That didn’t take long – at all!
Ohio St. took the cash and won its first national championship since 2014 this past Monday night when it captured a 34-23 win over Notre Dame as an eight or 8.5-point favorite.
Less than 24 hours later, FanDuel had released spreads for nine Week 1 games, a Week Zero contest between Iowa St. and Kansas St. in Dublin, Ireland, and Ohio St. at Michigan on Nov. 29 in the regular-season finale for these bitter rivals.
Kansas St. is installed as a 2.5-point favorite (at a -108 price) vs. Iowa St. Matt Campbell’s team is +105 on the money line, while K-St. has -126 odds to win outright. The total is 49.5 points.
In the 2024 regular-season finale for these Big 12 rivals, the Cyclones beat the Wildcats 29-21 as two-point home favorites. The 50 combined points slithered ‘under’ the 52-point total.
Iowa St. quarterback Rocco Bech completed only 13-of-35 passes for 137 yards, but he had two TD passes without an interception and 35 rushing yards and one TD on eight attempts.
For the Wildcats, QB Avery Johnson connected on just 12-of-28 throws for 220 yards, but he had three TD passes without an interception. Johnson added 64 rushing yards on 13 attempts in the losing effort.
Pro Football Focus had Johnson with an excellent 81.8 grade as a sophomore. His return gives the Wildcats optimism galore, and LB Austin Romaine is the one of the nation’s premier linebackers.
PFF has Kansas St. at #21 in its Way-Too-Early Top 25, while the Cyclones are #23. They produced a program-record 11 wins in 2024 thanks to a 42-41 win over Miami at the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Becht loses his top wide receivers, but he and Campbell will be back. Campbell reportedly had an interview with the Chicago Bears before they eventually hired Detroit OC Ben Johnson as their next head coach.
In Week 1, Auburn begins a crucial Year 3 for Hugh Freeze in Waco, where Baylor will play host to the Tigers, who are #24 in PFF’s preseason poll.
FanDuel has Auburn as a 1.5-point road favorite and -120 on the money line. The Bears have +100 money-line odds, and the total is 56.5 points.
Auburn went 1-1 ATS as a road favorite under Freeze in 2023, but the Tigers were underdogs in all four road games this past year, going 1-3 straight up and 2-2 against the spread.
Clemson will play host to LSU in a battle of Tigers and Heisman hopefuls at Death Valley East. FanDuel has Dabo Swinney’s team listed as a 2.5-point ‘chalk’ (-115 price) with a total of 56.5. Brian Kelly’s team has +114 money-line odds.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier is the +800 favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at FanDuel. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik shares the third-shortest odds (+1200 or 12/1) with Ohio St. WR Jeremiah Smith, as both players are behind Texas QB Arch Manning’s +900 number.
Manning and the Longhorns get an immediate rematch of the CFP semifinals when they play at Ohio St. in their opener. The Buckeyes beat Texas 28-14 to advance to the CFP finals.
Ryan Day’s squad is installed as a 3.5-point favorite (-115) vs. Texas with a total of 51.5. The Longhorns are +138 on the money line.
Tennessee will open up against Syracuse in Atlanta. FanDuel has the Vols as 13.5-point favorites with a total of 56.5. The Orange are +340 on the money line.
Ga. Tech will travel Boulder to face Coach Prime’s Colorado team. The Yellow Jackets are 4.5-point road favorites with a total of 56.5. The Buffaloes have +146 odds to win outright.
Alabama is -8.5 (-115) at FSU with a total of 51.5. The Seminoles, who are 1-11 in their last 12 games against FBS opponents, are +260 on the money line.
Mike Norvell goes into the 2025 campaign on the hot seat after this past year’s 2-10 debacle that included one of two wins against an FCS foe. Although it’s only Year 2 of the Kalen DeBoer Era in Tuscaloosa, a season-opening loss to an opponent off a 10-loss year won’t go over well with the Crimson Tide fanbase.
There are two games on Sunday of Week 1. South Carolina is -9.5 vs. Va. Tech in Atlanta. The total is 46.5 points, and the Hokies are +265 on the money line.
Notre Dame’s quest to get back to the CFP will begin in South Florida, where Miami is a 2.5-point home underdog vs. the Fighting Irish. The total is 53.5 points, while the ‘Canes are +106 on the money line.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC.
Miami’s new QB replacing Cam Ward is Carson Beck, who was unable to face Notre Dame in the CFP quarterfinals due to an elbow injury sustained in Georgia’s win over Texas at the SEC Championship Game.
Finally, the Buckeyes are -6.5 at Michigan with a total of 47.5. The Wolverines have +188 money-line odds to beat Ohio St. for the fifth consecutive time in this heated head-to-head rivalry.