College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Georgia State vs. South Carolina (2022)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 1 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Georgia State Panthers at South Carolina Gamecocks.

Check out our other Week 1 game previews:

• Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia
• Penn State vs. Purdue
• Louisiana Tech vs. Missouri
• Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State
• TCU vs. Colorado
• Indiana vs. Illinois
• Western Michigan vs. Michigan State
• Old Dominion vs. Virginia Tech
• New Mexico State vs. Minnesota
• Nevada vs. Texas State
• Western Kentucky vs. Hawaii
• North Carolina State vs. East Carolina
• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
• Boise State vs. Oregon State
• Arizona vs. San Diego State
• Utah State vs. Alabama
• Middle Tennessee vs. James Madison
• Cincinnati vs. Arkansas
• Florida State vs. LSU
• Utah vs. Florida
• Colorado State vs. Michigan
• Rice vs. USC
• Oregon vs. Georgia
• Louisiana-Monroe vs. Texas
• Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Georgia State Panthers at South Carolina Gamecocks

Georgia State Panthers at South Carolina Gamecocks -13, Total 57.5

Kickoff: Saturday, 7:30 ET

South Carolina was one of the biggest overachievers of the 2021 season. First-year head coach Shane Beamer led the team to an impressive 7-6 campaign and a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory over rival North Carolina. They pulled this off despite a disastrous situation under center.

Now, Beamer has brought in Oklahoma transfer Spencer Rattler to take over under center, with the hope being that a humbled Rattler can deliver on his promise in Columbia. The Gamecocks really have nowhere to go but up at quarterback, and Rattler will have last year’s top two receivers to throw to, plus an experienced offensive line protecting him. Defensively, only five starters return, however, including one along the defensive line.

While South Carolina overachieved, not many teams ended the year on a stronger note than Georgia State. The Panthers appeared left for dead at 1-4 before going 7-1 down the stretch and capping their season with a dominant Camellia Bowl victory.

Fifteen starters return this season, and all eyes will be on senior quarterback Darren Grainger, who took over the starting job in Week 3 of last season. The Panthers bring back two 800-yard rushers and their top receiver, as well as 143 career starts along the offensive line. Georgia State also returns seven starters on defense, including nine of their top 11 tacklers.

It’s probably a stretch to say Georgia State will walk into Columbia and knock off the Gamecocks. But they certainly could give them some trouble. Georgia State’s rushing attack could dominate an inexperienced South Carolina defensive line, allowing them to shorten the game and stay within the number. While Rattler is likely the most talented player on the field, nobody knows if he’s learned from his failed run at OU.

To top it off, this is a tricky spot for the Gamecocks, who travel to Arkansas next week for their SEC opener. The back door could be left wide open for Georgia State too.

The pick: Georgia State +13 (DraftKings)

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

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