Week 0 2024 College Football Best Betting Picks & Predictions

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It’s not a full slate of college football, but the appetizer version is better than none.

Something beats nothing after eight long months, and it’s time for Saturday college football.

With only four games on the slate in Week 0, finding value takes a closer look, but it’s there.

Here’s a look at every game on the Saturday slate.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech went 7-6 last season and has experience back at key skill positions and along the offensive line. The Yellow Jackers are showing signs of improvement but have a long way to go to reach the ACC’s upper echelon. They’re facing what should be a motivated Florida State, a program with 73 players back from last year’s team out to prove the CFP snub was a mistake.

The Seminoles were unbeaten, untied and uncrowned last season, robbed of a playoff appearance they had rightfully earned by winning the ACC.

Forgiving the deflated no-show against Georgia in the Orange Bowl, they’ve had to spend all offseason surrounded by the spin of how that game justified the decision to leave them out.

With Jordan Travis (Jets) in the NFL, in comes QB D.J. Uiagalelei, who makes his return to the ACC after a strong season at Oregon State (previously at Clemson).

The Seminoles have covered six of their past nine games against ACC opposition. They blasted Georgia Tech in their most recent meeting, a 41-16 rout in 2022. On a neutral field and another continent, the Seminoles are still vastly superior in talent, depth and skill.

Florida State -10.5 (+120 at BetRivers)

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Montana State Bobcats vs. New Mexico Lobos

Have you ever seen a team become so underrated that it’s overrated?

That’s what has happened here in Albuquerque. Montana State is a very good FCS team, one that’s capable of winning the national championship if a couple breaks go its way. New Mexico is a poor FBS team, and it only brings back nine starters from last season.

But the idea that the Bobcats should be giving two touchdowns on the road to a program with an extra 22 scholarships is a little ridiculous. Montana State hasn’t beaten an FCS team since 2006, and the Bobcats usually don’t fare very well against the big boys. The last time they met an FBS team was 2022, when they took the No. 4 team in FCS to Oregon State and lost by 40.

New Mexico has an experienced new coach in Bronco Mendenhall, and spending training camp with him should help improve the standards around the Lobo program. The Bobcats had value when this opened at -4.5, but the number has been pushed so far that the value goes in the other direction.

New Mexico +13.5 (-105, BetMGM)

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SMU Mustangs vs. Nevada Wolf Pack

SMU plays with the big boys now as an ACC member, and the Mustangs are ready for their moment. The defense was actually a strength for SMU last year, but this is still an offense-first team that returns all of its skill players in 2023.

SMU hit this number on its own four times, and the Mustangs’ defense is expected to take a step back due to a few key losses to graduation.

Nevada is expected to be the worst team in the Mountain West, but its passing attack isn’t horrible.

The most likely script here is: SMU gets up a couple of scores, and Nevada has to go to the air to try to stay in the game. That should stop the clock long enough to hit the number.

Over 55.5 (-109, FanDuel)

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Delaware State Hornets vs. Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors

Don’t get scared off by the late-night kickoff or relatively huge number.

It’s a lot of points; we get it.

But this Delaware State team is about as poor as it gets. The Hornets went 1-10 last year, didn’t beat a Division I opponent, and lost to Division II Bowie State. Hawai’i actually played good football at the end of last season, winning three of its final four games.

The Rainbow Warriors return more than 80 percent of last year’s offense, and quarterback Brayden Schager has been given free reign to change things up if he sees something in the defense. Against the Hornets, he’s likely to see a lot and fairly often.

Hawai’i is 3-1 ATS in its past four meetings against FCS opposition, which includes an 11-point win over Albany last season. The Great Danes were a playoff team; the Hornets won’t be anywhere close. The score shouldn’t be close either.

Hawai’i -39.5 (-108 at BetRivers)