College Football – Top 25 Odds and Matchups Week 1 2019

While there were a few games last week to tempt us, the real college football season begins on Thursday with four teams ranked in the preseason top-25 poll set to do battle.

No. 1 ranked Clemson kicks off defense of its national championship as a huge favorite on college football betting lines for its ACC tilt against Georgia Tech. In all, the weekend feast of college pigskin will see 24 of the top-25 teams in action and only one contest pitting a pair of ranked opponents against each other.

The AP Top-25 poll is merely a suggestion. It gives programs something to strive for and more than anything it creates excitement and talking points during the week when no games are scheduled. The rankings are fluid and will change week to week. Teams that are in the poll at the beginning of the year won’t be there at the end. One thing we can be sure of is the top teams will all battle for the prize at the end of the year.

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Top 25 Week 1 Matchups

Georgia Tech at No. 1 Clemson ( -36, 59.5 ), Thursday, August 29, 8 p.m. ET (ACCN)

The No. 1 team in the land earned that spot with its thrashing of Alabama in last season’s CFP title game. And it doesn’t look like Dabo Swinney’s crew is about to give up its perch. The Tigers are the biggest top-25 favorite on the board and they shouldn’t have a problem with a Tech team transitioning to new offensive scheme under first-year coach Geoff Collins. The Jackets will have a tough time scoring and the only way Clemson doesn’t cover is if Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne make an early exit.

Duke vs. No. 2 Alabama ( -33.5, 57.5 ), Saturday, August 31, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

With the announcement that several Alabama players would be suspended for the first half of the opener, the line saw some movement in favor of the underdog Duke Blue Devils. Not that the half game suspensions are going to impact the outcome of this game, but the Tide went from -35 to -33.5 after the news. Running backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson were two reportedly suspended. However, Bama has Heisman hopeful Tua Tagovailoa and a passing game that can devastate opponents. Duke isn’t expected to put up much of a fight and the suspensions won’t hinder Bama’s run.

No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 16 Auburn ( -3. 55.5 ), Saturday, August 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

There’s a lot at stake in the only matchup between ranked teams in Week 1. The return of Justin Herbert sets up the Oregon Ducks as the favorite in the Pac-12 with thoughts of a CFP berth. A likely first-round pick had he declared for the NFL draft, Herbert surprised nearly everyone with his decision to play his senior year. And the Ducks have a plethora of playmakers around him. Auburn is going with true freshman Bo Nix under center, giving OU a clear edge at the most important position on the field. Auburn opened at -2.5 and was wagered to -3.5 before some action on the underdogs brought the number down. I would lean toward Oregon even if they were laying points, so taking them and a field goal is a bonus.

Georgia Southern at No. 6 LSU ( -27.5, 53 ), Saturday, August 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Just how tough is the SEC West? Well, four teams from the division are ranked among the top-16 in the country with LSU at No. 6. The Tigers will unveil a new offensive scheme when they open the 2019 campaign in Death Valley against Sun Belt foe Georgia Southern. A lot is happening in Baton Rouge and the Tigers are poised to make a run at Alabama. Shaky quarterback play and an archaic game plan have held LSU back for the better part of a decade, but those areas appear to be changing. Joe Burrow leads the new spread attack and the defense has more talent than the group that was among the SEC’s best last year. College football betting lines at online sportsbooks have the Bayou Bengals at -27.5 which seems like a lot, but it really isn’t.

Four additional games have a spread above 30 points. No. 7 Michigan is spotting Middle Tennessee 34 points and the Wolverines are looking for a better start than last season when a loss to Notre Dame left them in a tough spot. The Texas AM Aggies are looking for bigger things in Jimbo Fisher’s second season and they’re giving 33 points to Texas State. I wouldn’t be surprised to see AM win this one by more than 40. Voters are always looking to fill out the bottom spots in the poll and I’m not convinced Scott Frost has turned a corner at Nebraska. Taking South Alabama and 36-points looks like the smart play.

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