College Football Picks Week 1 2024
Week 0 was a fun appetizer for the season. It was a good week for my picks as I have a bunch of short Florida State exposure (FSU under 9.5 wins, FSU to miss the playoff) and they laid an egg against Georgia Tech. It was almost a great weekend, as I have Nevada over 2.5 wins and New Mexico over 2 wins and they both nearly won as double digit underdogs. Week 1 features only 40 FBS vs. FBS games so I only have a few picks this weekend.
Ohio @ Syracuse (Saturday, 2:30 PM Central)
I’m generally pretty good at predicting betting lines, but this one really took me by surprise. Ohio won 10 games last year and I project them to finish 4th in the MAC. They’re a perfectly average G5 team. Syracuse is in their first game under new head coach Fran Brown, and while I am bullish on the future there, I expect some growing pains in year 1. Syracuse is 62nd in my ratings, near the bottom of the ACC, and should not be a two touchdown favorite over a competent team like Ohio.
Ohio +17.5 -110 (2 units)
Ohio ML +680 (1 unit)
UNLV @ Houston (Saturday, 6 PM Central)
Houston was an abject disaster last year and Dana Holgorsen was finally shown the door at the end of the season. Willie Fritz takes over after an amazing run at Tulane and brought over many players with him, making this a faster rebuild. UNLV was a very fun team last year but ran unsustainably hot in close games and they also need to replace electric QB Jayden Maiava. Houston is by far the more physical team and I think they should win this one.
Houston -1 -112 (2 units)
Boston College @ Florida State (Monday, 6:30 PM Central)
It’s well established that I’m a Florida State hater this year, and I was validated with their week 0 loss to Georgia Tech. I wish I had posted my week 1 picks prior to week 0 as I was going to bet Boston College +21.5 in this game, but FSU looked so bad that I still like this price. Boston College turns over a new leaf under new head coach (and Brown University alum) Bill O’Brien and there is enough talent on this roster that they should escape the basement of the ACC. I will continue piling on the bets against Florida State.
Boston College +17 -110 (2 units)
Clemson vs. Georgia (Saturday, 11 AM Central)
This is the first time Clemson has been a double digit underdog since a 2014 trip to Tallahassee to face Jameis Winston’s Florida State team. (That was four playoff appearances and two national championships ago). I am backing Clemson to win the ACC this year and think that they can keep things close with a Georgia team that may be figuring things out a little on offense after losing Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey.
Clemson +13.5 -108 (1 unit)