How sportsbooks did first week of college football

Oregon coach Dan Lanning twice eschewed a field-goal attempt on fourth down late in Saturday’s 49-3 loss to Georgia, much to the chagrin of over bettors.

The Ducks were unable to score a salvage-some-pride touchdown, keeping the final score under the closing total of 54½. Combined with Georgia covering as 16½-point favorites, it was a positive result for a number of sportsbooks.

“Georgia and under was a good score for us,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said.

Oregon was a popular underdog with bettors, as 68 percent of the tickets and 70 percent of the handle at Caesars Sportsbook was on the Ducks. At BetMGM, 70 percent of the money at +16½ was on the Ducks.

But Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett, who turns 25 in October and already looks like a hedge fund manager, threw for 368 yards and accounted for three touchdowns.

Georgia scored 14 points off two first-half turnovers by the Ducks and led 28-3 at halftime. The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions, and Bennett was out of the game before the third quarter was over.

“Georgia looked awesome, but it was not a real big decision for us,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said. “We had plenty of money on both sides.”

Classic in Carolina

North Carolina opened as a 3½-point favorite over Appalachian State before sharp money on the Mountaineers flipped the line.

“A lot of late money showed for App State, so we needed UNC for a good amount,” Andrews said.

The Tar Heels withstood a 40-point fourth quarter to win 63-61 as 3-point underdogs. The score sailed over the total of 56½.

Appalachian State missed a two-point conversion with 31 seconds remaining that would have put the Mountaineers ahead.

North Carolina returned the onside kick for a touchdown and a 63-55 lead rather than going to the ground and then running out the clock. That kept Appalachian State tickets alive for an improbable overtime cover, and the Mountaineers scored with nine seconds left.

But a two-point conversion that would have tied the game came up short.

“The game was a classic,” Andrews said. “We looked dead early, then I thought we were home free, then the two teams went to the wire.”

The Tar Heels also made bettors sweat the first-half money line, scoring with one second left in the second quarter to go up 28-21.

‘College kickers’

East Carolina money-line bettors went for an agonizing ride, watching their hope of cashing at +350 sail wide of the goalposts on two occasions.

Pirates kicker Owen Daffer snap-hooked an extra point with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter to keep North Carolina State ahead 21-20. After East Carolina’s defense forced a three-and-out, the Pirates drove into field-goal range.

But Daffer pushed his 42-yard attempt wide to the right with four seconds left, and the Wolfpack escaped with the one-point victory.

N.C. State closed as a 12½-point favorite.

“Having East Carolina miss both an extra point and field goal to finish the game was really bad,” Esposito said.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.