College Football Picks Week 1: Top 3 Games to Bet for 2024

YouBet has picks for three games in Week 1 of the FBS college football season. All lines courtesy of BetMGM.

Penn State at West Virginia: West Virginia (+7.5)

Eighth-ranked Penn State opened as a 9.5-point favorite, but West Virginia has been bet down and the Nittany Lions should be on upset alert. After winning nine games last year, West Virginia has the edge offensively with Heisman Trophy contender Garrett Greene at quarterback, prolific running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson, a deep receiving room, and a formidable offensive line. The Mountaineers have some concerns up front defensively, but they get middle linebacker Trey Lathan back from injury and added some talent in the secondary via the transfer portal. Defense will be a strength for Penn State, but nobody knows what to expect from quarterback Drew Allar and the offense under a new coordinator. Wide receiver looks like a weakness, and a conservative attack appears likely. West Virginia will make a close game out of it!

Miami at Florida: Over 54

Florida’s Graham Mertz led the SEC in completion percentage (72.9%) last year, throwing for 2,903 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions, and he’s set for another big season in Gainesville with All-SEC receiver Eugene Wilson and other experienced weapons at his disposal. But Miami owns possibly the ACC’s top quarterback, Washington State transfer Cam Ward, and his offensive line and receiving corps are highly rated. Both defenses have talent, but they’ll be playing catch-up versus high-powered offenses early in the season. Miami appears to own the better roster, but the Swamp provides an advantage for a motivated Florida. In a projected high-scoring game that could go either way, the Over is the play.

Southern Miss at Kentucky: Under 64.5

Kentucky will feature the best defense of the 12-year Mark Stoops era, with a top 10 projected unit by some experts. Along with one of the SEC’s best linebacking units, the Wildcats will feature All-American defensive tackle candidate Deone Walker up front and All-American cornerback candidate Maxwell Hairston on the back end. Kentucky will replace the starting quarterback and running back from last season and unveil a new offensive coordinator. Some growing pains can be expected on the offensive side, but the defense will be salty, and points will be difficult to come by for a woeful Southern Miss offense. This one may wind up comfortably under.