NCAA Football Week 1 Best Bets: Friday Night Lights (8/30)

While Friday doesn’t feature the most exciting College Football matchups, there are still 6 games on the slate that deserve our attention! Sure, everyone is primed and ready for the first real College Football Saturday of the year as Week 1 kicks off, but there may be some spots on Friday Night that shouldn’t be overlooked. We will only touch on 4 of the 6 games, as two of them do not have current betting lines being offered.

This article will be a bit of a combo piece, as my man, Colby Marchio will also be giving his thoughts on the games at hand, so let’s not waste anytime and dive right in!

NCAA Football Friday Night Matchups

Temple @ #16 Oklahoma

• Venue & Location: Memorial Stadium (Norman, OK)
• Date: Friday, August 30th, 2024
• Kick Off: 7:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: ESPN

Betting Odds

• Temple +42.5 (-110)
• Oklahoma -42.5 (-110)
• Over/Under 57.5

Nate Hornung: Losing Dillon Gabriel is huge, but I believe Jackson Arnold can lead his guys this season. He’s surrounded by playmakers on offense, and being in a new conference, I see the Sooners really letting it fly to start the season. The Sooners have no problem running up the score, as they won 73-0 to start the season last year, scoring 60+ 3 times last year and 50+ on two other occasions. Even though I only think Temple contributes a touchdown or two in this game, I trust Oklahoma to put up enough points to go over. Plus, BetOnline is offering us 57.5 at (-115) while the rest of the market ranges from 58 up to 59.5.

Colby Marchio: Typically, I’d shy away from backing a team favored by 42.5 points. However, with this being Oklahoma’s first season in the SEC, they need to make a strong statement, even against out-of-conference opponents like Temple. With 13 starters returning and Brent Venables building something special in Norman, the Sooners are poised to make a powerful impression.

Best Bets: Temple/Oklahoma Over 57.5 (-115) BetOnline

Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State

• Venue & Location: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, MI)
• Date: Friday, August 30th, 2024
• Kick Off: 7:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: Big 10 Network

Betting Odds

• Florida Atlantic +14 (-112)
• Michigan State -14 (-108)
• Over/Under 45

NH: I’m staying away from this game and just gearing up for a big Saturday tomorrow. With a new QB for the Spartans, they should have a revamped energy on offense, one that ranked 2nd to last in scoring offense last season. However, with the line inflating towards the Spartans after opening around 11.5, I think we’ve missed any steam and shouldn’t force anything.

No strong opinions either way, but will certainly be tuning in.

CM: I don’t have a lean in this game. Both teams were disappointing last season. Michigan State brought in many new players this offseason, but their effectiveness is unproven. Florida Atlantic also had a rough first season under Tom Herman.

With both teams having a lot to prove and no solid track record to go on, I’m staying away from this matchup. I’ll assess their performance in Week 1 and use that to inform my approach for Week 2. Until then, I’m not confident in either side.

Western Michigan @ Wisconsin

• Venue & Location: Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, WI)
• Date: Friday, August 30th, 2024
• Kick Off: 9:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: FS1

Betting Odds

• Western Michigan +23.5 (-102)
• Wisconsin -23.5 (-118)
• Over/Under 57

CM: Initial impression: lean towards the under. Tyler Van Dyke will be the starting quarterback for the Badgers after transferring from Miami (FL), where he struggled, which influences my decision.

However, upon closer examination, the Broncos are returning significant experience on defense. They have a strong cornerback corps and welcome back Tate Hollock, who led the team in tackles last season. Additionally, they added defensive lineman Popeye Williams from Louisville (great name!) to complement Corey Walker, who led the team in tackles for loss.

On the other hand, the Badgers also return many key defensive players. Like Western Michigan, they have considerable experience in the secondary, which should contribute to a solid defense. The Badgers finished 47th in red zone defense last season, and the Broncos are expected to continue struggling offensively.

Overall, my lean remains towards the under for this matchup.

NH: I’ve got to lean with Colby here. There will certainly be question marks surrounding Van Dyke, who joins the Big Ten after a mediocre ACC career. My initial though would be to back the Broncos, as 24 points seems like a bit too many points considering the personnel on both squads. However, I think I lean for with the under. After losing Braelon Allen to the NFL, Jackson Acker and Chez Mellusi will step up in the running game, both going for 300 yards last season.

With Wisconsin relying heavily on the run, I think the clock will be ticking enough for this game to stay under. I certainly don’t see the Badgers putting up more than 35 points in this game, and I trust the Western Michigan defense to put up plenty of a fight.

Heavy Lean: Western Michigan/Wisconsin Under 57 (-110) BetOnline

TCU @ Stanford

• Venue & Location: Stanford Stadium (Stanford, CA)
• Kick Off: 10:30pm Eastern
• Broadcast: ESPN

Betting Odds

• TCU -9.5 (-110)
• Stanford +9.5 (-110)
• Over/Under 60

CM: Every year, I emphasize that programs retaining a lot of production are building something special and fostering strong belief among their players. In an era of constant transfers, the commitment of these players signifies confidence in their program’s future.

With that in mind, Stanford, under second-year head coach Troy Taylor, is making strides. They return a high percentage of roster experience and retain 77% of their defensive stats from 2023, including tackles and pressures. This impressive retention of defensive production—only losing 33% from last year—is my favorite stat of the week.

I always lean towards strong defenses, so I’m backing the Stanford Cardinal. Give me the points!

NH: There are so many question marks surrounding the TCU Horned Frogs. Sophomore Josh Hoover who did most of the quarterbacking last season missed the spring season, and Junior transfer from Vanderbilt Ken Seals isn’t much of an improvement. Regardless of who starts, TCU needs to replace over 1,200 yards on the ground offensively, and it seems they are still regrouping since losing in the National Championship a couple years ago.

I’m with Colby. I like Stanford’s coach, I like their QB, and I think this number is far too big for the Cardinal being at home. Even with the high total, I like the Cardinal to keep this game close, certainly within a possession, and possibly even pull off the home upset to start the year.

Best Bets: Stanford +9.5 (-110) BetOnline

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