Media by Associated Press – FILE – Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs (13) runs the ball during the first half of Alabama’s A-Day NCAA college football scrimmage on April 16, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Gibbs gained 5.2 yards per carry each of his two seasons at Georgia Tech and had a combined 1,206 yards rushing and 773 yards receiving during that stretch. He now figures to have a featured role for Alabama, which had two running backs selected in the first round and two more taken in the third round over the last four drafts. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
We got a taste of college football action last weekend with a handful of Week 0 games, including one in Ireland. This weekend we get a full slate of games running from Thursday to Monday and involving ranked teams.
With all the matchups this weekend, let’s break down the top four best bets for Week 1 across all of NCAA college football.
Notre Dame +17.5 (-110) at Ohio State
The biggest game of the weekend in terms of name power and for having an impact on the College Football Playoff is Notre Dame at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes have super-high expectations as always, and they are hungry to return to the Big Ten title game and Playoffs after falling to Michigan last year. The Irish have a new coach in former OSU player Marcus Freeman and want to show they can compete without Brian Kelly.
Ohio State has Heisman favorite CJ Stroud at quarterback, but they lost two first-round draft picks at wideout in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. They have the talent to replace them, but it may take a while to get the chemistry going. Most teams open with a lower-level team to get those first-week jitters out of the way, but the Buckeyes have another top-five team first.
Notre Dame may not be able to keep up all game, but they can stay within three touchdowns. Freeman is a defensive coach, and if they can get anything out of top recruit Tyler Buchner at quarterback, they cover this spread. Keep in mind the Irish saw Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator in the Fiesta Bowl last January and scored 35 points against Oklahoma State.
Look for the Buckeyes to win, but the Irish cover the 17.5.
Duke -7 (-110) vs. Temple
Duke is not expected to be a factor in the ACC race this year, but they are still a Power Five team hosting a Group of Five team in the opener. Temple has a new coach, and they were 3-9 last year. In the 2021 opener, they lost at Rutgers 61-14, and their only wins over FBS teams were against Akron and Memphis.
Temple lost their nine games by an average of 34.7 points, and they haven’t won in their last seven games. They also scored less than 14 points in five of those seven games. Stan Drayton is the new head coach, his first time in charge of a program after 30 years as an assistant.
Duke also has a new coach with Mike Elko taking over for David Cutcliffe. The Blue Devils didn’t win an ACC game last year but won at home against Northwestern and Kansas. They should be able to beat the Owls by more than a touchdown in the 2022 opener.
Utah State +41.5 (-110) at Alabama
Mismatch? Of course. Big Alabama win? No doubt. But a blowout? Probably not.
The reason this game is on the list is that Nick Saban just doesn’t run up the score like you think he does. Last year the Tide won two games by more than 41.5 points, and none of them finished with an 11-3 record. The Aggies aren’t a bad Group of Five Team or a FCS squad; this team won the Mountain West a year ago.
Alabama will win this game; make no doubt about that. But they won’t look to run it up, and Saban will take Bryce Young and the other starters out to keep them healthy. Utah State also has a game under their belt, a 31-20 win over UConn, and they will stay within 40 of the Crimson Tide.
Illinois +3.5 (-110) at Indiana
It is quite possible that the wrong team is favored in this game. Illinois has already played, and won, a game. The Illini beat Wyoming 38-6 as Chase Brown ran for 151 yards and accounted for three touchdowns.
While this game is in Indiana, the Hoosiers averaged less than 20 points per game last year. They are facing an Illini defense that had a pair of takeaways last week and held Wyoming to just 30 passing yards on 5-of-20 completions.
Illinois can score, Indiana struggles to. That adds up to the Illini covering this small spread, even if it is a road game.
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