It’s finally time to break down Week 1 of the college football season!
There are some incredible matchups on the slate. This could ultimately be one of the best Week 1’s we’ve ever had.
Clemson will play Georgia, Miami will visit Florida, and Notre Dame will travel to Texas A&M. Plus, USC will take on LSU in Las Vegas for a standalone Sunday game.
It really doesn’t get any better than this! I’ve added a couple of my favorite bets heading into the week. Here is my top pick for College Football Week 1’s game: Clemson vs. Georgia.
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College Football Top Early Week Picks: Clemson vs. Georgia
(Odds courtesy of DraftKingsFanDuel Sportsbook)
Clemson vs. Georgia
The Clemson Tigers finished 9-4 overall last season but lost four conference games. They also went 2-3 on the road but finished the season on a five-game winning streak.
Clemson is unique in that they rarely look for transfers. The Tigers want to build within. It worked back then, but some have a hard time believing it will work now during the transfer portal era.
But with no transfers, Clemson is able to keep its chemistry. They rarely lose major pieces to other programs and typically have many upper-level students starting.
That stands true this year. Cade Klubnik, a junior, will start at quarterback for another season. He’ll be met with Phil Mafah at, running back, who will be a senior.
While the running game was special for Clemson last season, Klubnik was all over the place. The Clemson QB threw nine interceptions and had just a 55 QBR. It’s hard to imagine Klubnik finds much success against Georgia’s typically lethal defense.
On the other hand, Georgia landed some massive transfers, including former Florida running back Trevor Etienne. But the most important thing is that Carson Beck is back under center. Beck’s season last year was very underrated. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and added an 86 QBR, good for fifth in college football.
Georgia was super well-rounded last season. That shouldn’t change.
That said, Clemson’s defense should be good in coverage, and it played very well against the run last season. This will likely be a lower-scoring game between two dominant defenses.
Pick: Under 49.5 (-110)
