College Football Starts TODAY!

Finally.  After what has seemed like at least two years, instead of mere months, the college football season is finally here.  That means that it’s time to dust off the against the spread skills and get to work!

Although, traditionally, the first week of the college football season pits strong teams against a very weak ones, Wisconsin takes on UNLV, for instance, there are some gems to be found this week.  My style is to look for low spreads in games, or to look for teams receiving points when they shouldn’t.  I become very uncomfortable when I have to give up anything north of 28 points in a matchup.

Below are the four best bets that I see in Week 1 in college football.

Wake Forest at Syracuse

When:  Sept. 1 at 8:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Syracuse -6 ½, Total 49 ½

Analysis:  So far, 63% of football betting handicappers are all over the ‘Cuse in this game.  I’m with them.  Coach Doug Marrone took the Orange to a bowl game after last season and the team played well, beating Kansas State.  The Orange has momentum on their side going into this season, but, more importantly, developed a stingy passing defense that allowed only 164.2 yards per game in 2010. 

I don’t mind giving up less than 7 points in the first game of this season to a Wake Forest team that was 1 and 5 against the spread on the road last season.  Wake beat Syracuse 20 to 10 to start off last year, but that was before the ‘Cuse got it going.  I like the Orange to begin this season with a victory and cover.

Pick:  Syracuse

South Florida at 16 Notre Dame

When:  Sept. 3 at 3:30 pm EST

Betting Line:  Notre Dame -10, Total 47

Analysis:  The Irish should be better in their second year under Brian Kelly, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to take apart a tough South Florida Bulls’ squad.  Notre Dame didn’t even announce who their starting QB was going to be until August 23.  The starter, Dayne Crist, was 4 and 5 at the helm last season.  Will he do better this season?  Irish fans certainly hope that he will.

South Florida has serious talent at quarterback where B.J. Daniels returns as a junior and running back where one time top high school recruit Darrell Scott will take the hand-off from Daniels.  The defense finished ranked 16th in total yards allowed last season.  Ten points is an awful lot to give up to an experienced Bulls’ squad with a good defense.  I’m certainly not going to do it.

Pick:  South Florida

7 Boise State vs 22 Georgia

When:  Sept. 3 at 8:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Boise State -3 ½, Total 50 ½

Analysis:  Yes, Kellen Moore returns at QB for Boise State, and, yes, the 5th ranked Broncos will once again be a very solid squad, but they’re going to have their hands full against a fired up Bulldogs team on Saturday.

Georgia coach Mark Richt knows that he has to produce not just a winning season at Georgia this year, but an SEC winning season.  Those are two very different things.  The Broncos are definitely the better team but they’re giving up close to 4 points on the road against a young SEC squad on that SEC squad’s home turf, essentially, since this game being played in Atlanta.  Everybody believes that it will be a down year for the SEC.  The SEC doesn’t have down years and talent, even if it’s young, can trump experience in college football any day of the week if that talent plays in the Southeastern Conference.

My brain says Boise State, my gut says Georgia.  I’ll go with Georgia to blow-up the Broncos’ magic carpet on Sept. 3.

Pick:  Georgia

3 Oregon vs 4 LSU

When:  Sept. 3 at 8:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Oregon -1, Total 55

Analysis:  I really, truly, do not understand the betting line in this game.  Oregon couldn’t get their offense going against one of the worst SEC defenses in the BCS Championship last season, Auburn’s, and now they take on arguably one of the best defenses in all of college football on Saturday.

Sure, the Ducks return some fantastic players on offense, including QB Derron Thomas and RB LaMichael James, but that LSU D could be something else.  Think last year’s TCU defense and you get the idea.

On offense, the Tigers will be without QB Jordan Jefferson and WR Russell Shepard, both have been suspended indefinitely, but Oregon has a suspect front seven.  The big LSU offensive line could control the clock and pound away at that Oregon defense.  I like LSU in this game and I like them to possibly win by at least 6 points.

Pick:  LSU