College football's Week 1 schedule is highlighted by three matchups between ranked teams.
Let's start at the top. No. 1 Georgia takes on No. 14 Clemson in a Saturday game at 12 p.m. The Bulldogs hold a two-touchdown advantage over the Tigers in a battle between two teams that have won four national championships in the last eight seasons.
No. 7 Notre Dame will travel to No. 20 Texas A&M for a primetime showdown at 7:30 p.m. Mike Elko coached Riley Leonard at Duke last year. Now Elko is the Aggies coach and Leonard is the quarterback at Notre Dame. This will be a tough early-season test for the Irish.
On Sunday, No. 13 LSU will face No. 23 USC at 7:30 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Which team will make the bigger improvement defensively? That will be a question coaches Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley will be paying close attention to.
Conference odds and best bets: SEC | Big Ten | Big 12
There will be 12 matchups between AP Top 25 FBS teams in Week 1. A total of 10 ranked teams will play FCS opponents. We will select these matchups against the spread each week. Week 0 was 1-1 S/U and 1-1 ATS.
Will a team that is a national title contender suffer a defeat so bad that it changes the complexion of the playoffs like Florida State did in Week 0? Here are our predictions for the spread for Conference Championship Weekend.
College Football Week 1 Spread Predictions
Friday, August 30
Temple vs. No. 16 Oklahoma (-42.5) (7 p.m., ESPN)
The Sooners are entering the SEC era with new quarterback Jackson Arnold. That's a big margin of error to start a season. Oklahoma is 6-0 S/U in the nonconference regular season under coach Brent Venables, winning those games by an average of 39.3 points per game. Temple has posted a 3-9 record in three straight seasons and is 3-12 ATS as a road underdog in the past three seasons.
Prediction: Oklahoma wins 48-7 but fails to cover the spread.
Saturday, August 31
No. 1 Georgia (-13.5) at No. 14 Clemson (12 p.m., ABC)
That's a big difference considering the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 10-3 in their last meeting on Sept. 4, 2021. Georgia could easily win this game if Carson Beck is in good form early, and Clemson lost 28-7 in last season's opener. The line is down a half-point in some books, which seems to indicate Clemson can hang on late. This game is a referendum on Dabo Swinney over Kirby Smart, and it should play out that way.
Prediction: Georgia wins 27-17 but fails to cover the spread.
More: Sporting News 2024 Preseason All-America Team
No. 8 Penn State (-8.5) vs. West Virginia (12 p.m., Fox)
This is one of the toughest games of the weekend. On the one hand, the Mountaineers finished last season on a strong note, Garrett Green is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the FBS, and Milan Puskar Stadium will be erupting with a crowd hoping for their first win against the Nittany Lions since 1989. Still, Penn State won this game 38-15 last season, Drew Aller should be able to find success behind a strong running game, and a James Franklin-coached team is a mystery when it comes to covering late.
Prediction: Penn State wins 31-20 and covers the spread.
More: Top 25 QBs for 2024 | FBS Coaches Rankings 1-134
Akron vs. No. 3 Ohio State (-50.5) (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Can these games be banned? Ohio State has a seven-touchdown advantage over the Zips, and for good reason. Under coach Ryan Day, the Buckeyes have beaten three Mid-American Conference teams by a combined score of 212-33, including a 59-7 win over Akron on Sept. 25, 2021. Four of the Zips' first five games are on the road. Can they score a touchdown in this one?
Prediction: Ohio State wins 56-7 but fails to cover the spread.
No. 19 Miami (-2.5) at Florida (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Florida won 24-20 the last time they met in 2019, and Miami is 1-1 in their two meetings at The Swamp this century. The Hurricanes are the slight favorites with quarterback Cam Ward, a transfer from Washington State, and running back Damien Martinez, a transfer from Oregon State, in the backfield. The Gators are coming off a big season with Billy Napier, and quarterback Graham Mertz had a strong second half of last season. This could be the best game of the day. Remember when Florida beat Utah at The Swamp in the 2022 opener? Same situation here.
Prediction: Florida wins 30-27.
Colorado State vs. No. 4 Texas (-32.5) (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Longhorns have some injuries at running back, but the defense should be solid with Quinn Ewers returning and coach Steve Sarkisian in his fourth year. Texas failed to cover the 30-point line against Wyoming and Rice last season, and the Rams were 3-1 ATS last season as road underdogs. These trends are in Colorado State's favor, but there's still a feeling the Longhorns will be at their best heading into their Week 2 showdown with Michigan.
Prediction: Texas will win 49-14 and cover the spread.
Western Kentucky vs. No. 5 Alabama (-31.5) (7 p.m., ESPN)
With the Karen DeBoer era underway, Alabama has been so dominant against the Hilltoppers that the line has dropped by a point. The Crimson Tide have won their past three meetings by an average of 32.3 points, so the drop makes it more likely that Alabama will win their season opener. If you look at the scores in Washington's non-conference games last season, that's what DeBoer could do if he's at full strength.
Prediction: Alabama wins 42-9 and covers the spread.
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 20 Texas A&M (-3) (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Irish are in a tough spot against the Aggies. Third-year coach Marcus Freeman is 7-4 against ranked opponents and 2-3 on the road. Mike Elko will make his Texas A&M debut and the quarterback matchup between Connor Weigman and Riley Leonard should be interesting. What's the difference? The defense is traveling and the Irish are well-stocked on the defensive end. If the Irish can stay on the ball, that should be enough to survive a tough game at hot Kyle Field.
Prediction: Notre Dame wins 27-19.
Fresno State vs. No. 9 Michigan (-21.5) (7:30 p.m., NBC)
The Bulldogs may emerge as a trending upset candidate this week. The first half line may also be close. They are a nine-win team that beat Purdue last season, and interim coach Tim Skipper will have experienced defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle to challenge first-time QB Alex Orji. But Michigan still has a nasty defense, and the Sherone Moore era will start with a bang heading into a showdown with Texas in Week 2. Donovan Edwards scored two touchdowns in the second half to seal the game. That hook makes Fresno State a little easier to win against the spread.
Prediction: Michigan wins 35-14 but fails to cover the spread.
New Mexico vs. No. 21 Arizona (-31.5) (10:30 p.m., ESPN)
The line has dropped in some books, and the Lobos were 5-4 last season as underdogs. Arizona is in the midst of a coaching change with Brent Brennan, so late night coverage is possible. Still, I believe Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan will score at least a couple TDs and the Wildcats will get some momentum in the second half. The Wildcats were 11-2 ATS last season. Is this as appealing as a heavy favorite?
Prediction: Arizona wins 42-10 and covers the spread.
September 1st (Sunday)
No. 13 LSU (-4.5) at No. 23 USC (7:30 p.m., ABC)
This is a battle of struggling defenses, with LSU looking to avoid a fifth straight loss in the season opener. The Trojans are close to home, so Lincoln Riley will be able to prove the value of his hiring of defensive coordinator Danton Lin here. This will be the Trojans' first matchup against an SEC opponent since a 52-6 loss to Alabama on Sept. 3, 2016 at Jerry World. This game is best known for USC's hapless appearance. Garrett Nussmeyer saved the Tigers' day with a defensive play that Brian Kelly is now familiar with.
Prediction: LSU wins 35-28 and covers the spread.
Monday, September 2
Boston College vs. No. 10 Florida State (-17) (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Florida State is coming off a shocking loss to Georgia Tech in Week 0, and Boston College is looking to reset in Bill O'Brien's first year as head coach. The Seminoles should have more downfield opportunities in this game thanks to DJ Uiagalelei, especially with Hi'keem Williams back. That seems like a big difference considering quarterback Thomas Castellanos had 305 yards passing and 95 yards rushing in the Eagles' 31-29 loss last season. The Eagles will try to copy Georgia Tech, but the Seminoles will pull away in the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Florida State wins 34-20 but fails to cover the spread.
