College Football Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Utah-Florida, Cincinnati-Arkansas, More Week 1 Games

Get to your couch, or wherever it is you sit for extended periods of time, and get ready to consume wire-to-wire football coverage.

Lucky for you, we are BetSided have been getting you ready for every college football game on the Week 1 slate here, in addition to our live show The Early Reed. Keep reading for four of our favorite bets littered across the jam packed slate, including plays for Utah vs. Florida and Cincinnati vs. Arkansas.

College Football Week 1 Best Bets

Cincinnati vs. Arkansas Prediction and Pick

KJ Jefferson is back at quarterback for the Razorbacks, but he won’t have his top target to throw to after Treylon Burks was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.

However, this offense is built around the running game. They were seventh in the country in rushing yards per game a year ago and Jefferson was their top rusher. 

With their No. 1 running back gone, sophomore Raheim Sanders will step up and likely see the most carries. The Arkansas running game will be just as good if not better than a year ago, and the passing game gets a break against Cincinnati with Sauce Garnder and Coby Bryant both in the NFL. 

There is simply so much turnover in Cincinnati. Luke Fickell had a very deep roster last year and of course made it to the playoff, but without Desmond Ridder, Gardner, Bryant, and top receiver Alex Pierce, 2022 might not go as well. 

We saw how Cincinnati played against SEC opponents last season and it was clear that there was a wide talent gap and that has only gotten bigger with the departures at the end of last year. -- Josh Yourish

Pick: Arkansas -6.5 (-110)

Houston vs. UTSA Prediction and Pick

I already bet Houston -4, as mentioned on Tuesday's Early Reed episode, as I see UTSA in for a step back after a dream season.

The team must replace the foundation of their offense in McCormick, and the defense was underwhelming last season. They feasted on turnovers, ranking top five in the country in turnover margin at +13 and were bottom 20 in explosive pass defense.

Enter Clayton Tune and his trusty receiver Nathaniel 'Tank' Dell. Tune passed for over 3,500 yards last season and Dell hauled in 90 catches for more than 1,300 yards. The Cougars have plenty of firepower to gash a suspect UTSA defense that only returns five starters.

On the other side, I expect the Cougars elite pass rush to dominate a rebuilding UTSA offense. The team wasn't overly explosive, but relied heavily on McCormick to generate an above average success rate. While veteran quarterback Frank Harris is under center again (27:6 touchdown to interception ratio), I'm concerned that the Roadrunners defense can hold up over the course of the game.

I'm taking the better team that won 12 of their last 13 games to start strong on the road. Overall, I think there are big things in store for a Houston team that came up short in the AAC Championship Game in 2021. 2022 is the year for Dana Holgorsen.

PICK: Houston -4

Utah vs. Florida Prediction and Pick

This game is incredibly conflicting to me. If we know anything about the PAC 12 in recent years, it’s that they will eliminate themselves from playoff contention as soon as possible. The best team in the conference suffers a big loss at the beginning of the year almost every year. This would be that spot. 

Last year, however, Florida was one of the worst teams against the spread because they were simply given credit for being Florida; even though they were a bad team. They went 6-7 and play in the SEC, yet they were only a home underdog once. 

Now, Billy Napier comes to town after an incredible run at Louisiana and has Anthony Richardson at quarterback. Richardson only attempted 64 passes last year and is already considered a potential first round pick in the NFL draft. That’s how good he is. Napier brought in a lot of transfers from Louisiana on the offensive line and in the backfield. The team should become familiar with his system quickly and the offense could hit the ground running. 

Cameron Rising really impressed for Utah especially in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State that ended 48-45. I could see a similar shootout in their 2022 opener. 

PICK: Over 51 (-110)

Boise State vs. Oregon State Prediction and Pick

Boise State lost a fair amount of offensive starters, but the losses Oregon State suffered are perhaps more impactful. The Beavers had one of college football's best offensive lines in 2021 and must proceed without the services of their top running back and two excellent lineman.

Meanwhile, the Broncos brought back 10 of 11 defensive starters, which I think proves the difference in this matchup. The defense already ranked among the country's best in several key categories, like Rushing Success Rate Allowed, Stuff Rate, and Passing Success Rate Allowed, so Boise State may wind up with one of America's better defensive units.

I trust Hank Bachmeier more than I trust Chance Nolan, who threw 10 interceptions last year and will likely struggle behind a much worse offensive line.

The Broncos are incredibly feisty in this spot too, covering the spread in five consecutive games as road underdogs. With a stellar defense and the better quarterback, Boise State should cover the short number. Bachmeier might be destined for Hollywood, after all.

PICK: Boise State +3