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College Football Predictions, Odds & Best Bets for Friday

Mike Spector

Last Updated: August 29, 2024 11:16 AM EDT • 4 min 35 sec read.

Oklahoma's Gavin Sawchuk runs during a drill as we look at our college football predictions & best bets for Friday of Week 1.
Oklahoma's Gavin Sawchuk runs during a drill during spring football practice. Photo by: Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman/USA TODAY Network.

Friday’s six-game college football slate serves as the perfect appetizer for a loaded Labor Day Weekend of action, and our best college football betting sites are ready for all the action.

Our college football predictions and best bets do not miss an opportunity to analyze the Oklahoma Sooners in their first game as a member of the SEC. They are not the only team in action playing in a new conference, as the Stanford Cardinal host the TCU Horned Frogs in their first game in the ACC, and Army hosts Lehigh as a new AAC member. TCU is the only road favorite (-9.5 at DraftKings) on the six-game slate. Our Week 1 college football predictions break down action across the whole week.

I went 2-0 with my two game picks from last week, easily cashing Georgia Tech as a 10.5-point underdog (it beat Florida State 24-21) and Delaware State as 40.5-point ‘dogs (it covered easily in a 35-14 loss to Hawaii).

College football best bets for Friday: Week 1

College football odds as of Thursday and subject to change. Track the college football scores for the latest line movement and matchup info.

Week 1 college football schedule and odds for Friday

(Odds via DraftKings)

  • Lehigh (+31.5) vs. Army (-31.5), 6 p.m. ET
  • Temple (+42) vs. Oklahoma (-42), 7 p.m. ET
  • Florida Atlantic (+14) vs. Michigan State (-14), 7 p.m. ET
  • Elon (+23.5) vs. Duke (-23.5), 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Western Michigan (+23) vs. Wisconsin (-23), 9 p.m. ET
  • TCU (-9.5) vs. Stanford (+9.5), 10:30 p.m. ET
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College football player props for Friday: Week 1

College football picks made Thursday; odds subject to change.

Gavin Sawchuk to score 2+ touchdowns (+180) ⭐⭐⭐

Oklahoma has by far the highest team total (O/U 49.5) of any team playing on Friday’s slate. And with the Sooners projected to have the 17th-best offense in the country, per SP+, I had to back one of their player’s props that I thought could hit before the starters likely rest in the second half. 

Running back Sawchuk had at least one touchdown in six of the final seven games last year, and while he did not have a receiving touchdown last year, he made up for it with an explosive 6.1 yards per carry average or better in four of the last five games.

I was tempted to back Sawchuk as the first touchdown scorer of the game at +425 odds at DraftKings, considering his implied probability to score anytime is as high as 76.96% at bet365.

But while the latter also gives Sawchuk a 50/50 chance of scoring multiple touchdowns based on its +100 odds, the value comparatively at DraftKings for the same wager was too good to pass up.

DraftKings pays out $28 on a winning $10 wager if Sawchuk finds the endzone twice.

Best odds: +180 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 35.71%

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Savion Williams Over 59.5 receiving yards (-114) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Williams is the leading returning receiver for a pass-happy TCU offense that had quarterback Josh Hoover average 46 pass attempts per game over the second half of the season. While the Horned Frogs added former Boise State wide receiver Eric McAlister in the transfer portal, his big-play ability (McAlister averaged 19.5 yards per catch over the last two seasons for the Broncos) should help deter attention from Williams as the focal point on passing downs. I break this game down even further in my TCU vs. Stanford prediction.

I am headed to FanDuel to back this Over, as some of our other best sports betting apps have Williams’ O/U set at 64.5 and are juiced to -115 on either side of the total.

Best odds: -114 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 53.27%

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College football game picks for Friday Week 1

Lehigh-Army Over 47.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Army moved away from its traditional option attack for most of last year and suffered offensively. As a result, its success rate and red zone touchdown rate dropped 57 and 66 spots, respectively, from the year before.

There is reason for optimism after Cody Worley took over the play-calling late in the year, and its ground game was the reason for a big upset of Coastal Carolina.

This is a four-star play, as Army’s defense at a program that cannot accept transfers in this transfer-happy world will struggle to replace 10 of its top-13 defenders it lost in terms of snaps played. 

Only DraftKings and FanDuel have odds for this game, given that Lehigh is an FCS opponent. Any total I can find lower than 48 is an auto-play in this matchup. A $10 winning wager profits $9.09.

Best odds: -110 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 52.38%

Elon-Duke Under 49.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This FCS vs. FBS matchup should be a snoozefest. Elon is not even ranked in the top 25 of the FCS coaches’ poll, and its offense ranked 10th or worse in passing, rushing, and overall efficiency among 15 CAA teams last season.

However, its pass defense allowed less than 200 yards per game (fourth-best), while the defensive-minded Manny Diaz (in his Duke head coaching debut) inherits a Blue Devils defense that finished in the top 30 in back-to-back seasons. 

The fact that Duke is not even favored by more than three touchdowns and a field goal to an FCS squad suggests that the Blue Devils could get caught looking ahead to a Big Ten opponent next week (Northwestern). But the smarter play is the Under, as these two teams should not combine for more than seven touchdowns worth of points.

I am risking $10 for a payout of $19.09.

Best odds: -110 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 52.38%

College football betting odds pages

College football championship oddsCollege football win totalsBig Ten championship oddsMountain West championship odds
Heisman Trophy OddsFCS Championship oddsBig 12 championship oddsMAC championship odds
College Football Playoff OddsSEC championship oddsACC championship oddsCollege bowl game odds

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Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”