The Week 1 college football schedule is loaded with marquee matchups like No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Texas, No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 9 LSU and No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Notre Dame. However, building a winning college football parlay can be a challenge early in the season with so much roster turnover inherent in the modern era of the sport. Having a little help scouring the Week 1 college football odds can give you a head start in building winning college football betting tickets. The Over has been a trendy play recently in both Irish games and in Hurricanes games, with the total being surpassed in eight of Notre Dame’s last 12 games and 12 of Miami’s last 16.
That’s one reason why Over 49.5 points in Notre Dame vs. Miami is one of our top Week 1 college football predictions and a crucial piece of our Week 1 college football parlay. The Week 1 college football schedule begins on Thursday night and continues through Monday night. Before locking in your Week 1 college football picks on your favorite betting apps, be sure to check out the top college football betting picks from SportsLine’s proven computer model. Claim the latest bet365 promo code here, where new users get $200 in bonus bets with the placement of a $5+ bet:
The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a betting profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks, and was a profitable 27-16 combined on money-line and over/under college football picks in 2024. Anybody following its college football betting picks on betting sites could have seen strong returns, and new users can also target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $300 in bonus bets instantly plus over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket:
Best Week 1 college football parlay:
Combining the model’s three picks into a Week 1 college football parlay would result in a payout of +597 (risk $100 to win $597).
Missouri State +35.5 vs. USC (-115)
USC won 11 games in Lincoln Riley’s first season at the helm in 2022, but it’s been downhill from there. The Trojans won eight games in 2023 and then seven in 2024, and now Riley’s seat may be one of the hottest in the country. USC would like to use this game as a tune up for a grueling Big Ten schedule, but Missouri State isn’t likely to see it that way. The Bears are entering their first season in the FBS after accepting a bid to join Conference USA and a moral victory would go a long way towards putting the program on the map. The model predicts that Missouri State covers in 60% of simulations.
Over 47.5 in Louisiana vs. Rice (-105)
The Ragin Cajuns are coming off their fourth 10-win season in six years while Rice will look to turn the page with Scott Abell as its new head coach after he spent the last seven years at Davidson (FCS). These two programs are at completely different stages of existence with Louisiana hoping to work their way into contention for the non-power conference bid to the CFP while Rice is starting over. The model expects Louisiana to do most of the scoring here, and predicts that the over hits in 68% of simulations.
Over 49.5 points in Miami vs. Notre Dame (-110)
Both teams will usher in new starting quarterbacks after Riley Leonard and Cam Ward both moved on to the NFL. However, there’s considerably more confidence on the Miami side with Carson Beck winning two national championship as a backup at Georgia and then throwing for 7,426 yards and 52 touchdowns there in two seasons as a starter. Beck should have the Miami offense humming out of the gate while CJ Carr was a top-50 prospect coming out of high school and has prototypical size and arm strength. The model predicts that both have their moments and that the over hits in 69% of simulations.
Want more Week 1 college football picks?
You’ve seen the model’s Week 1 college football best parlay. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for every Week 1 CFB game here, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.
Also at SportsLine:
You can also see Week 1 college football picks from legendary college football handicapper Bruce Marshall. Visit SportsLine to see his best bets. SportsLine’s Emory Hunt, who is 45-32 in his last 77 college football picks, has locked in his best bet for Oregon State vs. California right here.
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