The Week 1 college football schedule can serve as a warmup for many programs, but some are jumping right into conference play. Notable Week 1 college football odds from the SportsLine consensus list Minnesota (-7) against Nebraska, Louisville (-7.5) against Georgia Tech, Ohio State (-30) against Indiana, Clemson (-13) against Duke and Rutgers (-6.5) against Northwestern. Non-conference college football lines of note include Utah (-4.5) against Florida, North Carolina (-2.5) against South Carolina and LSU (-2.5) against Florida State.
With dozens of games on the schedule stretching out over five days, where are the best values? Before locking in any Week 1 college football picks on those games or others, be sure to see the top Week 1 college football expert picks, predictions and best bets from Barrett Sallee.
Sallee is a true insider — a CBS Sports analyst, SiriusXM host, Heisman voter and consistently one of the top CBS Sports experts picking games against the spread — and his best bets have helped bring in huge returns. He debuted with SportsLine in 2017 and has delivered his three best college football picks to members each week. He got off to a fast 2-1 start in Week 0 of the 2023 season.
Now, he has turned his attention to the Week 1 college football odds and is sharing his top three best bets over at SportsLine. If you parlay them together, you could be looking at a return of around 6-1. Get his top college football picks at SportsLine.
Top Week 1 college football expert predictions
One of Sallee’s top Week 1 college football picks: He is going Under 64.5 in the South Carolina vs. North Carolina matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
South Carolina averaged 32.2 points per game last year and the Gamecocks bring back key offensive pieces such as quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Antwane Wells Jr.. UNC, meanwhile, averaged 34.4 PPG and the Tar Heels have one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Drake Maye.
That’s why the total is so high, but Sallee think these teams will work the ground game enough to keep the number more reasonable. “The last thing that either team wants is to get into a track meet in the opener,” he told SportsLine. “Expect both teams to establish the run and the work off play action.” See what else Sallee likes at SportsLine.
How to make Week 1 college football picks
Sallee has also found two other college football picks he loves, including fading a team he says “can barely field a roster.” You can only see his picks at SportsLine.
What are the best bets for Week 1 of college football, and which overmatched team goes down hard? Visit SportsLine now to see Barrett Sallee’s college football best bets, all from one of the top analysts in the nation who has crushed his picks for SportsLine.
