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Here are my best bets for Week 1 in college football:
No. 14 Clemson (+12.5, FanDuel) vs. No. 1 Georgia (Noon ET)
Georgia is the nation’s best team, but this handicap is more about Clemson, which is overlooked and undervalued heading into the teams’ Week 1 meeting in Atlanta.
Dabo Swinney has been criticized for not engaging in the transfer portal, but he still consistently assembles blue-chip rosters.
There’s talent on defense, especially on the line behind returning freshman All-Americans Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
The offense was underwhelming last year (90th in EPA per play), but the Tigers could improve with nine returning starters entering Year 2 under coordinator Garrett Riley.
The run game should be great behind four returning OL starters and top RB Phil Mafah.
QB Cade Klubnik needs to improve, but he could do so with five of his top seven receivers returning.
Additionally, the Tigers weren’t as bad as their 2023 conference record (4-4). They suffered two overtime and three one-possession losses, posting a +98 margin in net yards per game in the ACC. Positive regression looms.
The Tigers are the ACC’s best team, a College Football Playoff team and a national title contender. They shouldn’t be two-touchdown underdogs to anybody.
The pick: Clemson +12.5 (-115)
Ohio vs. Syracuse (-17.5, FanDuel) (3:30 p.m. ET)
Syracuse, which is breaking in a new coaching staff, isn’t good yet.
However, the Orange return a boatload of players, including 18 starters — a list that is headlined by 1,000-yard back LeQuint Allen, All-American TE Oronde Gadsden, stud LB Marlowe Wax and reliable S Justin Barron.
Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord represents an upgrade at quarterback, especially after the Orange ranked 100th in EPA per dropback last season.
That’s a stark contrast from Ohio.
The Bobcats rank last in returning production and experience, with only six starters back from last year’s 10-3 club.
They also have a new QB (Parker Navarro) and OC (Brian Smith), replacing a stud QB (Kurtis Rourke), stud RB (Sieh Bangura), and seven pass catchers. It’s a total rebuild in Athens.
There’s already a considerable talent mismatch, and Ohio won’t be nearly as ready for Week 1 as Syracuse will be. I smell a blowout at the Dome.
BET: Syracuse -17.5 (-110)
UCLA (-14.5, FanDuel) vs. Hawaii (7:30 p.m. ET)
I’m bullish on Hawaii.
The Bows have returning production, and QB Brayden Schager should keep improving in Year 3 running the run-n-shoot offense — especially with his top six pass-catchers returning.
They also have a strong secondary behind CB Cam Stone and are solid in the front seven.
Hawaii should move the ball against UCLA’s rebuilding defense.
The Bruins had a top-10 unit last season, but they lost stud coordinator D’Anton Lynn to USC, meaning they’re working with their fourth DC in five years.
Betting on College Football?
This was part of a major upheaval on the UCLA staff as Chip Kelly shockingly resigned to become the Ohio State offensive coordinator.
The team replaced him with DeShaun Foster, who has zero head-coaching experience
They also lost six of their best defensive starters, including elite DL Laiatu Latu.
The Bruins are projected to have among the worst, least-experienced secondaries in the Big Ten.
Don’t be surprised if Schager stuffs the stat sheet and the Rainbows pull off the outright upset.
Bet: Hawaii +14.5 (-120)
2023 season: 23-25.
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