My College Football Best Bet for Week 0

With four games involving FBS teams set for Week 0, one bet stands out above the rest. Rob Paul breaks down why you need to take a chance on a transfer.

Rob Paul

Last updated: August 23, 2024 11:40 PM EDT • 4 min read

Former Alabama running back Roydell Williams is set to start for Florida State this season. I'm backing Williams in my best bet for college football week 0. — Former Alabama running back Roydell Williams is set to start for Florida State this season. Photo by Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports via Imagn.

College football is finally back after more than seven months, and it all starts overseas in Dublin, Ireland.

With Florida State viewed as a contender by the college football championship odds, my best bet for college football Week 0 focuses on one of the Seminoles' most significant additions of the offseason. But not their Heisman Trophy odds dark horse at QB.

Instead, I'm finding value across our top college football betting sites while backing a player poised for a breakout game against Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 24.

I laid out all of my favorite picks this week in our college football Week 0 expert picks. Here's why this one is above the others for me:

My best bet for college football Week 0

Roydell Williams Over 69.5 rushing yards (-115) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Despite Brent Key overachieving with Georgia Tech during his first full season in charge last year, there was one massive flaw: run defense.

The Yellow Jackets played like a wasp that had lost its stinger and was ready to roll over and die.

They allowed the third-most rushing yards per game in the country, and the most among power conference teams (225.7). In fact, they gave up over 30 more rushing yards per game than the next worst power conference defense.

It was so bad that Key overhauled his staff while hiring Duke's Tyler Santucci as his new defensive coordinator. But those staff changes aren't going to fix this defense immediately, and it's not as if Key added much game-changing talent in the transfer portal. Georgia Tech's portal class ranks 65th.

A defense that was 86th in SP+ and was the worst power conference team against the run will struggle mightily against Mike Norvell's new-look Seminoles.

Good things come to those who wait

One of the most significant acquisitions of the offseason for Norvell was Roydell Williams, a former top-100 recruit who rushed for 1,165 yards over four seasons as a backup at Alabama.

Instead of jumping early, Williams bided his time for the Crimson Tide and waited to find the new perfect home. He was ranked the seventh-best running back in the portal and is set for a huge season after earning Florida State's starting job.

His big-play ability shined last year, with Williams' lateral explosiveness and contact balance helping him average 3.35 yards per carry after contact while ripping off 15 runs of 10-plus yards, according to PFF.

Williams is set to run wilder than a sheep trying to escape a fox, and he'll benefit from being behind an offensive line with a combined 190 career starts, according to Phil Steele.

And the only thing prettier on the Emerald Isle than the Cliffs of Moher this Saturday will be his ability on the football field.

Best odds: -115 via bet365 | Implied probability: 53.49%

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Written By:
Rob Paul

Rob is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He’s been with the team since early 2024, with this being his first full-time role in the sports betting industry. Before joining SportsbookReview.com, he contributed to various sports outlets, including FanSided and Pro Football Network. During that period, he spent five years working full-time as a local community journalist, after attending Durham College for journalism and Wilfrid Laurier University for history. He previously hosted an NFL draft and college football-focused podcast where he had the opportunity to interact with future NFL players such as Maxx Crosby and Quinn Meinerz. Rob has spent multiple years working as a freelance podcast producer for numerous sports-related podcasts while making guest appearances on several college football shows. He’s also made guest appearances on SportsTalk Mississippi on several occasions to talk all things NFL draft. Rob values the way sports betting acts as a catalyst for telling stories and growing interest in certain sports, particularly FCS football, WNBA, and mid-major college basketball. He’s always been drawn to the more obscure teams and conferences in major college sports, but most of all, Rob loves using stats to find the best player props to back.