The College Football Betting Guide: Week 1

On Aug. 1, 2018, betting on sports became legal in Mississippi. Federal and state law now protects your God-given right to drive to Tunica and blow hard-earned money on the over/under of some Tuesday night MAC game. To help guide you through the first season of legal college football gambling (because you certainly weren’t taking advantage of gray-area internet gambling sites before!), we’ve set up this weekly betting guide.

We went 1-1 in Week Zero, missing out on the dang blasted Wyoming Cowboys inexplicably winning another game despite my best wishes. But MONEY DON’T SLEEP, so let’s get you back on track for Week 1, which typically has a few marquee games mixed with a lot of blowouts.

Week ones can be an absolute bloodbath in sports betting, because hype trains become derailed in 60 minutes of play. Underdogs rise like phoenixes from the ashes. It’s our first real look at American college football in months, and yes, we’re all extremely excited and ready to lose future mortgage payments as soon as possible.

So come close and let me show you the path to riches and glory.

Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech in Houston

Take the over on 67 points

These teams are wide open offensively, so this has been a no brainer bet from the moment it hit the wire. The over may even hit by the third quarter since defense is by rule optional in the Big XII and Ole Miss has a re-vamped defensive line and an inexperienced LB corps. Find any and all available cash: break your kids’ piggy banks, check the couch cushions for change, charge people you barely know on Venmo for shots you bought them months ago. Do what you gotta do to put some action on the over.

Michigan at Notre Dame

Take the under on 47 points

“You made a mistake,” you might be saying. “Shea Patterson, who invented the spread offense, is the QB of the very ethical and morally superior Michigan gentlemanly footballers. How could an under hit?” I think this is going to be a pretty ugly game, relatively speaking. 24-17, something like that; a very Big Ten kind of score. New QBs, Harbaugh defense—it’s just not going to be a high-flying offensive game. Bet under but don’t get too crazy with it.

UT-San Antonio at Arizona State

Take UTSA to beat the 18.5-point spread

UTSA head coach Frank Martin is a dadgum marvel on the recruiting trail, and his team has been tough week in and week out in the past. Herm Edwards took over at Arizona State, and while they clearly have a talent advantage, it will be his first game back coaching in a very long time. I just don’t see them winning by three touchdowns and making a statement like that in Week 1. Put a hundo on UTSA to beat that spread.

Miami vs. LSU in Arlington

Take Miami at -165

The moneyline pick is Miami to win this week. LSU fans deep down have no idea which way this season is going to go, but a neutral site game against Mark Richt’s Hurricanes will tell the tale pretty soon. The line on this game is 3.5, and I’m just wary of the ‘Canes coming out a little flat and winning by 3 and losing money. Miami will come through in this one as LSU just has too many questions on its roster right now.

So, head to Tunica, Biloxi, Las Vegas or Atlantic City, make this a four-game parlay and quit your job Monday when it all hits.

What games will you be putting some action on? Leave it in the comments or tweet @redcuprebellion.