College football odds, lines, schedule for Week 1: Georgia big favorite, Notre Dame an underdog at Texas A&M
College football gave us perhaps the best Week 0 in history, but the main course of Week 1 is still to begin. Labor Day weekend means meaningful games every day from Thursday through Monday, which is a great way to start the 2024 season.
Many power teams will start with FCS or lower-conference opponents, but there are some serious power-on-power matchups to keep an eye on. At the top of the list, the only active coaches who have won multiple national championships meet when Kirby Smart’s top-ranked Georgia team takes on Dabo Swinney’s No. 14 Clemson team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
On the other side, No. 20 Texas A&M hosts No. 7 Notre Dame, the program where Aggies coach Mike Elko became a nationally renowned defensive coordinator. No. 8 Penn State vs. West Virginia and No. 19 Miami vs. Florida give us a rekindled regional rivalry with College Football Playoff implications.
Beyond that, there are a few games against lower-tier opponents to keep an eye on. Big 12 teams Colorado and No. 17 Oklahoma State come out on fire by scheduling FCS powers North Dakota State and South Dakota State, respectively. No. 9 Michigan plays top Mountain West contender Fresno State. Without a doubt, even more teams could find themselves in trouble as the week progresses.
Having said all that, here are the odds for most of the top games for Week 1. Game odds are via SportsLine Consensus.
Big games
No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia (-13.5) in Atlanta: The last time the Bulldogs and Tigers played in Week 1 was 2021 and it marked the start of the Bulldogs’ national championship run and the end of Clemson’s hold on the ACC. Now, both programs come into Week 1 from opposite angles – Georgia is on top and Clemson is trying to get back on top. This is an extremely important opener for both programs to start the season off right.
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 20 Texas A&M (-3): The Aggies are a surprising favorite despite playing a top 10 opponent in the first game of the Mike Elko era. Texas A&M revamped its coaching staff and roster by turning to Elko after firing Jimbo Fisher, who was able to turn Duke into a nine-win team in his first season. However, getting Notre Dame at plus money in this matchup could be too good to pass up.
No. 8 Penn State (-8.5) at West Virginia: The Nittany Lions and Mountaineers are both second-ranked programs in their respective conferences hoping to make their case for first-ranking in Week 1. In last season’s contest, West Virginia kept things close until halftime, but ultimately gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter of a 38-15 loss. Penn State enters a crucial season in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. With two of the best running back rooms in college football, expect a fast-paced game.
No. 19 Miami (-2.5) at Florida: If Miami is going to live up to its high preseason expectations, the Hurricanes will have to go on the road and get the job done against Florida. The Gators enter the season with a five-game losing streak and are 1-6 against ranked opponents after missing a bowl game in Billy Napier’s second season. Miami has particularly struggled in one-score games, going 2-3 against Georgia Tech last year with one of the worst game management scenarios in history. Putting those troubles behind them could set up an ACC run.
No. 13 LSU (-4.5) vs. No. 23 USC, at Las Vegas – sunday, This game is a great Week 1 matchup. USC’s Lincoln Riley and LSU’s Brian Kelly were both hired with huge contracts after the 2021 season. After strong performances in Year 1, both programs took a notable step back in Year 2, particularly due to collapses on defense. Now, the Trojans and Tigers have replaced Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks and added new defensive staffs. One of these teams will leave Las Vegas optimistic about its future. The other team could collapse.
