College Football Week 1 ATS Betting Picks

College Football Week 1 ATS Betting Picks

Written by on August 28, 2017

Now that Week Zero of the 2017 season is in the books, it’s time for some of the marquee betting odds of the opening weekend of College Football. How will Alabama fare against Florida State? Which teams in the preseason top 10 will fall in an upset and potentially have their College Football Playoff hopes dashed? Take a look at the College football Week 1 betting picks that we have chosen against the spread before you commit to your wagers for Labor Day weekend.

College Football Week 1 ATS Picks

Friday, September 1

Navy (-10.5) at Florida Atlantic University (8:00pm ET)

Navy roared out of the gate with a 9-2 start last year that included a 75-point exhibition at SMU. However, they lost to Temple in the AAC championship game and then got knocked out by Army in the Army-Navy Game — and then lost in the Armed Forces Bowl. They did have to play all three of those losses without starting quarterback Will Worth — who has now graduated. Now the offense will rely on Zach Abey to run the offense, along with fullback Chris High — the other four leading running backs for the Midshipmen also graduated. Florida Atlantic brings in Lane Kiffin as their head coach, hoping for their first winning season since the 2008 campaign, when they went 7-6. FAU has picked up a lot of players who have talent but whom other schools tended to overlook for some off-the- field reasons, so this is a team that has a high ceiling — but also a low floor. Jason Driskel returns at quarterback, with Devin Singletary returning from a 1,021-yard campaign running the ball. Kiffin has a lot to do to get this team going in the right direction. Navy has a lot of new talent to incorporate, but they have the system and the discipline to win — and cover. College Football Week 1 Betting Trends
  • Florida International is 5-9-2 ATS in the last 16 games
  • Florida International is 1-4 SU in the last 5 games
  • The total went OVER in 4 of Florida International’s last 5 games
  • Central Florida is 4-2 ATS in the last 6 games at home
  • Central Florida is 6-19 SU in the last 25 games
  • The total went UNDER in 7 of Central Florida’s last 8 games

Saturday, September 2

Alabama (-7) vs Florida State (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, 8:00pm ET)

The Crimson Tide and the Seminoles square off for the first time since 2007, when the Seminoles won by a 21-14 margin. Florida State returns 15 starters from their 10-3 program last year, including quarterback Deondre Francois, who returns as the nation’s leader last year for freshmen in terms of passing yards. The Seminoles also have a solid defense, which was fourth best in the ACC last year in terms of talent rating. In the last eight games last year, they permitted just 18.5 points per contest. Are the Crimson Tide a safe bet in College Football Week 1? A lot of people thought that USC would be able to hang with Alabama in the season opener a year ago, and all Alabama did was deliver an embarrassing rout at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The Tide lost 11 starters to the NFL and graduation — but they reloaded with the nation’s second- highest rated recruiting class. The defense permitted just 13 points per game last year. On the offensive side, Jalen Hurts returns as another highly talented sophomore quarterback with a big season last year. Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough return to carry the ball, so the Tide’s offense comes in with more experience. I like the Tide to win and cover this game — but I still won’t be surprised if Florida State wins the ACC. College Football Week 1 Betting Trends
  • Alabama is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games
  • Alabama is 24-1 SU in the last 25 games
  • Florida State is 5-1 ATS in ithe s last 6 games
  • Florida State is 5-0 SU in the last 5 games
  • The total went UNDER in 6 of Florida State’s last 9 games

Monday, September 4

Tennessee (-4) at Georgia Tech (8:00pm ET)

Both Tennessee and Georgia Tech posted 9-4 seasons last year — and both won their bowl games, as the Volunteers beat Nebraska in the Music City Bowl, and the Yellow Jackets knocked off Kentucky in the TaxSlayer.com bowl. These two teams meet for the first time in 30 years, when Tennessee beat Georgia Tech at home, 29-15, on October 24, 1987. Tennessee styles themselves as a contender in the SEC East, but last year they squandered some opportunities to win their division, losing three games in a row in October and falling to Vanderbilt in the last game of the regular season. Their problems come primarily on defense, as they permitted 31 or more points in six different games. Georgia Tech finished their season on a high note, winning six of seven. They run the triple option offense, which makes them dangerous — they put up 30 points or more on eight different occasions last year. Qua Searcy returns as the lead ball carrier for the Yellow Jackets this season. I think that Tennessee is still highly talented, but their failure to execute is puzzling. I like Georgia Tech to cover here. College Football Week 1 Betting Trends
  • Tennessee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 5 games
  • Georgia Tech is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
  • Georgia Tech is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 6 of Georgia Tech’s last 9 games