College Football Betting: What Bettors Should Look For in Week 0

The sweet smell of game week.

The 2023 college football season gets underway on Saturday with Week 0 action. While there isn't any ranked on ranked matchups, Week 0 gives us a sampling of what's to come this season, including a first look at Sam Hartman at Notre Dame and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams set to begin his quest for back-to-back awards.

Below, I'll provide some information on the big storylines for Week 0 and how bettors should be watching with a keen eye to get prepared for the next four months of college football betting with the rise of the transfer portal and the rule changes.

College Football Clock Impact on Betting

In the past, college football differed from the pros in terms of when the clock was stopped. The clock would stop on first downs when the offense was tackled in bounds until the chains were reset, allowing for teams to run more plays and, of course, potentially score more points.

However, the NCAA changed the rule this season, so now the sport will run its clock more like the NFL.

I've seen different types of comments on how the games will be impacted, but it appears that conventional wisdom will be that the average amount of plays lost will be about six or seven and the totals should be adjusted down less than a field goal. A difference, but how much will it bear fruit on the field?

Each team is unique in how it will use the new clock to its advantage, and we'll see some unique cases on Saturday.

For example, Navy is typically one of the most methodical teams in the country, running its triple option that focuses on winning the time of possession battle and limiting the amount of chances each team gets with the ball.

The new clock will likely benefit the Midshipmen's hopes of holding the ball for as long as possible on offense considering the clock is always going to be running due to its preference to keep it on the ground.

On the other side, Louisiana Tech and Florida International play in a matchup of two teams that each want to play fast and trade possessions with one another. Each team graded inside the top 50 in terms of seconds per play last season, each averaging a snap on offense below 26 seconds. Will the running clock hamper the two teams?

These two met last year, a thrilling 42-34 win for FIU in double overtime against an injury riddled LA. Tech team, but the total closed 57 in that one.

Despite the running clock, this total is up to 58.5, likely due to the upgrades to the Bulldogs roster with transfer Hank Bachmeier coming to lead the offense.

Each game has a unique set of circumstances and it should be intriguing to watch teams handle the new rules. This is something I'll have my eye on and adjust my thoughts accordingly.

How will Sam Hartman and Notre Dame's Offense Look?

I mentioned this neutral site game above, being played in Dublin, Ireland, and it comes with more intrigue than any other Week 0 matchup, in my opinion.

Navy put a scare into the Irish last season, losing 35-32 in a highly entertaining game, but both teams will look fairly different heading into this one.

Hartman was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal this offseason, transferring from Wake Forest after throwing for nearly 13,000 passing yards in five total seasons with the Demon Deacons in a passer-friendly, slow mesh offense.

However, Hartman is going to a radically different scheme with the Irish, who are transitioning to first time offensive coordinator, former tight end coach Gerad Parker. Hartman will be operating under center far more than he did at Wake Forest, and I believe we see a bit of a learning curve for both the signal caller and play caller in a unique Week 0 set up.

While Navy's defense struggled to slow down the Irish passing attack in last season -- last season's starter Drew Pyne completed 17-of-21 passes for 269 yards and four touchdowns -- the Midshipmen return more than two-thirds of a defense that graded out 31st in defensive success rate.

I'm interested to see how the Irish play calling looks with an incredibly talent quarterback, but a brand new scheme and a first time play caller.

With Navy's propensity to play keep away on offense, this game could be a bit more of a grind than the Irish would like in an opener as the Irish may opt for a more conservative set of play calling as nearly three touchdown favorites.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.