College Football Week 1: Best Bets, Picks and Predictions

At long last, Week 1 of the college football season has arrived and there is huge excitement ahead of the opening games.

The Week 0 slate last weekend provided plenty of entertainment for starved college football fans and bettors alike, but this massive Week 1 slate marks the official return of the football season in earnest.

There’s a little something for everyone on this week’s card, starting with a couple of important non-conference tilts on Thursday and continuing into a weekend of high-profile action across the country, including games on Sunday and Monday.

With kickoff just a few days away, let’s get into our expert’s picks, predictions and best bets for this slate, plus a look at the odds for this week’s biggest matchups.

College Football Week 1 betting picks and predictions

Florida +3 (-115) vs. Miami

Both coaches could desperately use a victory in this Sunshine State clash. For starters, Billy Napier is on thin ice as Florida’s head coach and the Gators brutal schedule certainly doesn’t help matters. 

On the other side, the Miami Hurricanes have had ACC Championship and College Football Playoff expectations placed upon them after an offseason where they acquired high-end talent to complete an already strong roster.

With that said, it remains to be seen if head coach Mario Cristobal can put his game management struggles behind him, which could come into play in a match that’s expected to be very close throughout.

Cam Ward and Damien Martinez lead a dynamic Miami offense that should see success on Saturday. However, the same can be said for senior quarterback Graham Mertz and a much improved Florida offense.

Mertz was quietly one of the best QBs in the SEC a season ago, and he should thrive against a Miami secondary that lost both James Williams and Kamren Kinchens to the NFL. As long as the veteran signal caller can stay on script and make quick decisions throwing the football, he should neutralize a Miami front seven that is the strength of its defense. 

Overall, this is a game that should come down to the wire, and given the questionable nature of both head coaches, the underdog is backed to come out on top in this scenario.

Hawaii +14 (-110) vs. UCLA

The underdog in this game has taken money throughout the summer and it’s easy to see why. 

Hawaii projects to be one of the most improved teams in the Mountain West this season and the Rainbow Warriors' unique “run and shoot” offense under head coach Timmy Chang should give what projects to be a very weak UCLA back seven major issues on the island in Week 1. 

There’s a significant amount of roster turnover that UCLA will have to deal with, giving Hawaii a massive edge in terms of returning production and experience.

Additionally, the Bruins are breaking in a new head coach (DeShaun Foster) and offensive coordinator while trying to work through the first year of a rebuild in a new conference, after losing nearly half of their statistical production from a season ago. 

For the hosts, quarterback Brayden Schager is back for his senior season at the helm of this Rainbow Warriors offense, and it’s clear that Hawaii was intentionally showing very little in its Week 0 game against Delaware State.

There’s precedent for a team showing well in its second game against a team playing its first contest of the season, so take Hawaii to keep this one within 14 points.

Rutgers -35.5 (-110) vs. Howard

For our final pick for Week 1 of the college football season, take Rutgers to make a statement at home against Howard Bison.

The Scarlet Knights are massive favorites in this matchup, which makes sense given their results in the three meetings against FCS programs since head coach Greg Schiano returned to New Jersey in 2020.

In fact, the combined score of those games was 163-23 in favor of Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights utilized their strong rushing attack and talent advantage to dominate those contests from beginning to end.

Rutgers established its dominance against weaker foes early and often, and that should continue here, even as the Scarlet Knights are breaking in new transfer quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (Minnesota).

Schiano’s group also returns plenty of defensive production from a season ago, and they should feast against a Howard side that is breaking in a new quarterback and multiple pieces on the offensive line.

The expectation for this game is that Rutgers establishes its dominance early via the ground game and should play suffocating defense en route to a dominant victory.

Read more betting picks and predictions for College Football on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.