3 Under-the-Radar Week 1 College Football Plays

If it feels like there are more blockbuster-type college football matchups for Week 1 than usual, it's because it's true.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Week 1 of college football season has five AP-ranked games on Saturday, which is the most for Week 1 since 1950; the year the preseason poll began.

Here's how the schedule looks for an action-packed Saturday slate:

12:00 pm ET

• No. 19 Penn State vs. No. 12 Wisconsin - FOX

3:30 pm ET

• No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 14 Miami - Florida - ABC

• No. 17 Indiana vs. No. 18 Iowa - BTN

4:30 pm ET

• No. 23 Louisiana vs. No. 21 Texas - FOX

7:30 pm ET

• No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 3 Clemson - ABC

With fans zoned in on a full day of top-ranked games, there are three Saturday matchups that may be overlooked in the betting market.

All odds are courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

West Virginia vs. Maryland (+2.5) | Total: 57

One of my favorite bets from this week's slate involves the total when the Big 12's Mountaineers face the Big Ten's Terrapins as an old rivalry picks back up. West Virginia opened as 4.5-point favorites on the road, but the line has since moved down to 2.5.

Rather than focus on a team, I'm playing the total at under 57 (for clarification purposes, I made my pick when the line was still at 57.5).

West Virginia's defense is outstanding. They finished 1st in the Big 12 a season ago, as well as 4th in the country. The Terps have a solid pass game, but that's also the core strength of West Virginia, limiting opponents to just 160 passing yards per game.

PICK: UNDER 57.5 (will bet down to 57)

Texas Tech vs. Houston (-1) | Total: 64.0

We've got a 7.5-point swing in Saturday night's Lone Star State battle when the Big 12's Texas Tech Red Raiders travels to Houston for a matchup against the Cougars of the AAC.

This is a big deal game for Houston, who was recently rumored to be among four teams in contention for the Big 12. Dana Holgerson's squad brings back nearly everyone on defense, and Clayton Tune is an underrated quarterback. Texas Tech has a very good transfer quarterback in Tyler Shough, but I expect their offense to pick up as the season goes along and as he gets more familiar with the playbook.

While I'm kicking myself for not jumping on this matchup when I could have had the Cougars and the points, I'll still grab them on the moneyline at -110, rather than risk a push at -1 at -105 odds.

PICK: Houston ML (-110)

Utah State vs. Washington State (-17.5) | Total: 66.5

In case your early afternoon, late afternoon and early evening picks go astray, welcome to this week's "chaser game" on the college football schedule! In the late game slate, the Utah State Aggies of the Mountain West travel to Pullman, WA to face the Pac 12's Washington State Cougars.

Both of these two defenses are brutal, to put it lightly. Both teams were outside of the top 100 in a variety of metrics a season ago. Utah State allowed 35.2 points per game in 2020, along with 485 yards. Washington State gave up 39 points a game a season ago, along with 462 total yards. The total has moved from a consensus number of 62.5, all the way up to 66.5.

I expect a ton of points early, but things may slow down a bit if Washington State has a massive first half and starts running more often in the second. Rather than risk it with the full game over, I'll bet the first half total instead of 34 at -110 odds.

PICK: FIRST HALF OVER 34

Which under-the-radar matchup do you have your eye on this week?

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