College Football Handicapping – College Football Opening Week Kickoff

Evaluating the College Football Marquee Match-ups Opening Saturday, September 3

August has arrived and we’re preparing for college football kickoff less than one month away. California and Hawaii open the season Friday, August 26 and the following week is the first full weekend of the season staring September 1. If you have looked closely at the Saturday, September 3 card, you may have noticed a number of marquee match-ups for one of the biggest opening Saturday’s in many years.

I’ve highlighted six games September 3 and provided a brief analysis of those marquee match-ups in this link for Off Shore Gaming Association. You can review some of those match-ups below, and also get the college and pro betting lines daily on the live odds betting page at VegasSportsZone.com. In addition, you can review the Game of the Year lines provided by the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, but recognize some of the those numbers have moved.

Plenty of research, stats and situations to review as the players and teams hit the field for fall practice leading up to opening kickoff. And while the top teams, conferences and marquee match-ups draw most of the media headlines and recreational fan interest, recognize the opportunities with the Group 5 teams and those small school stars that will provide some solid wagering opportunities (remember Toledo’s upset of Arkansas early last season as +22 underdog)? I’ll be here to provide my thoughts, analysis and insight throughout the season as we shoot for another season of winning results and point spread profits for Fairway followers and members. You can fire me an email at [email protected] with questions, suggestions or service information and updates.

Along with Saturday, September 3 games below, two other marquee match-ups will follow on Sunday and Monday with Notre Dame (-4.5) at Texas followed by Mississippi vs. Florida State (-6) on a neutral field in Orlando.

North Carolina vs. Georgia (-3) at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA. – An expected pair of top-25 teams from the Power 5 conferences collide. New Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and his staff will prepare to slow down a North Carolina offense that averaged nearly 500 yards per game and 41 points per game last season in winning the ACC Coastal division. The Tar Heels do break in a new QB, but still feature one of the league’s top offensive lines and running games. Georgia counters with one of the SEC’s premier running games and will attack the North Carolina weaknesses on defense along the line and at linebacker.

LSU (-10) vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI. – These Tigers have high expectations in the SEC and will once again battle Alabama for SEC West supremacy. LSU will open the season ranked top-5 and the Tigers are loaded. A healthy Leonard Fournette will shine again leading one of the nation’s premier rushing attacks. Wisconsin led the nation in scoring defense last year while winning 10 games, but defensive coordinator Dave Aranda left and will be on the LSU sidelines leading the Tigers defense against his former team opening Saturday. The Badgers will fall off this season with a very difficult road schedule along with this tough LSU team opening week in nearby Green Bay.

Alabama (-10) vs USC at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX – Defending national champion Alabama reloads with a top-5 team, but I don’t see them finishing in the playoff picture with a tougher schedule. Coach Saban has won a remarkable eight consecutive ‘championship’ games either in the SEC or national title (4). Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin prepares the ‘Tide offense against his former team USC. The Trojans are a top-25 team with tons of talent, but USC faces the toughest schedule in the country that includes 11 bowl teams from last season. Alabama has beaten Power 5 opponents opening week in each of the last four seasons by an average of 18 points per game (all on neutral fields). But this one looks much closer than the linemaker projects against the talented Trojans.