The wait is over! College Football Week 0 is finally here! It’s the unofficially official start to the season and there are four games taking place to welcome us back. Let’s try to give game spread picks, starting with this week.
Each year, millions of sports fans win (and lose) all kinds of money betting on various things but game spreads are some of the most popular because there’s an added layer to guessing winners. Sure, Clemson just beat Louisville but the spread was Clemson (-13.5) and the final score was 21-10, so Louisville (+13.5) cashes.
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College Football Week 0 Game Spread Best Bets
(10) Florida State (-10.5) at Georgia Tech
The first game of the 2024 College Football season pits last year’s ACC champions against a solid Georgia Tech squad looking to pull the upset in Dublin, Ireland in Week 0.
Last year, Florida State became the first-ever Power 5 champion AND undefeated Power 5 team to miss out on the College Football Playoff. Losing Jordan Travis was the blow that did it. Now, the Seminoles look to 2024 to get back into the conversation. Behind former Clemson and Oregon State starting quarterback, D.J. Uiagalelei, they may have a shot. They only return eight starters but, on offense, they return three offensive linemen. Defensively, Patrick Payton is looking to take another step to be one of the top defenders in the ACC yet again.
Georgia Tech is a sneaky pick to surprise in 2024. If they’re going to, they’ll have to earn it. The Yellow Jackets have Florida State, Notre Dame, Miami (FL), NC State, and Georgia on the schedule. They return 14 starters from a team that went 7-6 a year ago. Haynes King and Jamal Haynes are a formidable quarterback/running back combo. Defensively, GT returns five of its front six.
Georgia Tech will likely make this one a bit more exciting than many would think. However, Florida State should be able to take care of business and win by at least 11.
Montana State (-12.5) at New Mexico
Next up, buckle up, Week 0 gets a little squirrelly.
Montana State comes into the season as the fourth-ranked team at the FCS level. They had the second-best scoring offense at the FCS level a year ago and will be returning quarterback Tommy Mellott. Mellott was half of a two-quarterback attack and comes into 2024 with 3,241 passing yards 17 touchdowns with 2,474 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground in his career. However, all four of the Bobcats’ leading running backs from a year ago are returning. The defense is replacing a handful of productive players from a defense that allowed just over 21 points per game last year.
Bronco Mendenhall takes over a New Mexico Lobos program that has had 14 losing seasons over its last 16 seasons. Offensively, the Lobos bring back quarterback Devon Dampier and receiver Caleb Medford. That’s it. However, they added a ton via the transfer portal, so this team could be vastly improved from last year’s four-win team.
This game has FCS-over-FBS written all over it. Montana State is one of the best FCS programs in the country whereas New Mexico is one of the worst FBS.
SMU (-24.5) at Nevada
The first game of the ACC era for SMU is a trip to the Mountain West’s Nevada Wolfpack in Week 0.
Last year, SMU won the American Athletic Conference behind a prolific offense and a surprising defense. Now, they join the Power 4 but return seven offensive starters and six on defense. Led by Preston Stone at quarterback, the Mustangs had a top-eight scoring offense yet again. Defensively, the secondary is mostly intact from a passing defense that was 13th in the country a year ago. SMU isn’t expected to win or contend for the ACC but no established programs should sleep on them.
Conversely, Nevada went 2-10 last year. As a result, they went out and hired Texas co-Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Choate. They don’t return many starters from last year but did bring in a good handful of Power 4 transfers. Nevada, as a whole, should be a bit better as compared to a year ago. However, they’ll likely hover in the bottom half of the solid Mountain West.
SMU is coming into the 2024 season with a head full of steam thanks to the “promotion” to the ACC. The Mustangs should be able to take care of business and cover.
Delaware State (+39.5) at Hawai’i
Finally, would it be a week of college football without a 12:00 A.M. Eastern kick out in Hawai’i?
Delaware State, if they were in the top half of FCS programs, they’d probably have a shot in this one. As it is, in the MEAC, the Hornets have not posted a winning in-conference record in 10 years. They were 1-10 last year. They do return nine starters on offense and six on defense.
Meanwhile, while Hawai’i isn’t a top-tier MWC program, they can move the ball. Brayden Schager after passing for 5,890 yards and 39 touchdowns over the last two seasons. The Rainbow Warriors return both of their top two receivers in a pass-heavy offense. Pofele Ashlock and Steven McBride combined for 1,856 yards and 18 touchdowns a year ago.
Hawai’i should absolutely win this game. However, winning by 40 is a tall ask. Hawai’i hasn’t scored 40 points since November 20, 2021. The longest distance by a team traveling has to be in Week 0, doesn’t it?
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