College football betting trends — Week 1
Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is editor of The Gold Sheet (Goldsheet.com). He provides the Review-Journal with college football tech notes and trends. Follow @thegoldsheet on Twitter.
Friday
Illinois at Indiana (-3): This is the first meeting between the teams since 2017. Illinois was 4-0 against the spread in the Big Ten and also went 6-2 as an underdog in 2021. The Hoosiers faded to 2-10 ATS last season and didn’t cover any of their five home games against FBS opposition. Edge: Illinois.
Saturday
Colorado State at Michigan (-30½): The Rams finished last season 0-6 straight up and ATS. First-year coach Jay Norvell was 5-0 as an underdog at UNR in 2021 and 8-0 as an underdog the past two seasons with the Wolf Pack. Michigan was 11-3 ATS last season after covering only eight of its previous 22. Edge: Slight to Colorado State.
Oregon at Georgia (-17): Coach Dan Lanning debuts on the Ducks’ sideline. Oregon enters on a 6-13 spread skid and is 2-4 in its past six as an underdog. Georgia went 10-5 ATS on the way to the national championship. The under has covered in 10 of the Bulldogs’ past 16 games. Edge: Georgia.
Texas State at UNR (Pick): The Wolf Pack won outright last week and are 18-7 ATS in their past 25 regular-season games. The over has covered in 10 of UNR’s past 15 games after going under last week at New Mexico State. The Bobcats are 16-10 ATS dating to late in the 2020 season. Edge: UNR.
Rice at Southern California (-32½): Another coach debut, this time USC’s Lincoln Riley. At Oklahoma last season, Riley was 6-6 as a favorite and went 2-5 laying double-digit points vs. FBS opposition. The Trojans are 2-8 ATS in their past 10 at home. Rice was 3-9 ATS, but the over covered in nine of Rice’s 12 games last season. Edge: Slight to over.
Utah (-2½) at Florida: The Utes are 0-5 ATS and dropped six of their final seven ATS against non-Pac 12 foes, including bowl games. Utah was 2-4 ATS on the road last season. The Gators are 4-14-1 ATS in their past 19 games, but first-year coach Billy Napier was 34-5 SU the past three seasons at Louisiana and is 7-2 in his past nine as an underdog. Edge: Florida.
Notre Dame at Ohio State (-17): This is the first meeting between the Midwest powers since the 2015 Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame covered nine of its past 10 in the regular season. The Irish are 7-4 as underdogs since 2017 and 2-1 as double-digit underdogs during that span. The Buckeyes are 11-13 ATS in their past 24 lined games and 5-6 ATS their past 11 at home. Edge: Notre Dame.
Utah State at Alabama (-41½): The Aggies did not cover in their opener against Connecticut, but went 10-4 ATS and 6-2 as an underdog last season. Alabama is 10-17-1 ATS in home nonconference games since early 2011, but is 10-3 ATS in its past 13 at Tuscaloosa. Edge: Slight to Utah State.
Boise State at Oregon State (-2½): The Broncos were 5-1 ATS on the road last season and 3-0 as underdogs. Boise State was 3-1 ATS in nonconference games in 2021 and is on an 11-2 under streak. The Beavers were 6-0 ATS at home last season. Edge: Under.
Western Kentucky (-16½) at Hawaii: Neither team covered their season openers last week, though the Hilltoppers did win outright. Western Kentucky is 7-4 ATS in its past 11 on the road. The Rainbow Warriors are 0-4 ATS against non-Mountain West foes since last season. Edge: Slight to Western Kentucky.
Sunday
Florida State at Louisiana State (-3): Brian Kelly coaches his first game with the Tigers after going 9-3 ATS at Notre Dame last season. The Seminoles did not cover in their season-opening win over Duquesne and are 3-4 ATS in their past seven road games. The under has covered in eight of Florida State’s past 12 games. Edge: LSU and under.