College Football Week 1 Best Bets for Saturday (9/3)

Sep 3, 2022 - 10:43 AM

Despite the Week Zero games held last weekend, as of Thursday night we can officially say it. College football is back.

While the Thursday/Friday slate offers some great matchups, the Saturday slate is what we’re all drooling over after all. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the matchups I’m keyed in on and see value remaining in as kickoff approaches.

San Diego State Aztecs -5.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook) vs. Arizona Wildcats

Arizona will go to San Diego this week to help debut their new on-campus stadium as the Aztecs aim to kick things off with a win in what is undoubtedly one of the more fascinating games on Saturday’s schedule. For SDSU, who had one of the top defenses in the NCAA last season as they finished 12-2 overall, all-American safety Patrick McMorris is back for one final season.

Braxton Burmeister, a graduate transfer quarterback, relocated in from Virginia Tech in order to play his final season of eligibility for the Aztecs. A point worth noting, Burmeister, a San Diego native, was twice committed to Arizona in high school before ultimately going elsewhere.

Sticking with the transfer portal theme, former Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura is now with the Wildcats, following a season of 23 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Winning the 2021 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award, Arizona is certainly excited to see what they have at their disposal.

Though I do think he finds success, certainly enough to improve on the Wildcats’ 1-11 season last year, he’s been dealt a tough hand out of the gates in which I think the Aztecs roll.

NC State -11.5 (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook) vs. East Carolina

The nation as a whole has come around to the concept that the Wolfpack are legitimate ACC contenders, therefore this line has increased from its opening of NC State -10. But I’m still chasing the steam.

The nation as a whole has come around to the concept that the Wolfpack are legitimate ACC contenders, therefore this line has increased from its opening of NC State -10. But I’m still chasing the steam. Following a season in which he quietly threw for 3,433 yards and a TD:INT ratio of 35:5, Devin Leary is back at quarterback for NC State.

They also retain four of their top five pass catchers, and even though they lose their top running back, Jordan Houston, in steps a capable replacement. In terms of the defense, nine of the top 10 tacklers are back, and the secondary as a whole is among the best in the nation.

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