Preview of Early College Football Betting Lines for Key Week 1 Matchups

• Early College Football Week 1 Lines have been released
• The National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes are -145 favorites over the Texas Longhorns
• Look for all the Early College Football Lines for Marquee Week 1 games below

While the College Football Season has been over for less than a month, fans and analysts alike are looking ahead to Week 1 of 2025. Savvy bettors can gain an advantage and look to beat the books before most of the betting public gets their money down for marquee Week 1 games.

Fortunately, CFB fans and bettors are blessed with top-tier matchups like Alabama vs Florida State, Texas vs Ohio State, Auburn vs Baylor, LSU vs Clemson, Georgia Tech vs Colorado, Notre Dame vs Miami, and TCU vs North Carolina.

Dive into all the early college football Week 1 lines and our best bets, below.

The National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes open as -3.5 point favorites over the Texas Longhorns in the latest college football odds. Steve Sarkisian’s men come back as +125 moneyline underdogs.

Odds as of February 10, at ESPN Bet. Look for an ESPN Bet promo code for all your college football betting action.

592562

Texas vs Ohio State Early Week 1 Odds & Predictions

A memorable CFP semifinal between the Buckeyes and Longhorns ended with Ohio State moving on to the National Championship game. But this time, Arch Manning will quarterback the Longhorns. A trail by fire awaits for the “next” Manning quarterback destined to torch secondaries across the country.

Make no mistake, the 2025 Buckeyes will feature a ton of changes of their own. Quarterback Will Howard and stalwart running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are out the door. As are standout defenders in Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau and Denzel Burke.

Additionally, Ryan Day has had to replace both of his coordinators. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles bolted for Penn State soon after the National Championship, while Chip Kelly left to take the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Buckeyes will be starting former five-star recruit Julian Sayin under center, who threw just 12 attempts in 2024.

On the flip side, Arch Manning has started – and dominated – games for Texas already. There’s far too many question marks to back the Buckeyes in the early College Football Week 1 lines. Bet on the Longhorns to cover the spread.

Pick: Texas +3.5 (-115)

TCU vs North Carolina Early Betting Line

Bill Belichick makes his long-awaited debut as the head coach of the North Carolina Tarheels against 2023 CFP finalist TCU. The eight-time Super Bowl championship-winning coach is off to a hot start in Chapel Hill.

Belichick reeled in 10 recruits in January, with seven defensive lineman joining the ranks. Most impressively, UNC’s 2025 class was ranked 78th in the country prior to the former New England Patriots’ head honcho’s hire. The Tar Heels are currently 34th. But, there’s levels to this Bill.

According to 247 Sports, Sonny Dykes’ Horned Frogs class ranks 31st in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Headlined by four-stars in receiver Terry Shelton, pass-rusher Chad Woodfork, and quarterback Adam Schobel TCU is a well-oiled football machine.

After all, the Horned Frogs won nine games last year, while covering the spread in six of those victories. Even more importantly, TCU finishes 2-1 ATS as an underdog of less than three points.

Sportsbooks setting the Tar Heels as favorites is disrespectful to the program Dykes has built at TCU. Offensive coordinator Kendall Briles air raid scheme will be unlike anything Belichick has seen in the NFL, and the legendary pro coach is unlikely to have the personnel to slow down the Horned Frogs attack.

Talented receivers Eric McAlister and Jordyn Bailed return to Fort Worth, as does starting quarterback Josh Hoover. On the defensive side, TCU added talented tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh who’s pass-rushing presence with fortify the Horned Frogs defensive line.

Dykes has had years to fine tune his play-calling to the college game, while Belichick will be playing catchup. Bet on TCU to pull off the upset.

Pick: TCU moneyline (+105)

As college football season approaches, fans and bettors alike are eagerly anticipating the start of the season. Week 1 of college football is always highly anticipated, as it sets the tone for the rest of the season and provides some exciting matchups right out of the gate.

One of the most popular aspects of college football is betting on the games, and early college football betting lines for key Week 1 matchups are already starting to surface. These early lines can give bettors a glimpse into how oddsmakers are viewing these matchups and can help bettors make informed decisions when placing their bets.

One key Week 1 matchup that has already generated a lot of buzz is the game between Alabama and Miami. Alabama, the defending national champions, are heavy favorites in this matchup, with early betting lines favoring them by double digits. Miami will have their work cut out for them if they hope to pull off an upset in this game.

Another intriguing matchup in Week 1 is the game between Georgia and Clemson. Both teams are expected to be top contenders this season, and this early season matchup could have playoff implications. Early betting lines have Clemson as slight favorites in this matchup, but it is sure to be a closely contested game.

Other key Week 1 matchups to keep an eye on include Ohio State vs. Minnesota, LSU vs. UCLA, and Penn State vs. Wisconsin. These games feature top programs facing off against each other in what are sure to be exciting matchups.

As always, it’s important for bettors to do their research before placing any bets. Early college football betting lines can provide valuable insight into how oddsmakers are viewing these matchups, but it’s important to consider other factors such as injuries, recent performance, and historical matchups before making a decision.

Overall, Week 1 of college football is shaping up to be an exciting start to the season, with several key matchups that are sure to draw plenty of attention from fans and bettors alike. Keep an eye on these early betting lines as the season approaches, and get ready for some thrilling college football action in Week 1.