Week 1 of the 2022 college football season features several interesting matchups, including Utah at Florida, LSU versus Florida State in New Orleans, Notre Dame at Ohio State and Oregon meeting Georgia in Atlanta. And if you are looking to wager or bet against the spread on any of these games or Top 25 contests, our NCAA experts are ready with their predictions and picks.
Related: College Football Predictions for Every Game in Week 1
Athlon Sports picks the 17 matchups involving Top 25 teams* against the spread for Week 1:
College Football Spread Picks: Expert Predictions for Top 25 Game in Week 1
| Spread | Steven Lassan | Mark Ross | Ben Weinrib | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 25 BYU at USF | BYU -12 | USF | BYU | BYU |
No. 24 Houston at UTSA | HOU -4 | Houston | Houston | UTSA |
No. 23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas | ARK -6 | Arkansas | Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
Troy at No. 21 Ole Miss | MISS -21.5 | Troy | Ole Miss | Ole Miss |
Miami (Ohio) at No. 20 Kentucky | UK -16.5 | Miami (Ohio) | Kentucky | Kentucky |
West Virginia at No. 17 Pitt (Thurs.) | PITT -7.5 | West Virginia | West Virginia | West Virginia |
Western Michigan at No. 15 Michigan State (Fri.) | MSU -22.5 | Michigan State | WMU | Michigan State |
Rice at No. 14 USC | USC -32.5 | USC | USC | USC |
No. 13 NC State at East Carolina | NCST -11.5 | ECU | ECU | ECU |
Central Michigan at No. 12 Oklahoma State (Thurs.) | OSU -21.5 | Central Michigan | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State |
UTEP at No. 9 Oklahoma | OU -31.5 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | Oklahoma |
Colorado State at No. 8 Michigan | MICH -30.5 | Michigan | Michigan | Michigan |
No. 7 Utah at Florida | UTAH -3 | Florida | Utah | Utah |
No. 4 Clemson at Georgia Tech | CLEM -21 | Clemson | Clemson | Georgia Tech |
No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia (in Atlanta) | UGA -17 | Georgia | Georgia | Georgia |
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State | OSU -17 | Ohio State | Notre Dame | Notre Dame |
Utah State at No. 1 Alabama | ALA -41.5 | Utah State | Alabama | Alabama |
Podcast: Week 1 Preview and Predictions + Betting and Picks Against the Spread
*Note: These games were not included because they do not feature domestic spreads due to them involving FCS teams – VMI at No. 22 Wake Forest (Thurs.), Sam Houston at No. 6 Texas A&M, UAlbany at No. 10 Baylor, Bethune-Cookman at No. 16 Miami, and Illinois State at No. 18 Wisconsin.
About the author
Steven Lassan
Senior Editor, Athlon Sports