Top College Football ATS Betting Picks Week 1

Top College Football ATS Betting Picks for Week 1

Written by on June 7, 2016

It’s not too early to start betting on the first week of the college football season as sportsbooks like Mybookie.ag already have spreads out for the majority of the Week 1 games — although no totals yet. Here are a few of my Week 1 recommendations on NCAA football lines.

Closer Look at the Top College Football ATS Betting Picks Week 1

Fresno State at Nebraska (-29)

This Saturday, Sept. 3, matchup will be carried in prime time on the Big Ten Network. Kickoff for the Bulldogs’ second trip to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln has been set for 8 p.m. ET. Fresno State is 0-2 all-time against the Huskers, losing 42-29 at Memorial Stadium in 2011 and 55-19 at Bulldog Stadium in 2014. Both head coaches here are on the hot seat. FSU was just 3-9 last season under coach Tim DeRuyter, three years removed from their first conference championship in 14 seasons, two years removed from winning back-to-back titles for the first time in 21 years, and one year removed from a division title. At end of the season, offensive coordinator Dave Schramm was not retained and defensive coordinator Nick Toth was reassigned – Toth returns as the inside linebackers coach. Under first-year coach Mike Riley, there are a lot of moments from the 2015 football season that Nebraska fans would just as soon forget, as the Cornhuskers finished the regular season 5-7, with just three Big Ten wins. It was just the third losing season in Lincoln since 1962. The Huskers did win three of their final four games, including a victory over No. 7 Michigan State and a Foster Farms Bowl win over UCLA. I like NU here.

Georgia Tech vs. Boston College (+3.5)

This ACC matchup tips off at 7:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 3 from Dublin, Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The game, which will be the official ACC opener for both schools, will be held at Aviva Stadium, and is scheduled to be televised on ESPN2. The game will mark the ninth college football game held in Ireland and the seventh featuring FBS schools. It will be the second college game played at Aviva Stadium. It will mark the first international game for the Yellow Jackets football program. It will be head coach Paul Johnson‘s second football game in Ireland; he was Navy’s offensive coordinator when the Midshipmen played Notre Dame in 1996. It will be the first series meeting since Oct. 20, 2012, a 37-17 Yellow Jackets win on The Flats. Georgia Tech leads the brief series 6-2, including a 3-0 mark away from Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Jackets win this one.

Hawaii at Michigan (-41.5)

This is the largest spread on NCAA football lines for Week 1, also on Sept. 3. Hawaii will be actually playing its second game of the season as the Rainbows open the season on Friday, Aug. 26, against California in Australia. Talk about some rough travel for UH! First Australia, then a long flight to Ann Arbor. Hawaii’s first-ever road game at Michigan will kick-off at 12:00 p.m. ET at Michigan Stadium and will be televised on ESPN. The game will mark the third meeting between the schools and first since 1998. Both previous meetings were held at Aloha Stadium with the Wolverines winning both – 27-10 in 1986 and 48-17 in 1998. The Warriors have played five previous road games at Big Ten teams – at Michigan State (1948 & 2005), at Iowa (1956 & 1991), and at Wisconsin (1987). That’s too many points to give; go Hawaii.