I’m feeling good about Week 1 of the NCAAF season. We started off the campaign with a solid SGP win that paid $40 from our $10 wager.
Turnovers and an injury to Ohio Bobcats QB Kurtis Rourke hurt the other two $10 parlay cards on offer, but we are up $20 and hoping for good results with our Week 1 NCAAF SGP and Parlay Bets column.
I have three parlay options for you to consider on Saturday. Each wager will be 10% of my regular $100 unit. This way, we can have some fun and maybe increase our bankroll this week.
Phil Naessens TGD CFB Parlay Picks record: 1-2 (+0.20 units)
Best CFB Parlay This Week
Last week, thanks to some silly turnovers, we missed our Best CFB Parlay card selection. We really want to land this three-teamer, which will keep us in the black for at least a few weeks.
CFB Week 1 Parlay (+595)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.10 units
- Ohio State @ Indiana: Over 59.5 Pts (-110)
- East Carolina @ Michigan: Over 51.5 (-110)
- Washington State vs Colorado State: Under 54.5 Pts (-110)
Ohio State @ Indiana: Over 59.5 Pts (-110)
This number is far too low, so we chose this game for Leg 2. The Buckeyes are loaded on offense (as usual), but the defense still has question marks that lead me to believe the Hoosiers offense might be able to be exploited.
Their six meetings have all ended well Over the bookies’ total, and we should see this trend continue on Saturday afternoon.
East Carolina @ Michigan: Over 51.5 (-110)
This game should be the start of a solid parlay. Michigan’s offense is loaded, and they may score enough to exceed the total all by themselves.
The Wolverines offense hung 45 in their playoff loss to TCU, and Michigan Heisman hopeful Blake Corum missed that game.
East Carolina has too many new faces on both sides of the ball, but the Pirates offense will benefit from an injury-riddled Wolverines secondary.
Washington State vs Colorado State: Under 54.5 Pts (-110)
Hopefully, this game will be the hammer that cashes this card. Washington State has real weapons on offense, but the Rams’ defense has improved. If Colorado State gets the ground game going, it will keep the ball out of the Cougars’ hands, and this game ends Under 54.5 points.
CFB Week 1 Long Shot Parlay Bet
We missed our CFB Week 0 Long Shot Parlay Bet when Ohio quarterback Rourke left the game in the first quarter and failed to return. Meanwhile, New Mexico State committed too many turnovers – and we learned a lesson.
This one will be tough to cash, but maybe a little luck will come our way and we can earn some dinner money on Saturday.
CFB Week 1 Long Shot Parlay (+911)
Caesars Sportsbook • Wager 0.10 units
- Bowling Green +9.5 (-110) vs Liberty
- Fresno State 1st Half Moneyline (+143) @ Purdue
- South Carolina (+118) vs North Carolina
Bowling Green +9.5 (-110) vs Liberty
Liberty has some holes to fill at several positions, and it hosts a Bowling Green group returning eight on offense and six on defense.
The Flames should win this game, but +9.5 is too many points. The Falcons should cover against a rebuilt Liberty side with a transfer quarterback, two returning offensive players and three returning defensive players.
Fresno State 1st Half Moneyline (+143) @ Purdue
The Bulldogs are the underdogs but still a very good football team. Fresno State returns seven from a defense that finished second in the Mountain West in points allowed and fourth in total yards allowed.
Purdue has a new head coach, a transfer quarterback and a defense returning just four starters. I’m looking for the Bulldogs’ defense to make a few plays early, and hopefully, the Fresno State offense finds the end zone a couple of times and covers this leg.
South Carolina (+118) vs North Carolina
The Duke’s Mayo Classic is where we want to end the night with a victory. Like most rivalries, this game is always a tough one.
Saturday features two of the top throwing offenses in the college game, but the Tar Heels wideouts are not as experienced as what Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler has to aim for.
Hopefully, Rattler goes big; otherwise, the card is a bust. Take the home dawg.
Read more of our CFB Week 1 best bets.
CFB Same Game Parlay Pick
We hit our Week 0 SGP and won $40. That made readers of this space a bit of cash. Let’s see if we can’t catch another one with Saturday’s Ball State Cardinals vs. Kentucky Wildcats non-conference matchup.
CFB Week 1 SGP (+550)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.10 units
- Ball State +25.5 (-110) @ Kentucky
- Ball State @ Kentucky: Under 49.5 Pts (-110)
- Kentucky: Team Total Over 27.5 Pts (-110)
Ball State lost Carson Steele, one of the best running backs in the country, to the transfer portal.
However, it snagged quarterback Layne Hatcher from the transfer portal – who has over 10,000 career passing yards – and boasts four returning offensive linemen. Ball State returns seven defensive starters and should get enough stops against what should be a very good Kentucky offense.
That should be enough to cover a massive season-opening point spread for this CFB pick.
I also like Under 49 points on Saturday. My handicap came out 31-14 in favor of Kentucky. The Wildcats have the offense on paper to put up a big number, but they do have a transfer quarterback of their own in Devin Leary, and the Ball State defense won’t get steamrolled on Saturday.
Finally, I fully expect the Kentucky offense to find a rhythm and put points on the board. It will likely happen in the second half after the Cardinals’ defense tires a bit.
By then, Texas State transfer Leary will be more comfortable, and the Wildcats will go over the 27.5 TT and win the SGP card.
