The first week of the college football season is behind us, and now we turn our attention to next week’s slate of games. There are some important conference clashes and high-profile non-conference games this week that will more than likely help determine who will make the College Football Playoff in December. Let’s take a look at a few of the top games.
College Football Week 2 Betting Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Georgia Bulldogs -10
South Carolina Gamecocks +10
Total 53
There has been some early action on Georgia, with the Bulldogs moving from an initial nine-point favorite to -10. This series has been historically one-sided with Georgia winning 50 of the 70 meetings between these teams, and re-establishing control of the series after Steve Spurrier led the Gamecocks to wins in four of five between 2010 and 2014.
Georgia has one of the most talented defenses in the nation, but this unit is somewhat inexperienced. Only five starters came back from the 2017 team, and the Bulldogs didn’t receive much of a test in their opener against Austin Peay. The secondary will be tested by Jake Bentley in this one though.
Bentley is the most underrated quarterback in the SEC. He doesn’t get the recognition that other signal callers in this conference do, even though he continually puts up solid numbers in an offense that usually stifles production from the position. This line could drop back into single digits by gameday.
The total has seen a decent amount of movement. Originally, the total came out at 51.5, but it has since been bumped up to 53 as of Tuesday.
Clemson Tigers -12
Texas A&M Aggies +12
Total 54
The total has dropped significantly from where it opened in this College Gameday clash. According to the opening NCAAF betting odds, the total for this game started at 57, but three points have been shaved off the number since then.
That’s due to Clemson’s defensive line being the best unit we have seen in recent memory. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, and Christian Wilkins are all potential top-10 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, and they have completely blown up offensive gameplans over the course of the last two seasons.
Related: College Football Betting Guide
It’s going to take time for Jimbo Fisher to get things up and running in College Station too. Texas A&M is moving from an up-tempo spread offense to a more deliberate approach, and the Aggies don’t yet have the players they want for the new philosophy. However, the defense is set to be much better than it was last year under new defensive coordinator Mike Elko, and they may give Clemson’s quarterbacks some trouble.
USC Trojans +4.5
Stanford Cardinal -4.5
Total 55
It took a while for the USC Trojans to get going offensively in their season opener. USC was only up 19-14 on UNLV entering the fourth quarter, but then freshman quarterback JT Daniels showed a good amount of poise to lead the Trojans to four fourth quarter scores in order to put the game away.
Now, Daniels must step up his game in a tough road tilt in Palo Alto. The oddsmakers like Stanford in this one, and the Cardinal opened as a four-point favorite. Sharps have moved that number up a tick to 4.5 at BetDSI, with even higher numbers at other shops.
That line might continue to rise throughout the week. Stanford looked strong in a 31-10 win over a tough San Diego State team in their season opener, and the Cardinal showed they could move the ball through the air with the Aztecs selling out to stop Bryce Love and the run game.
College Football Betting Odds – Week 2 Opening Odds 9/7/18 – 9/8/18
TCU -22.5
SMU +22.5
Total 58
Liberty +8.5
Army -8.5
Total 58.5
Georgia Tech -3.5
South Florida +3.5
Total 59.5
Western Michigan +28
Michigan -28
Total 56
Eastern Michigan +16.5
Purdue -16.5
Total 55.5
New Mexico +35
Wisconsin -35
Total 58.5
Duke +3
Northwestern -3
Total 49
Mississippi State -9
Kansas State +9
Total 54
Arizona +4.5
Houston -4.5
Total 71
Nevada +9
Vanderbilt -9
Total 62
Georgia State +25.5
North Carolina State -25.5
Total 54
UCLA +30
Oklahoma -30
Total 64.5
Air Force +10
Florida Atlantic -10
Total 65.5
Kansas +4.5
Central Michigan -4.5
Total 51.5
Memphis -6.5
Navy +6.5
Total 70
North Carolina -16.5
East Carolina +16.5
Total 60
Rutgers +35
Ohio State -35
Total 60
Buffalo +5
Temple -5
Total 51.5
Georgia -10
South Carolina +10
Total 53
Arkansas State +36.5
Alabama -36.5
Total 65.5
Colorado +5
Nebraska -5
Total 63
Ball State +34.5
Notre Dame -34.5
Total 62.5
Iowa State +3.5
Iowa -3.5
Total 47.5
Appalachian State -14
Charlotte +14
Total 50
Maryland -15.5
Bowling Green +15.5
Total 65.5
Massachusetts +3
Georgia Southern -3
Total 62.5
UAB -10
Coastal Carolina +10
Total 55
Louisiana Monroe +5.5
Southern Miss -5.5
Total 68
Clemson -12
Texas A&M +12
Total 54
Wyoming +17
Missouri -17
Total 52
Baylor -15
UTSA +15
Total 50
Florida International -1
Old Dominion +1
Total 54.5
Virginia +6.5
Indiana -6.5
Total 53.5
Kentucky +13.5
Florida -13.5
Total 49.5
Utah -11
Northern Illinois +11
Total 47.5
Fresno State +2.5
Minnesota -2.5
Total 47.5
Arkansas -13
Colorado State +13
Total 69.5
New Mexico State +24
Utah State -24
Total 60
Cincinnati +1.5
Miami (OH) -1.5
Total 51
Tulsa +23
Texas -23
Total 61
South Alabama +32
Oklahoma State -32
Total 62
Penn State -8.5
Pittsburgh +8.5
Total 57
USC +4.5
Stanford -4.5
Total 55
UTEP +23
UNLV -23
Total 54
California +3.5
BYU -3.5
Total 46.5
Connecticut +31
Boise State -31
Total 64
Michigan State -6
Arizona State +6
Total 55
San Jose State +34.5
Washington State -34.5
Total 63
Rice +17
Hawai’i -17
Total 69.5
