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No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State highlights this week's slate.
There are some high-stakes games on tap in college football Week 1 on Saturday.
All eyes will be on Columbus as No. 2 Ohio State plays host to fifth-ranked Notre Dame. In Atlanta, defending national champion and No. 3 Georgia entertains No. 11 Oregon.
While those marquee matchups warrant eyeballs, FrontPageBets focuses on some contests of interest that stick out from a wagering standpoint.
FrontPageBets looks at the full slate of top-25 games that highlight the kick off of college football.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings and are subject to change)
Florida to cover (+2.5) and money line (+125) at home vs. No. 7 Utah
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET.
TV: ESPN
The rationale: The Billy Napier era begins at the Swamp in Gainesville against a talented band of Utes. Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson has been drawing rave reviews and Florida, 6-7 a year ago, has made significant inroads on its offensive line. The big guys will protect Richardson and open holes for a bevy of running backs, led by Montrell Johnson. Sure, Utah is coming off a Pac-12 title and a 10-4 mark. Its defense has been stout. But a raucous night-game atmosphere at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will rattle Utes QB Cameron Rising into errors.Â
The rationale: Wow, that's a lot of points, you say. True, but as good as Utah State has been over the past few seasons, they looked a little thin in holding off Connecticut by 11 points in Week 0 at home. Heisman Trophy holder Bryce Young should put his name front and center to potentially repeat after shredding the Aggies in the air. And Nick Saban's ground forces, paced by Georgia Tech transfer Jahmyr Gibbs, should run rampant in Bryant-Denny.
Gerry Ahern is senior content editor for FrontPageBets. A 35-year veteran sports editor and digital media executive, he has led coverage of the biggest events in sports, from Super Bowls, to Final Fours, to Olympics, to the Masters.
