College Football Week 0: Early Lines, Odds, & Predictions
The 2024 college football season kicks off with Week 0 on Saturday, August 24. There’s a four-game slate to bet on, so in this article, we’ll be monitoring early line movement on spread and totals for each game, offering analysis and finishing with a best bet. Here’s an early look at College Football Week 0 lines, odds, and predictions for the outcomes of each matchup.
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College Football Early Line Movement: Week 0
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
| Away | Home | Open Spread | Current Spread | Open Total | Current Total | Day | Spread +/- | Total +/- |
| Florida State | Georgia Tech | -13 | -11.5 | 56.5 | 55.5 | Monday | +1.5 | +1.0 |
| Montana State | New Mexico | -9.5 | -10 | – | 53.5 | Monday | -0.5 | N/A |
| SMU | Nevada | -25.5 | -27 | 57.5 | 56.5 | Monday | -1.5 | +1.0 |
| Delaware State | Hawai’i | – | 38 | 57 | 57 | Monday | N/A | Neutral |
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
Two ACC opponents will face off in Dublin, Ireland to start Week 0. Early line movement shows the point spread moving from -13 to -11.5 on the Seminoles, while the total has dropped a point to 55.5. The Yellow Jackets have won two of the past three matchups against Florida State, including a 16-13 win in Ireland back in 2020.
Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is the new signal-caller at Florida State in 2024, while Haynes King returns from a strong showing in 2023 as Georgia Tech’s quarterback. The Seminoles’ season ended with a dud but Georgia Tech is not a pushover opponent for an easy bounce-back right out of the gate.
Uiagalelei may have some growing pains with his new team and his completion percentage isn’t elite, while the Yellow Jackets’ offense will have an uphill battle against the Seminoles’ stout defense. The point total under has dropped a full point from 56.5 to 55.5, but it may continue dropping until kickoff. Let’s stake a unit on under 55.5 total points in a potentially low-scoring affair in this ACC showdown overseas.
Best Bet: Under 55.5 (-110)
Montana State vs. New Mexico
Montana State is a non-FBS team traveling to face New Mexico for Saturday’s second game. The Bobcats are still sizable favorites despite playing an FBS school on the road, going from -9.5 to -10 on the point spread. The game total is currently at 53.5.
The Lobos lost four of their last five games in 2023, finishing the season 4-8. Meanwhile, the Bobcats wound up 8-4 playing in the Big Sky conference last year, which is why they are currently a ten-point betting favorite. The line has moved in favor of Montana State, who won all eight games by at least 12 points or more in 2023.
Despite playing a Mountain West opponent on the road, backing the Bobcats to cover the point spread at -10 is the best bet in this matchup.
Best Bet: Montana State -10 (-110)
SMU vs. Nevada
SMU is now playing in the ACC and is a significant betting favorite against Nevada in Week 0. The Mustangs, led by quarterback Preston Stone, enter this game as 27-point road favorites against the Wolf Pack. The total has dropped a point from 57.5 to 56.5.
Nevada went 2-10 in 2023 and it’s baked into the current price of this point spread. SMU went 9-0 to finish their 2023 campaign, so they have a lot of momentum entering this Week 0 matchup. The Mustangs offense is set for an explosive outing at Nevada, so let’s stake a full unit on over 56.5 total points, taking advantage of this number dropping a point since it opened.
Best Bet: Over 56.5 (-112)
Delaware State vs. Hawai’i
The final game of Week 0 kicks off at midnight ET from Honolulu, Hawai’i featuring a lopsided matchup between Delaware State and Hawai’i. The Rainbow Warriors are massive favorites on the point spread at -38, while the total hasn’t changed at all since opening at 57.
The Hornets play in the MEAC and only recorded one win in 2023. Nearly all of their losses were by a double-digit margin, while Hawai’i didn’t have a memorable season either, falling out of bowl eligibility at 5-8. However, the Rainbow Warriors did win their final game, 27-24, against Colorado State.
38 points is a lot to lay with a favorite but Delaware State offers little upside or value despite this enormous price. However, Hawai’i never scored more than 40 points in 2023, so if the Hornets can muster one or two scoring possessions, they might be able to cover their point spread at +38. Let’s back the underdog here to close out the Week 0 slate.
Best Bet: Delaware State +38 (-110)
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