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Every Thursday during the college football season, I'll release my favorite spots to bet for the upcoming week. 

A great example of a "spot" play is Vanderbilt's upset over Alabama last season. The Commodores were returning home after two straight road losses, while Alabama was coming off an emotional win over No. 2 Georgia. Vanderbilt won the game outright as a 23-point underdog. We will see more opportunities like this once the season gets going based on travel, results, and injuries. 

Just for clarification, I'll always mention if I bet the game personally. Sometimes I will like the spot for a certain team, but my numbers may not see enough value to make it an official play. For Week 1, I identify three teams in good spots to open the season.

Wisconsin Badgers (-17.5) vs. Miami OH RedHawks (Thursday)

Miami OH is a team I am looking to fade early in the season. The RedHawks lost all 11 starters on offense and will begin the year with an inexperienced offensive line. I love going against teams with a brand-new offensive line early in the season because that unit is all about playing together. Miami's entire returning offensive line has just three career starts.

Wisconsin brought in some impact transfers to improve a defensive front that allowed 165 rushing yards per game last season. The unit is more talented, and it has the potential to go from a weakness to a strength. Look for them to dominate a Miami offensive line that I rank as one of the MAC's worst entering the season. 

Chuck Martin is a good coach, and I do expect Miami to be better later in the year. However, the RedHawks should struggle to score early against quality opponents. The oddsmakers agree, making the RedHawks team total in this game a measly 10.5 points. 

I played Wisconsin -17.5 on Thursday. It should take a few games for all the new pieces in Miami's offense to come together. 

Tennessee Volunteers (-13.5) vs. Syracuse Orange 

Syracuse posted an impressive 10-3 record in Fran Brown's first season. I believe Brown is the long-term answer for Syracuse, although I expect the Orange to struggle early in 2025. 

Brown inherited a veteran team last year and supplemented it with some key portal additions. One of those additions was quarterback Kyle McCord, who came over from Ohio State and threw for an ACC record 4,779 yards. 

This season, Brown must restructure the entire offense. Not only is McCord gone, but the Orange lost running back LeQuint Allen, their top three receivers, and four starting offensive linemen after C/G Mark Petry was injured in the spring. The line is counting on five transfers that have just 37 career starts. 

Tennessee had an eventful offseason after losing quarterback Nico Iamaleava late in the transfer portal to UCLA. While there will be opportunities to fade the Volunteers in the future, they draw a perfect opponent in the opener. Tennessee just missed my card this week, but I have a strong lean to the Vols laying anything under two touchdowns. 

UCLA Bruins (+5.5) vs. Utah Utes 

This line has dropped to 5.5 during the week, and while I don't see a lot of value in the number, I do like the spot for UCLA as a home dog. 

I thought DeShaun Foster did an excellent job last season. The 5-7 record doesn't jump off the page, but he took over a challenging situation after Chip Kelly left, and his team was a tough out most weeks. Iamaleava is a major upgrade at quarterback for UCLA, and his presence alone makes the Bruins an interesting team in the Big Ten.

I'm high on Utah heading into the year. I bet the Utes to win the Big 12, although this is a sneaky tough opener for Utah. UCLA is a team I have circled as being undervalued heading into the season. I expect the Bruins to be a profitable team for bettors, especially as underdogs. 

Similar to Tennessee, UCLA just missed making my Week 1 card. I expect this to be a competitive game, though, and would recommend taking the points with the Bruins if you are looking for some late-night action on Saturday.