College Football Picks - Our Staff's Best Bets for Week 1
By Ben Heisler
All odds are courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook. For even more previews, predictions and analysis, check out out our BetSided college football homepage.
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 14 Miami (+18.5) | Total 61.5
THE PLAY: OVER 61.5
It's one of the best games in Week 1, and it's good to see Alabama play a tough out-of-conference opponent.
Alabama and Miami were two of the highest-scoring teams in the country last season. Alabama's average combined score in their games was 67.9. The average combined score for Miami last year, was 61.
With the total projected at 61.5, I feel comfortable taking the over. It's a high total, but I'm not afraid of it.
-- Iain MacMillan
No. 23 Louisiana vs. No. 21 Texas (-8.5) | Total 58
THE PLAY: OVER 58
Texas always starts off fast. They come out and show everyone that they might be a contender, and then fall off at the end of the season.
This game vs. Louisiana has a lot of potential to get wacky and weird very early. Texas has hit over 58 points in all of their season openers since 2014, and Steve Sarkisian has the same thing in his last two stints as a head coach.
-- Donnavan Smoot
Kent State vs. No. 6 Texas A&M (-28.5) | TOTAL: 67.0
THE PLAY: OVER 67
I'm taking the over between Kent State and Texas A&M in this SEC vs. MAC game. There are going to be a ton of points scored.
Kent State hit the over in 75% of their games last season and hit it by 25.1 points. They also allowed six yards per carry, and with A&M bringing in a new quarterback, they may look to establish the run early. That's not good news for Kent State as the Aggies might run for 400+ yards on this team.
-- Peter Dewey
West Virginia vs. Maryland (+2.5) | TOTAL: 57.5
THE PLAY: UNDER 57.5
Let's finally get in an under play when the Mountaineers get together with the Terrapins on Saturday.
West Virginia's defense is terrific. They finished No. 4 in the country a season ago, and No. 1 in the Big 12 with plenty of starters returning for head coach Neal Brown.
Maryland has some exciting skill players on offense led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, but they like to go through the air which feeds into West Virginia's strength in their secondary.
I like West Virginia to cover, but I much prefer to tackle the number instead and grab the over.
-- Ben Heisler
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