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UKWeek 1 College Football Picks
Our college football picks for Week 1 include the biggest matches of the first full weekend of collegiate action. After an exciting five-game Week 0, every team in Division I will take the field this week.
This guide will focus on the matchups for every Top 25 team. I will break down the latest NCAAF odds for the highest-ranked teams and give my predictions for the best Week 1 matchups in college football.
Week 1 College Football Odds (Top 25)
Bovada Sportsbook has the following college football betting lines for Week 1, 2025.
| Matchup | Favorite | Underdog | Point Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| #25 Boise State vs. South Florida | #25 Boise State (-220) | South Florida (+180) | #25 Boise State -5.5 (-105) |
| Western Illinois vs. #12 Illinois | #12 Illinois | Western Illinois | #12 Illinois -45.5 (-110) |
| #1 Texas vs. #3 Ohio State | #3 Ohio State (-120) | #1 Texas (+100) | #3 Ohio State -2.0 (-110) |
| Syracuse vs. #24 Tennessee | #24 Tennessee (-575) | Syracuse (+400) | #24 Tennessee -14.0 (-110) |
| Old Dominion vs. #20 Indiana | #20 Indiana (-2800) | Old Dominion (+1100) | #20 Indiana -23.5 (-110) |
| Nevada vs. #2 Penn State | #2 Penn State | Nevada | #2 Penn State -44.5 (-110) |
| Marshall vs. #5 Georgia | #5 Georgia | Marshall | #5 Georgia -39.5 (-110) |
| #8 Alabama vs. Florida State | #8 Alabama (-575) | Florida State (+400) | #8 Alabama -13.5 (-120) |
| UTSA vs. #19 Texas A&M | #19 Texas A&M (-2200) | UTSA (+1000) | #19 Texas A&M -24.0 (-115) |
| #9 LSU vs. #4 Clemson | #4 Clemson (-180) | #9 LSU (+155) | #4 Clemson -4.0 (-110) |
| New Mexico vs. #14 Michigan | #14 Michigan | New Mexico | #14 Michigan -35.0 (-105) |
| Virginia Tech vs. #13 South Carolina | #13 South Carolina (-300) | Virginia Tech | #13 South Carolina -7.5 (-105) |
| #6 Notre Dame vs. #10 Miami | #6 Notre Dame (-130) | #10 Miami (+110) | #6 Notre Dame -2.5 (-110) |
Some ranked teams, such as #14 Michigan, #2 Penn State, and #5 Georgia, are favored so heavily in their Week 1 matchups that Bovada only offers point spread odds.
Other games were unavailable at the time of writing as the oddsmakers were working on updating lines for this weekend’s matchups. In addition to the games above, you can also wager on these games that feature Top 25 teams in Week 1.
- South Dakota vs. #22 Iowa State
- Montana State vs. #7 Oregon
- Illinois State vs. #18 Oklahoma
- Long Island University vs. #15 Florida
- North Dakota vs. #17 Kansas State
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. #23 Texas Tech
- Georgia State vs. #21 Ole Miss
- East Texas A&M vs. #16 SMU
- Northern Arizona vs. #11 Arizona State
Bovada is the top site for wagering on Week 1 college football action. Its oddsmakers are constantly working to update lines for every game of the collegiate season. There are also excellent betting tools available to members, including a prop builder.
Learn more about this sportsbook with our honest Bovada review.
Best Week 1 College Football Picks
Top NCAA football betting sites have excellent odds for this week’s matchups. My Week 0 picks, Kansas (-510), Hawai’i -2.5, and Iowa State -105, all won. Here are my top Week 1 college football picks.
Week 1 Straight Up/ML Picks
#8 Alabama is the third-highest ranked team in the SEC, behind #5 Georgia and #1 Texas. The Crimson Tide are on the road and starting a new QB, but they have the talent edge across the board. My college football prediction for this match is that Alabama will start the Ty Simpson era with a win as a -575 favorite over Florida State.
The #19 Texas A&M Aggies are one of the heaviest moneyline favorites still available to bet on at -2200. They will host UTSA, which is coming off a 7-6 season that included a win in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. On the other hand, the Roadrunners only played one ranked team last year, and they lost in a blowout, so do not expect an upset in this one.
Rounding out my top money line picks for Week 1 is #13 South Carolina, which is a -300 favorite over the visiting Virginia Tech. The Wolfpack were 9-3 in the regular season last year, including three wins over Top 25 teams. SC will win and move one step closer to breaking into the top 10.
Best Week 1 ATS Picks
College football is a great option for spread bettors because many ranked teams are favored by multiple touchdowns. #12 Illinois, for instance, is laying 45.5 points against in-state rival Western Illinois. The Fighting Illini will win, but I believe Western Illinois will be able to cover the 45.5-point spread.
Not every underdog can cover the spread, though. New Mexico is getting 35.0 points on the road in Ann Arbor for Michigan’s home opener. After a disappointing season last year, I think the Wolverines will cover their 35.0-point spread this weekend.
ATS picks are also good options for close games between ranked opponents. #6 Notre Dame is a 2.5-point road favorite against the #10 Hurricanes in Miami. Both teams are starting new quarterbacks, and the Fighting Irish can cover the spread in this highly anticipated matchup.
Top CFB Week 1 Upset Picks
The Longhorns are on the road, but they are the top team in the country for a reason. Ohio State lost most of its offense to the draft, including its starting QB, two RBs, and its second-best receiver. Texas had its fair share of losses, too, but Arch Manning will lead the Longhorns to a win.
#9 LSU is also an underdog as they take on #4 Clemson in South Carolina. These teams have talked a lot of smack this offseason about whose stadium is the “real” Death Valley, adding even more hype to this game. All three of Clemson’s losses last year came at home, and I think LSU will pull off the upset.
South Florida (+180) is a relatively small underdog compared to other non-ranked teams. The Bulls will surprise the Broncos, securing the upset win over a #25 Boise State team that is still recovering from losing its star player to the NFL.
Top Week 1 College Football Prop Bets
Arch Manning’s first season opener for the Longhorns will be a tough one. Ohio State is the defending National Champion, and they are at home. However, I expect Manning to complete close to 20 passes in the season opener, so this bet at over 18.5 completions (-135) is a great option.
Another college football prop I like in Week 1 is for Indiana’s Kaelon Black to score a TD (-190) against Old Dominion. He has only 13 TDs in his five-year collegiate career, but Black is a threat in both the running and receiving games.
Finally, I think #2 Penn State and Nevada will combine to cover their total. The Nittany Lions are 44.5-point favorites, with a total of 56.5 points. Bovada offers an alternative line prop of over 57.5 at +105 odds, which provides better value for just one extra point.
Betting on College Football in Week 1
The top college football betting sites have hundreds of college football odds for this weekend’s action. See the guide above for my college football picks, including my bet of the week: #1 Texas (+100) to upset #3 Ohio State in The Shoe.
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