College football odds Week 1: Why you should bet on Oregon, Ohio State

All eyes will be on three marquee Week 1 matchups between teams ranked in the Top 25 – No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 11 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 19 Arkansas vs. No. 23 Cincinnati.

If you're going to watch one of those games (or, admit it, all three of them, no judgment here), why not have a vested interest in the contests?

Here's everything you need from a betting perspective on the marquee games, from the point spread, moneyline, total over/under and picks from a betting expert (odds via FOX Bet):

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Two of those games caught the eye of FOX Bet Senior Trader Tieme Wesselink – the showdown in Georgia and the battle between teams just a few hours' drive apart. Let's dive into the odds, his logic, and, most importantly, his best bets.

No. 11 Oregon @ No. 3 Georgia (3:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC)

Point spread: Georgia -17 (Georgia favored to win by more than 17 points, otherwise Oregon covers)
Moneyline: Georgia -909 favorites to win (bet $10 to win $11.10 total); Oregon +600 underdogs to win (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Total scoring over/under: 53.5 points scored by both teams combined

No. 5 Notre Dame @ No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC)

Point spread: Ohio State -17 (Ohio State favored to win by more than 17 points, otherwise Notre Dame cover)
Moneyline: Ohio State -714 favorites to win (bet $10 to win $11.40 total); Notre Dame +500 underdogs to win (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Total scoring over/under: 58.5 points scored by both teams combined

Wesselink said the Ducks have an edge against the defending national champions – new Oregon coach Dan Lanning.

He was Georgia's defensive coordinator from 2019-21. The Bulldogs set a record by allowing 6.9 points per game during the 2021 regular season.

"Oregon head coach Dan Lanning used to be the defensive coordinator at Georgia, and I always like such angles early in the year, as the Ducks surely will be ready to put up a fight," Wesselink said. "I like Oregon to keep it close against Georgia. The Bulldogs lost 15 players to the NFL Draft, that's a large spread to cover in Week 1 with that kind of turnover."

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For the Fighting Irish-Buckeyes showdown, Wesslink likes laying the points. He recommends backing favored Ohio State despite Notre Dame being on a 10-3 run against the spread (ATS) in its last 13 games against ranked teams during the regular season.

"In this one, I like the Buckeyes to cover," Wesselink said. "C.J. Stroud, the current Heisman favorite (+225 at FOX Bet, bet $10 to win $32.50 total), against Notre Dame QB Tyler Buchner. That is a huge test for Buchner in his first big start to oppose the second-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus."

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PICK: Oregon (+17 at FOX Bet) to lose by fewer than 17 points (or win outright)

PICK: Ohio State (-17 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 17 points

Are you ready for some college football? If so, head over to FOX Bet for all your wagers.

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