We finally have meaningful football in our lives again. College football is BACK with seven games on the week 0 slate. You already know we’re taking action on all seven games! Not the greatest slate of games but we do have big-name brands like Notre Dame and USC in the mix, it will be entertaining, to say the least.
Notre Dame (-20.5) vs Navy – Dublin, Ireland
The new look Irish begin their 2023 campaign as they should in the true home of the Irish. Incoming transfer Sam Hartman should provide balance to the historically run-heavy Notre Dame offensive attack. I don’t care what the above tweet has to say! Don’t be afraid of the big number here. I think the added threat to the passing game is just what the Irish need to cover in their opener. Navy has a first-year coach, and Notre Dame has their best QB talent since Brady Quinn… you do the math.
The Play: Notre Dame -20.5
UTEP (-1) @ Jacksonville State
It’s hard for me to explain here, but I like Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks are the lone home underdogs on this slate and nobody likes a lonely cock! BUT, I like what Jacksonville State has done since being elevated to the FBS level. Did you know… Rich Rodriguez is the head coach of JSU? Well you do now! If there’s one thing we know about Rich Rod, he’s going to bring the offense. I give the edge to the Gamecocks at home.
The Play: Jacksonville State +1
UMass @ New Mexico State (-8)
Former Golden Gophers head coach Jerry Kill made waves in his first year leading New Mexico State. The Aggies finished their season 6-7 with a bowl win and momentum heading into 2023.
The Play: New Mexico State -8
Ohio @ San Diego State (-2.5)
This is the toughest game to pick a side on for Week 0. With the news that Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke will play after a season-ending injury in 2022, the spread has moved from a point in favor of the Bobcats. Ohio does return much of its rushing production though. The San Diego State offense isn’t anything special.
The Play: Ohio ML
Hawai’i @ Vanderbilt (-17)
Let’s not kid ourselves… both of these teams suck. This is a lot of points to lay for Vandy against any team, but my message remains on this week 0 slate: don’t be afraid of the big number! The Commodores are a Power 5 team with Power 5 talent and that should be enough against a Hawai’i team that has a lot of other things on its mind right now. I promise their team is more put together than their stadium right now…
The Play: Vanderbilt -17
San Jose State @ USC (-30)
As you might imagine in the case of a failing conference… this game will be hard to find on TV. This tilt will be exclusively broadcasted on the elusive Pac-12 network. This is a shame because USC might be the most intriguing team on this slate. USC returns Heisman winner Caleb Williams which should be enough to give confidence against a lowly SJSU team. Yes, I know, this is a HUGE number to lay. The biggest question mark about the Trojans is their defense as HC Lincoln Riley opted to keep defensive coordinator Alex Grinch around for another year. I think the added pressure on the defense is a good thing for a season opener against an inferior opponent. Again, DON”T BE AFRAID OF THE BIG NUMBER!!
The Play: USC -30
FIU @ Louisiana Tech (-10)
It’s not the sexiest showdown, but there will be excitement. I’m focusing on the Quarterbacks in this matchup. FIU has former Auburn commit Keyone Jenkins, while Louisiana Tech has former Boise State QB Hank Bachmeier. Both teams are coming off lackluster seasons but I believe offense is the bright spot for both sides.
The Play: Over 58.5
Final Thoughts
I can only be so clear, but if you are still reading this… DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BET THE BIG NUMBER. Betting lines are designed to make you say “That’s way too many points”. I’ll remind you that even the Gophers covered multiple 30-point spreads in non-conference play last season. Let’s start the season off with coins in our pockets and build that bankroll for Week 1!
Parlay engineer with Twitter fingers.