Auburn maintained strong P-4 defensive talent. Baylor will be starting DJ Lagway, and I am not sure which iteration of Lagway we will see in this matchup. Last season, Lagway had a 3.7% big-time throw rate compared to a 4.5% turnover-worthy play rate.

This should be the beginning of an exciting Golesh reign at Auburn.

Baylor vs. Auburn Prediction: Auburn Tigers -7.5 (-105)

Marshall vs. Penn State Best Bet

This is an interesting spot for Penn State. Everything about this program has changed over the course of the offseason. For Marshall, Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is an experienced quarterback who threw for 17 touchdowns and 5 INTs last season while rushing for 719 yards and 6 touchdowns. This is a tricky spot for Penn State. I think they come out on top but not without a scare.

Marshall vs. Penn State Best Bet: Marshall +24.5 (-110)

Tulsa vs. Oklahoma State Best Bet

This is an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object (all things considered). Tulsa's defensive unit ranked 16th in defensive PFF rating last season, amongst the likes of Oklahoma, Alabama, and Oregon. This defensive unit returns 6 starters, and all of the projected starters come within the program.

I believe in Drew Mestemaker and this Oklahoma State offense, but the Tulsa defense is nothing to sneeze at. I think they can keep Oklahoma State at bay.

Oklahoma State vs. Tulsa Prediction: Tulsa Golden Hurricane +13.5 (-110)

Arkansas State vs. Memphis Best Bet

This is another unfortunate scheduling spot for Memphis. They are coming off of an intense late-night game against UNLV, and now they will face an Arkansas State team who is strong and fully rested.

Memphis should win this game, but I think they will feel the effects of having to play a Week 0 game, so Arkansas State should keep this close.

Arkansas State vs. Memphis Prediction: Arkansas State Red Wolves +11.5 (-110)

Sam Houston State vs. Troy Best Bet

Sam Houston State won only 1 conference game last season and 2 regular season games. This prompted them to completely overhaul their team. They then recruited the top-ranked transfer class in Conference USA.

I think this spread is indicative of Sam Houston State's performance last season, which is antiquated when you realize they overhauled their team. I think Sam Houston State keeps this one close.

Sam Houston State vs. Troy Prediction: Sam Houston Bearkats +16.5 (-105)

Clemson vs. LSU Best Bet

Lane Kiffin brought over a good amount of talent from his defensive line at Ole Miss, and Clemson always has NFL-level talent on the defensive side of the ball. Both of these offensive lines aren't particularly strong, and I expect both (lackluster) quarterbacks to be running for their lives.

Our first major primetime game should be be a low-scoring affair.

Clemson vs. LSU Prediction: u51.5 (-115)

New Mexico vs. Central Michigan Best Bet

I love this New Mexico team, and they are my pick to win the MWC. New Mexico has a very strong defense for G-6 standards, boasting two linebackers with 75+ PFF grades. New Mexico should dominate the CMU offensive line, giving them a path to a commanding victory.

New Mexico vs. Central Michigan Prediction: New Mexico Lobos -10 (-110)

UCLA vs. California Best Bet

I love this New Mexico team, and they are my pick to win the MWC. New Mexico has a very strong defense for G-6 standards, boasting two linebackers with 75+ PFF grades. New Mexico should dominate the CMU offensive line, giving them a path to a commanding victory.

UCLA vs. Cal Prediction: UCLA Moneyline (-120)

Louisville vs. Ole Miss Best Bet

Lane Kiffin took all of Ole Miss' defensive-line talent with him to LSU, leaving Ole Miss with leftover talent. The rest of their defense isn't strong either. I expect Lincoln Kienholz to make an impact for Louisville immediately, leading them to a massive win to open their season.

Louisville vs. Ole Miss Prediction: Louisville Cardinals +7 (-112) & Louisville Moneyline (+225)

Dylan Wilkerson

Dylan Wilkerson has over 5 years of experience reporting and analyzing the sports betting industry for various sites. His portfolio includes work for SportsHandle and Action Network, in addition to VegasInsider. His favorite sports are the NFL, College Football, The PGA Tour, the LIV Tour, and Cricket. Dylan has a broad and deep understanding of various sports-related topics. More from Dylan Wilkerson