The TCU Horned Frogs ended last season going 8-0 straight-up and 6-2 against the spread. They will be looking to pick up where they left off on Thursday night when they visit the Minnesota Golden Gophers as double-digit betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
College football odds, Week 1: TCU, Alabama, Ohio State betting favorites
TCU, Alabama and Ohio State are among the big betting favorites for Week 1 of the college football season.
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TCU opened as a 16-point road favorite against Minnesota, but the line has been bet down to -14.5 on the Horned Frogs despite TCU being 14-2 ATS over its last 16 games. Minnesota was a solid 8-5 SU and ATS last season, and will have upset on the mind at home this week.
Other intriguing Thursday night matchups include North Carolina vs. South Carolina (-3) at Bank of America Stadium and Michigan at Utah (-5.5). Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will be trying to earn his first win as coach of the Wolverines.
The biggest line move of opening week has come from Friday night’s game of Baylor at SMU. Baylor opened as a 20-point road favorite, but has been bet all the way up to -35 against the hapless Mustangs. SMU is 0-20 SU and 4-15-1 ATS in its last 20 games against Big 12 opponents, while Baylor is 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five games against SMU, according to the OddsShark College Football Database.
Saturday’s big game features two AP top-25 ranked teams. No. 20 Wisconsin takes on No. 3 Alabama at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. This line has stayed firm with the Crimson Tide going off as a 10-point favorite. The Crimson Tide are just 4-11-1 ATS over their last 16 games, but Wisconsin will be breaking in a new running back with offensive star Melvin Gordon departed to the NFL.
The college football betting action Saturday also features big games in Louisville vs. Auburn (-10.5) at the Georgia Dome and Texas at Notre Dame (-9.5). The Fighting Irish can’t afford to take this game lightly. Notre Dame is 1-3 SU and ATS in its last four games against Big 12 opponents.
Finally, defending champion Ohio State kicks off its season on the road against Virginia Tech next Monday night. Ohio State is an 11-point favorite in a game that fans and bettors will be anxiously watching to see how Urban Meyer uses quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.
College football Week 1 betting lines
Baylor -35 at SMU
TCU -14.5 at Minnesota
Ohio State -11 at Virginia Tech
Louisville vs. Auburn -10.5
Wisconsin vs. Alabama -10
Texas at Notre Dame -9.5
Michigan at Utah -5.5
North Carolina at South Carolina -3
