College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (2024)

Week 0 was the warmup for the upcoming 2022 college football season, but for many Week 1 signifies the real start of the marathon. In the span of Thursday through Labor Day, we'll have five loaded days of college football, providing wall-to-wall (or screen-to-screen) action that will havea little bit of something for everyone.

Getting things underway is the return of a top-10 rivalry in college football: the Backyard Brawl betweenWest Virginiaand No. 17 Pitt. The old Big East rivals haven't played since 2011 -- a 21-20 win for the Mountaineers in Morgantown, West Viginia -- but the passage of time hasn't diminished the stakes.

The frenzy of kickoffs to start Thursday's action doesn't end in the Steel City, though. No. 12Oklahoma StatehostsCentral Michiganin the first meeting between the programs since a miraculous, if not controversial, 30-27 Chippewas win in Stillwater, Oklahoma, back in 2016. Meanwhile,Tennesseeopens its season against MAC foeBall Statewith the Volunteers carrying high hopes from the offseason into the fall. Then, a Big Ten cross-divisional game betweenPenn StateandPurduekeeps the entertainment going with the Nittany Lions hoping to start 2022 off on the right foot after consecutive disappointing seasons.

Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the evening for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let's take a look at our expert picks for the best games on Thursday of Week 1.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern

West Virginia vs. No. 17Pittsburgh

7 p.m. | ESPN,fuboTV(Try for free) --It ain't called the Backyard Shootout, it's called the Backyard Brawl. The fabric of this rivalry is made of rock fights; every yard is earned and the defenses rule the day. While two formerUSCquarterbacks --JT Danielsfor WVU,Kedon Slovisfor Pitt -- will dominate the conversation, both teams are stronger on the defensive side of the ball. There's also the matter of Pitt's offense evolving through the loss of Kenny Pickett,Jordan Addisonand OC Mark Whipple, and the implementation of a new offense. Signs point to a team that's going to run the ball a little more than it did in 2021, rely on its advantage at the line of scrimmage and, for our purposes, play a style that sets up well for the under.Pick: Under 51-- Chip Patterson


College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (1)

Dennis Dodd

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (2)

Tom Fornelli

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (3)

Chip Patterson

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (4)

Barrett Sallee

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (5)

Shehan Jeyarajah

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (6)

David Cobb

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (7)

Jerry Palm

ATS

West Virginia

West Virginia

Pittsburgh

West Virginia

West Virginia

Pittsburgh

West Virginia

SU

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

West Virginia

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

West Virginia

Central Michigan vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State

7 p.m. | FS1,fuboTV(Try for free) --There was a time when Oklahoma State was the king of nonconference shootouts, but it's a new day in Stillwater. The Cowboys allowed just 18.1 points per game in 2021 and limited opponents to just 2.71 yards per carry. There's turnover on defense, but the Cowboys should still be able to bottle up the Chippewas and star running back Lew Nichols. Expect a slow, low-scoring game.Pick: Under 59.5-- Shehan Jeyarajah


College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (22)

Dennis Dodd

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (23)

Tom Fornelli

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (24)

Chip Patterson

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (25)

Barrett Sallee

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (26)

Shehan Jeyarajah

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (27)

David Cobb

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (28)

Jerry Palm

ATS

C. Michigan

C. Michigan

C. Michigan

Okla. St.

C. Michigan

C. Michigan

Okla. St.

SU

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Okla. St.

Ball State vs. Tennessee

7 p.m. | SEC Network,fuboTV(Try for free) --The point total in Ball State's last seven games against Power Five opposition failed to reach 68 points. In fact, the average point total in the Cardinals' past 10 games of that variety is just 50.9. Tennessee's offense is explosive, yes, but the Volunteers have a huge game at Pitt looming in Week 2 and may call off the dogs relatively early if they can. The Vols are certainly suspect defensively, but they did allow just six points against MAC foe Bowling Green in last year's opener.Pick: Under 68 -- David Cobb

Penn State vs. Purdue

8 p.m. | Fox,fuboTV(Try for free) --I've painted myself into a bit of a corner here. I spent the offseason talking about Penn State being the Big Ten's most underrated program based on the last couple of seasons, while simultaneously saying that Purdue was overrated after overperforming last season. Well, it looks like my two opinions will clash head-on Thursday night, and I see no reason to back down from them yet. I have legitimate concerns about Purdue's ability to quickly replace the key parts it lost from last year's team, and Penn State should have the clear talent advantage. There's a reason the Nittany Lions are favored on the road coming off a mediocre season. Don't overthink it.Pick: Penn State -3.5 -- Tom Fornelli

Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 1, and which big favorite will go down hard?Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread-- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,600 in profit over the past six-plus seasons -- and find out.

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for key Week 1 games Thursday (2024)

FAQs

What is the best college football prediction site? ›

Dimers.com is the home of the best college football predictions, providing fans with the tools, computer analysis, and expert data to excel at college football betting.

How accurate are college football predictions? ›

Over the past 10 years, a sample of 339 bowl games, the preseason Coaches poll predicted 59.9% of bowl game winners (163-109 with no prediction in 67 games with two unranked teams). The AP poll didn't do much worse at 58.8% of winners (154-108 with no prediction in 77 games).

How often does the favorite win in college football? ›

How often does the favorite cover the spread in NCAAF? In the 2021 season, the favorite covered 442 games ATS and lost 422 games ATS, which equals a 51.16% win percentage against the spread .

What are the college football playoff odds? ›

Here are the 10 programs with odds at +2500 or better to win the national championship next season:
  • Georgia Bulldogs +275. ...
  • Ohio State Buckeyes +475. ...
  • Texas Longhorns +650. ...
  • Oregon Ducks +900. ...
  • Alabama Crimson Tide +1300. ...
  • Ole Miss Rebels +1500. ...
  • LSU Tigers +2000. ...
  • Florida State Seminoles +2500.
Mar 24, 2024

Which website is 100% accurate for football predictions? ›

Focuspredict remains the best football prediction site in the world and we are the only site that predicts football matches correctly to our bettors.

What is the number 1 football prediction site? ›

EaglePredict is the best football prediction site in the world with over 89.9% accuracy rate in our football betting tips.

How accurate is ESPN predictor? ›

For context, ESPN's Matchup Predictor is based on a collective of analytics that is generated by AI. The predictor has an accuracy rate of 75% meaning it will not be 100% accurate but rather an educated prediction.

What is the most accurate sports prediction site? ›

Our top pick is BetIdeas. This popular website leverages AI to make accurate and risk-averse betting predictions. The majority of betting predictions are focused on soccer. This covers the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and Bundesliga.

How accurate is ESPN FPI predictions? ›

ESPN FPI Preseason Accuracy for Pac-12 Teams. That is 43 correct games and 8 wrong, or an accuracy of 84%.

Who is most likely to win college football? ›

College Football Championship Odds FAQs

Georgia is the current favorite to win the 2024-25 College Football Playoff National Championship with +425 odds from ESPN BET.

Who is the winningest program in college football? ›

Michigan

What's the most profitable sport to bet on? ›

Best Sports to Bet On: Key Insights
  • College football offers the most value to bettors across all bet types, closely followed by the NFL.
  • Baseball offers the lowest potential value across all bet types.
  • College basketball offers significantly higher potential ROI than NBA betting.

Who is favored to win the 2024 college football championship? ›

Georgia is the oddsmakers' favorite to win the College Football Playoff this season, at +350. Keep scrolling for a full list of title hopefuls and their current odds. Keep up with the 2024-25 college football season on FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports App.

Who are the favorites to win the college football championship? ›

CFP National Championship Odds & Betting Lines 2025: Georgia Favored, Buckeyes Gaining Steam. Despite finishing the year with an unbeaten record and a National Championship, Michigan finds itself seventh in the futures market for next season behind some familiar programs like Georgia and Ohio State.

How to read odds in football? ›

The number that follows the negative symbol (the odds) reveals how much to bet for every $100 you want to win. For example, if the team you're betting on has -110 odds, you need to wager $110 to win $100. If your team has -150 odds, you must risk $150 to win $100.

Which is the best football prediction site in the world app? ›

At EaglePredict, the best soccer prediction site we provide you with games with high assurance rate after making detailed research and in-depth analysis of each match and also considering other factors like the history, challenge of the match, the team's current form, playing conditions and other factors that might ...

What is the best website for football picks? ›

What is the best site for NFL predictions? Dimers.com is the best site for NFL predictions. Dimers gives 🏈 fans the tools, computer analysis and expert data to excel at NFL betting in 2024. Dimers Pro provides unlimited access to our site, so check out our NFL score predictions and best NFL bets today.

What is the website to check football prediction? ›

MeritPredict is the best football prediction website in the world. Meritpredict makes it easier for punters and football bettors to win their games. we provide accurate football prediction for free to visitors to help them win their bets.

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