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Best Prop Bets for College Football Week 0 (Target Brayden Schager in Opener)

Hawaii travels to Vanderbilt for a Week 0 opener, is there prop betting value on both sides?

By Reed Wallach

Nov 5, 2022; Fresno, California, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Brayden Schager (13)
Nov 5, 2022; Fresno, California, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Brayden Schager (13) / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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Last season in Week 0, Vanderbilt dismantled a new-look Hawaii team in Honolulu to the tune of 63-10 in favor of the SEC visitors.

The two meet again in Week 0, this time in Nashville, Tennessee, with the Rainbow Warriors looking to put up more of a fight. Quarterback Brayden Schager will hope for a better showing in this one, is there value backing him in the player prop market?

Meanwhile, the Commodores had little issue moving the ball against Hawaii last season, is there an angle to bet the prop market on the team's budding passing game around AJ Swann?

While you can check our full betting preview here, keep reading for two props I'm eyeing in this primetime Week 0 matchup:

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Best Prop Bets for Hawai'i vs. Vanderbilt Week 0

  • Brayden Schager OVER 219.5 Passing Yards (-114)
  • Jayden McGowan OVER 38.5 Passing Yards (-114)

Brayden Schager OVER 219.5 Passing Yards (-114)

Last season's 63-10 blowout may be clouding some of the numbers in this one. In short, Hawaii had one of the biggest rebuilds in the entire country last season under first time head coach Timmy Chang and were not prepared to host an SEC foe in Week 0.

While the team finished 3-10, the team covered in seven of its final eight games and are a team that had figured out its offense down the stretch of the season and that includes the returning quarterback Schager.

I don't expect Hawaii to compete for a victory, but I do expect the offense to hunt for chunk plays in a negative game script for much of this one. Schager averaged over 36 passes per game in 11 starts (not including one game against Duquesne when he attempted one pass). He only cleared the total four times, this was a new offensive scheme for the Rainbow Warriors and I believe with a full offseason the team should look more competent passing the ball.

Vandy was 87th in explosive pass defense last season, and Schager is going to be passing often. I'll go over this low number.

Jayden McGowan OVER 38.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

McGowan averaged four catches per game in ones that he had a reception last season, hauling in over 10 yards per grab. While the 5'8" burner typically was used on passes behind the line of scrimmage (nearly 52% of targets), I expect plenty of holes open for him against a porous Hawaii defense that allowed 63 points to a run-first Vandy squad under Mike Wright.

Now with a far better passer drawing the start this time around in Swann, I expect McGowan to be a fixture in the offense and rack up a big play or two in this one, sending this over the number.

While his numbers tailed off against the elite SEC defenses on the Commodores schedule last season, the wide out went over this number in three of four non conference games. He will also be matched up against a Hawaii defense that was outside the top 100 in explosive pass rate and allowed the fifth highest yards per play last season.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Track Reed's bets here!

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