Five college football best bets for Thursday night of Week 1

We are back for more college football with Week 1 getting underway. We are coming off a decent week, which saw us go 3-2, but now things ramp up when it comes to our ability to get in on the betting action. This week’s slate is so big we are going to go day by day and will first dive into the Thursday slate,

Thursday night  features just four games and I unfortunately do not have the intestinal fortitude to bet on the side of the Nebraska vs. Minnesota contest. With that said, I am going to give out three side bets and two prop bets for your consideration.

All lines are provided by our favorite online sportsbook in BetMGM.

This bet is less about UCF and more about Kent State being completely depleted due to some serious losses from the transfer portal. UCF and Gus Malzahn will be looking to make noise in the Big 12 and starting the season with a blowout against a lesser opponent is a great start. I’m taking the Knights to cover here.

It doesn’t matter who is starting for the Utes, I’m rolling with Utah. They haven’t lost at home since the COVID-19 year in 2020. This is a tough team and Florida lost Anthony Richardson to the NFL. I feel like fading Wisconsin castoff quarterback, Graham Mertz, and a below-average Gator offensive line is a safe move to stick with Utah to cover.

New North Carolina State incoming transfer quarterback, Brennan Armstrong, is reuniting with new offensive coordinator, Robert Anae. I am willing to bet my money that they can relive some of that magic they shared at Virginia together from the 2021 season. The UConn resurgence from last season was a heartwarming story, but the Wolfpack are a good team that typically implodes against better competition.

We discussed this game earlier in this piece and I am doubling down on this contest. I do have some concerns about the overall spread for the entire game because it is so large that Kent State could backdoor that thing. That is why I am including or hedging, however, you want to view it, the first half spread.

I don’t have the cajones to take a side here, although I do lean strongly toward Minnesota, but this game features two solid coaches with questionable rosters trying to feel themselves out and find identities. I expect both programs to take it slow and play ball control and that is why the Under is a prime pick.

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