College football betting trends — Week 1

By Bruce Marshall Special to the Review-Journal

4 years ago

North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dyami Brown duri ... — North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dyami Brown during the first half of the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Temple, Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, in Annapolis, Md. No. 18 North Carolina has plenty of hype with quarterback Sam Howell leading an offense full of returning playmakers for Mack Brown’s second season. The Tar Heels open Saturday against Syracuse with a chance to prove the hype is deserved. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Syracuse at North Carolina (-23): Syracuse covered two of eight conference games last season and dropped eight of its final 11 overall against the spread. After a 9-3 underdog record in 2017-18, the Orange were 2-6 in the role in 2019. North Carolina is on an 8-5-1 spread run since late 2018. Edge: Slight to North Carolina.

Georgia Tech at Florida State (-12½): Georgia Tech was 3-8-1 ATS last season and is 3-11-1 ATS dating to late 2018. The Yellow Jackets went 2-2-1 ATS on the road last season. Florida State is 13-23-2 ATS since 2017 and 1-7 ATS in its last eight nonconference games. New Florida State coach Mike Norvell’s teams at Memphis were 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as home favorites. Edge: Slight to Georgia Tech.

Coastal Carolina at Kansas (-6½): Coastal Carolina scored a 12-7 stunner at Lawrence last September, one of five covers in six tries as a visitor last season. The Jayhawks were 0-2 as favorites last season and are 4-11 in the role since 2012. Edge: Coastal Carolina.

Clemson (-33) at Wake Forest: Clemson has won big against Wake Forest the past two seasons by a combined 115-6 score. Clemson is 16-4-1 as road favorites since 2017. Wake Forest is 12-4 as a double-digit underdog since 2016. Edge: Clemson.

Duke at Notre Dame (-20): Duke was 2-4-1 as an underdog in 2019, including a 38-7 home loss to Notre Dame, but was 25-12-1 in that role the previous six seasons. The Blue Devils also had covered seven straight openers before 2019. The Irish covered five of seven as home favorites last season after recording a 7-10 spread mark in that role the previous three seasons. Edge: Duke.

Louisiana at Iowa State (-11½): The Ragin’ Cajuns are on a 7-2-1 surge as underdogs since early 2018 and enter 2020 with a 16-7-2 record ATS in their last 25 games on the board. Iowa State dropped its last four as a home favorite last season and has failed to cover in three of its past four openers. The Cyclones are 3-8 as home favorites since 2018. Edge: Louisiana.

Texas-El Paso at Texas (-43): While Tom Herman teams have been formidable as an underdog, they have underachieved as home favorites. Herman is 5-10 in the role with Texas since 2017 and 8-18-1 since 2015 with Houston. But Herman’s Longhorns teams are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 nonconference games. UTEP is on a 10-26 spread skid since 2017 and is 3-12 ATS since late 2018. Edge: Slight to Texas.

Arkansas State at Kansas State (-10½): Kansas State is on an 11-4 spread run since late 2018, including a 9-4 mark last season. The Red Wolves are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 nonconference games. Edge: Slight to Kansas State.

Tulane (-8) at South Alabama: South Alabama is on a 5-1 spread run (all as an underdog) since late 2019 and is 5-2 ATS in its last seven home games. Tulane is on a 10-4 spread surge since late 2018, and the Green Wave have covered all four openers since coach Willie Fritz arrived in 2016. Edge: Slight to Tulane.

Las Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall is editor of The Gold Sheet. He provides the Review-Journal with college football tech notes and trends. Follow @BruceAMarshall on Twitter.