Week 1 Saturday College Football Odds and Bets

Here are three bets for Saturday’s college football slate.

Week 1 of the 2022 NCAA college football treated bettors to several games that came right down to the wire.

No. 17 Pittsburgh beat West Virginia, 38-31, in the first meeting of the “Backyard Brawl” since 2011, but the Mountaineers covered the 7.5-point spread.

The Big Ten showdown between Penn State and Purdue came down to the final minute, with the Nittany Lions pulling out a thrilling 35-31 road win by scoring the winning touchdown with 57 seconds left.

Penn State has now beaten the Panthers four straight times and bailed out bettors who laid the road chalk (-3.5) by the proverbial “hook”.

College Football Betting Previews: SEC | Big Ten | 2023 No. 1 Pick | Heisman | Big 12 | ACC | Pac-12 | Notre Dame

Top ranked Alabama (+190), No. 2 Ohio State (+300) and No. 3 Georgia (+330), the favorites at SI Sportsbook to win the national title, will all be in action Saturday. If you are looking to invest in any of the highly respected teams, be prepared to lay the wood as all three are installed as overwhelming favorites.

Respected money information from Vegas split both of its investments and owns a 2-3 against the spread (ATS). Let’s drive into Saturday’s bets.

Bet on College Football at SI Sportsbook

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina (1-0; 0-1 ATS) vs. Appalachian State (0-0)

Spread: North Carolina +1.5 (-110) | Appalachian State -1.5 (-118)
Moneyline: UNC (+100) | APP (-125)
Total: 56 – Over (-118) | Under 56 (-110)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: UNC 57% | APP 43%
Game Info: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 | 12 p.m. ET | ESPNU
Editor’s Note - Odds are subject to change.

The line has flipped since opening with North Carolina as a 2.5-point road favorite against Appalachian State. Bettors at SI Sportsbook now find a line displaying the Mountaineers as 1.5-point home favorites against the Tar Heels.

North Carolina freshman quarterback Drake Maye threw for 294 yards and five touchdowns in last week’s 56-24 win over Florida A&M. The Tar Heels’ rushing attack was led by freshman tailback Omarion Hampton, who rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the easy victory, North Carolina started the year with an 0-1 ATS record as it failed to cover the 46-point spread against the Rattlers.

Appalachian State is led by redshirt senior quarterback Chase Brice for a second consecutive season. Brice threw for 3,337 yards and 27 touchdowns last season and will have a solid surrounding cast once again in 2022.

The Mountaineers finished 35th in rushing yards per game (192.2) last season. Talented running backs Nate Noel (1,126 yards; four touchdowns) and Camerun Peoples (926 yards; 14 touchdowns) both return for Shawn Clark’s squad.

These teams have met only once in 2019, when Appalachian State went into Chapel Hill and upset North Carolina, 34-31, as a 1.5-point underdog.

Now, the Mountaineers host the Tar Heels and they will treat their fans to another victory over their in-state foe.

After last week’s failed cover, North Carolina is 0-4 ATS in its last four games against non-ACC teams. Bettors should expect that futility to extend Saturday.

BET: Appalachian State moneyline (-125)

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tulsa (0-0) at Wyoming (0-1; 0-1 ATS)

Spread: Tulsa -6.5 (-118) | Wyoming +6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Tulsa (-250) | Wyoming (-188)
Total: 44 – Over (-110) | Under 44 (-118)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: TUL 61% | WYM 39%
Game Info: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. ET | FOX
Editor’s Note - Odds are subject to change.

The line has steamed up since opening in favor of Tulsa as a 2.5-point road favorite against Wyoming to the Golden Hurricane now laying 6.5 points at SI Sportsbook. Respected money has pushed this number up in Vegas after its opening in late May, aligned with moderate public support.

Last season, the Golden Hurricane started 0-3 but rebounded to go 7-3 over the final 10 games - which concluded with an impressive 30-17 win over Old Dominion in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Quarterback Davis Brin, who threw for 3,254 yards with 18 touchdowns, is back for his senior season.

Wyoming already has one game under its belt and the Cowboys would like to forget the 38-6 loss at Illinois in Week 0. The most alarming takeaway from the blowout defeat was the ineffectiveness of quarterback Andrew Peasley who completed just five of 20 pass attempts (25%) for 30 yards and an interception.

Tulsa posted a 8-4 ATS record last year and went 5-0 ATS its final five games. The Golden Hurricane are road juggernaut ATS, covering at an amazing 84.2% clip over the last three seasons via a 16-3 ATS mark in their last 19 road games..

Against a Cowboys offense that looked lost last week, it’s time to follow the steam.

SI Betting: Tulsa -6.5 (-110)

Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Louisville Cardinals (0-0) at Syracuse Orange (0-0)

Spread: Louisville -4.5 (-118) | Syracuse +4.5 (-110)
Moneyline: LOU (-200) | SYR (+155)
Total: 57.5 – Over (-110) | Under 57.5 (-118)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: LOU 59% | SYR 41%
Game Info: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN
Editor’s Note - Odds are subject to change.

The line has risen since opening with Louisville as a 2.5-point road favorite against Syracuse to the Cardinals now with a 4.5-point demand at SI Sportsbook.

Louisville dual-threat quarterback Malik Cunningham is back for his senior season after throwing for 2,941 yards and 19 touchdowns. His production on the ground is what pops off the page, rushing for 1,031 yards and 20 touchdowns in 13 games.

Syracuse, coming off a 2-6 ACC record in ACC play, will try to rebound in 2022. The Orange have a dual-threat quarterback of their own in Garrett Shrader. The Mississippi State transfer was solid for the Orange, throwing for 1,445 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 781 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.

The favorite is 8-0 ATS in the last eight meetings between the teams, with Louisville being a highly lucrative investment by posting a 7-1 ATS mark over that span. The Cardinals have absolutely dominated Syracuse over the last three seasons, defeating the Orange by a combined margin of 127-37.

With a total set at 57.5, bettors should expect both teams to have no issue scoring Saturday night. Cunningham is the X-factor and his production will once again be the difference. Cunningham is 3-0 SU and ATS against Syracuse thanks to throwing for 10 passing touchdowns while adding three more rushing scores.

Expect the star signal-caller to remain perfect in his career against the ‘Cuse.

SI Betting: Louisville -4 (-120) Buy Hook

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2022 SI Betting NCAA Football: 2-3 ATS
2021 SI Betting NCAA Football: 14-12 ATS
2020 SI Betting NCAA Football: 32-21 ATS

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Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.

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