The first full week of the 2024 college football season is fast approaching, and the Week 1 college football schedule is packed with must-see matchups. Anticipated showdowns include No. 14 Clemson visiting top-ranked Georgia, No. 7 Notre Dame visiting No. 20 Texas A&M, and in-state rivals No. 19 Miami Hurricanes taking on the Florida Gators. The latest Week 1 college football odds have the Bulldogs as 13.5-point favorites to face the Tigers in Atlanta, while the Hurricanes are 2.5-point road favorites against the Gators.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M has a 2.5-point advantage at home over Notre Dame, and No. 8 Penn State has an 8.5-point advantage on the road over West Virginia. So which team should you root for in these featured matchups? And what other Week 1 college football lines should you be targeting for Week 1 college football betting? Before you lock in your Week 1 college football picks, be sure to check out Thomas Casale's Week 1 college football expert picks, predictions and best bets.
A frequent guest on national radio and television shows discussing college sports, Casale has been making bets — and winning — for over 30 years. Over the past two college football seasons, Casale has amassed a record of 122 wins, 92 losses, and 5 ties in college football predictions (57%) and 26 wins and 8 losses (76.4%) in bowl games, all of which have been publicly recorded. Anyone who follows him is pretty high up in the rankings.
Now, he's taking a look at Week 1 college football odds and sharing his top three best bets with SportsLine, which combine to return roughly 6 to 1. Get his top college football picks at SportsLine.
Top Week 1 predictions from college football experts
Cassar's top 10 college football picks for Week 1: He predicts Nebraska (-27) to beat rebuilding UTEP on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET). Matt Lue went 5-7 in his first season as Cornhuskers head coach, one game better than the 4-8 mark recorded by Scott Frost and Mickey Joseph in 2022. But Lue's defense was one of the best in the country, allowing just 18.2 points per game and ranking 13th nationally, and now the majority of that team will return.
“I know giving up four touchdowns to Nebraska is a little worrying, but the only guy I rate higher on the Cornhuskers this season is Matt Lue,” Casal told SportsLine. “I really love that Nebraska team. The Huskers return seven starters from last year's top 15 defense and have a quarterback in former five-star recruit Dylan Raiola who can actually make a forward pass. Raiola is a true freshman, but he's the most talented passer Nebraska has recently acquired.” Stay tuned to SportsLine for more Casal favorites.
How to predict college football for Week 1
Casale has two other college football predictions he likes, including backing a team with a “big advantage up front” in one of the biggest matchups of the week, and you can see his predictions exclusively at SportsLine.
What are the best bets for Week 1 of college football, and which teams have a big advantage up front? Visit SportsLine now to find out by looking at Thomas Casale's Best College Football Bets, from proven college football handicapper Thomas Casale, who has a 26-8 record in bowl games over the past two seasons.
