Welcome back Degenerate Nation, Week 0 of college football has finally arrived and we are excited to resume another season with the Action Network team.
If you're familiar with the “Big Bets on Campus” podcast, you know that I'm “John from Long Island.” That's right, I'm the one who's always yelling, crying, and swearing on the BBOC voicemail hotline.
Although in the past I have been portrayed as a cartoon character based on a number of ridiculous voicemails that have aired on podcasts, I am a real person.
But in light of past messages, I thought it would be appropriate for my first article of the season to analyze gamblers’ favorite game of the week: a late-night Eastern Standard Time kick off on the Big Island.
The Delaware State Hornets travel to Honolulu coming off a 1-10 record last season. They are projected to be one of the worst teams in the FCS and will be 40-point underdogs in this game.
Meanwhile, Timmy Chang's Rainbow Warriors entered the year with their program trending in the right direction, finishing last season by winning three of their final four games.
They have a big game coming up against UCLA, and it's fair to think they won't achieve much in such a one-sided matchup.
I created a three-legged identical game to satisfy gamblers' desires late on a Saturday night, with the parlay paying out almost 5-to-1 odds on the amount wagered.
As always, this is a long shot for a reason. Be careful with the size of your bets when it comes to parlays and bet responsibly.
Hawaii vs Delaware Same Game Parlay
Pick 1: 1Q over 13.5 (-152) Pick 2: Hawaii 1H -23.5 (-110) Pick 3: Brayden Shager TD pass over (play to -130)
Saturday, August 24
11:59pm ET
Spectrum PPV
Hawaii Odds Spread Total Money Line
-40
-110
56.5
-110o / -110u
N/A
Delaware Odds Spread Total Moneyline
+40
-110
56.5
-110o / -110u
N/A
Hawaii vs Delaware Same Game Parlay Pick #1: 1Q Over 13.5 (-152)
Everyone seems to be focusing on the fact that Chan will likely barely reveal his playbook during this matchup. What's being overlooked is that the Bows offense will be going all out until things get out of hand late in the game.
Quarterback Braden Shager showed solid improvement last season compared to previous seasons. Shager will have experience this season, but most importantly, another year in Chang's run-and-shoot offense.
The Hornets finished 120th out of 122 FCS teams in defensive passing efficiency last season, and despite returning many starters, don't expect this team to improve much.
There's no need to worry about Chang slowing down in the first quarter, and I think there's a good chance Bowes will score an early defensive touchdown against Hornets point guard Marki Adams.
I don’t expect either team to play slow and methodical until the second half, so I’m willing to bet some money on the over in the first quarter.
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Hawaii vs Delaware Same Game Parlay Pick #2: Hawaii 1H -23.5 (-110)
The Rainbow Warriors have no reason to slow down early in the game, and Chang's offense should perform admirably against a fearsome Hornets defense and dominate the ground game.
Since the whole world seems to be in support of Hawaii, I'm going to be a bit contrarian and take a different approach.
Considering that Week 1 against UCLA will be one of the biggest games in recent team history for Hawaii, there is good reason for Chang to want to call the game off early.
Hawaii is a 13.5-point underdog going into next week, but there's no reason for the margin to be that large. Chang's team had a strong first half and should be able to blast through next week against a highly questionable UCLA team.
It's unclear how much pressure Bowes will apply late in the game, but I think the team's overall mindset is to go all out. I wouldn't be surprised if Shagar was lowered late in the second half and the Warriors went on a planned offensive.
It looks like it will be 35-3 at halftime.
Hawaii vs. Delaware State Matchup Parlay Pick #3: Braden Scherger TD Pass or More (Played at -130)
Just because the Bowles slowed down in the second half doesn't mean Shagar won't perform in his season opener. This is a big year for Shagar, with a chance to lead the Rainbow Warriors to a bowl game.
Schager threw 26 touchdown passes last season and showed signs of greater improvement in the second half of the season, lowering his turnover rate and giving him a chance to overwhelm a now fearsome Hornets defense.
I’ll happily beef up SGP with his touchdown passing prop, as this feels like a night for Shagger to empty out the clips before resting the rest of the night.
About the Author
John Feltman is a college football and college basketball writer for the Action Network. He is also a middle school English teacher who keeps his students on their toes in the world of sports. He spends his free time at school writing reports and making predictions for the week's games. Feltman is also a movie buff, an avid reader, a poker player, and most of all, a Dallas Cowboys fan. He hasn't missed a televised game since he was 10 years old.
Follow John Feltman @johnfeltmanli on Twitter/X.
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