College Football Week 1 Predictions, Odds and NCAA Best Bets

College Football Best Bets Today: August 28, 2023 

The first official week of the college football season is set to begin this week with games scheduled for Thursday and going all the way through Labor Day on Monday. We're giving you three of our best bets for Week 1 of the college football season and will be giving you analysis, picks and odds all season long. 

Make sure you take advantage of the sportsbook bonuses offered by two of the best online betting sites: BetMGM, FanDuels, and bet365 Sportsbooks. 

Check out our college football predictions, including the detailed analysis and our best college football picks below, giving you the information necessary to make informed bets and give you a fun viewing experience. 

Get ready to hone your betting skills and dive into the high-energy atmosphere of the action-packed college football season. Become educated and place your college football best bets to give you a better chance to win more bets. 

College Football USC vs. Nevada Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips

• Date:  Saturday, September 2, 6:30 PM EDT
• Location: Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California
• TV: PAC-12 Network

The USC offense was as dynamic as advertised in the 56-28 Week 0 win over San Jose State on Saturday. USC recorded 501 yards of offense and averaged 9.7 yards per pass and 4.7 yards per rush and scored touchdowns on five of its seven drives. But for all the talk of a supposed improved Trojans defense, that was non-existent. USC gave up 198 yards rushing to San Jose State, including 7.3 yards per carry and failed to force a turnover against a lesser San Jose State group. 

For how explosive USC's offense is and porous the defense remains, the over of 65.5 (-110) at BetMGM is our best bet for this game against Nevada. The Wolfpack were terrible on defense last year, allowing 30.9 points per game, ranking 103rd out of 131 teams in FBS. There should not be enough improvement to stop an offense led by the reigning Heisman trophy winner, Caleb Williams. 

Expect USC to settle in and look to simply outscore opponents with big plays and quick drives. When Nevada falls down by a big margin early, it will force them to become more aggressive with its offense and should find garbage points against a marginal USC defense. 

College Football Penn State vs. West Virginia Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips

Penn State is a legitimate national title contender with 16 returning starters from an 11-2 season. The Nittany Lions have one of the best defenses in the country and a five-star QB in Drew Allar. Running back Nicholas Singleton recorded 4.6 yards after contact last season, the highest mark of any returning back. 

We're going with Penn State to win big in it season opener against West Virginia and taking Penn State -20.5 (-110) at bet365. Defensively, Penn State has one of the best secondaries, linebacker groups and defensive lines in the country. All of it makes for a loaded unit that should come out jacked up for a Saturday night game under the lights to open the season. 

Penn State coach James Franklin has one of his best teams since he became the coach at the program and we don't see a letdown performance to open the 2023-24 season. Look for the Nittany Lions to win big and consider looking at them in the futures market to win the national title. 

College Football Iowa vs. Utah State Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips

Iowa football made news this offseason, and not for any good reasons. First, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz has been under so much scrutiny for how bad the offense has been, that an incentive was added to his contract for Iowa to average 25 points per game and win seven games. Then, it was revealed Iowa's own players were betting on the under in their games. 

If Iowa's own players want to take the under in their own games, then we will too. We're going with the Iowa vs. Utah State: Under 45.5 (-110) at FanDuel for the Iowa and Utah State matchup. 

Michigan transfer QB Cade McNamara arrived to bolster Iowa's offense, but we remain skeptical after the team is coming off a season where it averaged just 18.6 points, ranking 117th in the country, and even that was aided by defensive scores and turnovers. Utah State wasn't much better a year ago, averaging 23.5 points for the 85th-most points in the country. 

Utah State's defense should be better after dealing with injuries last season, while Iowa was second in the country in total defense and scoring defense. The Hawkeyes lost key members from their dominant defensive line last season, but it returns an experienced secondary which should limit Utah State's offensive chances. 

Final Words on the College Football Best Bets Today

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To optimize your college football betting journey today, it's crucial to engage in responsible gambling and manage your budget effectively. As your trusted provider of daily free predictions, we're committed to delivering valuable tips and insights. Keep an eye out for more useful information to enhance your betting experience.

Join in the thrill and leverage FanDuel Sportsbook's generous bonus offer to boost your college football betting strategy. Remember, betting responsibly ensures a more enjoyable and long-lasting adventure in the betting world.

As we look forward to the thrilling College Football matchups for today, there's another exciting development on the horizon for sports betting enthusiasts. Come this September, Kentucky will be launching online sports betting, paving the way for the emergence of new Kentucky betting apps. This opens up a new realm of opportunities for fans and bettors alike. Stay tuned for more updates on this front.

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