Opening Odds For College Football's 'Games Of The Year' In 2024
Nothing gets me more jacked up than betting on football. The NFL is King, but I'm a degenerate when betting on college football too. I'll do my usual deep-dive analysis on the college football bets I give out on OutKick. But, I'm not a die-hard college football fan like most of our readers. I bet on it as an appetizer for NFL Sunday.
This year, many new things are happening in college football that change how to bet on and consume the sport. Foremost, the College Football Playoff (CFP) expands to a 12-team format for the first time in the 2024-25 season. The Power 5 Conference champions get auto-bids in the CFP and the four top seeds earn first-round byes.
Related, Heisman Trophy Odds: Carson Beck Or Quinn Ewers? Jaxson Dart? Nico Iamaleava? Lots Of Competition In 2024
Also, conference realignment has murdered the Pac-12. USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington join the Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado are going to the Big XII. California and Stanford head to the ACC. The SEC welcomes Texas and Oklahoma. Many major programs use their early-season non-conference games to play decades-old rivalries.
Nonetheless, sportsbooks are releasing betting odds for marquee college football games early, and I'd rather prepare for those matchups than bet MLB. With that in mind, let's check out the opening lines for several "Games of the Year" in college football. "Games of the Year" is an old-school Las Vegas term for sportsbooks taking bets on big games before the season begins.
Early Lines For Major College Football Games In 2024
The odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, May 13th at 9 a.m. ET
Week 1
Saturday, August 31st
- Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs (-13.5) in Atlanta
- Miami Hurricanes (-2) at Florida Gators
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Texas A&M Aggies (-1)
Sunday, September 1st
- LSU Tigers (-6) vs. USC Trojans in Las Vegas
USC Trojans QB Miller Moss rolls out to throw against Louisville Cardinals in the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in San Diego. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Week 2: Saturday, September 7th
- Texas Longhorns (-3) at Michigan Wolverines
- Iowa State Cyclones at Iowa Hawkeyes (-2.5)
Week 3: Saturday, September 14th
- The Rocky Mountain Showdown: Colorado Buffaloes (-8) at Colorado State Rams
- Civil War: Oregon Ducks (-20.5) at Oregon State Beavers
- Alabama Crimson Tide (-8) at Wisconsin Badgers
- Apple Cup: Washington Huskies (-9.5) at Washington State Cougars
Week 4: Saturday, September 21st
- USC Trojans at Michigan Wolverines (-11)
- Tennessee Volunteers at Oklahoma Sooners (-4)
Week 5: Saturday, September 28th
- Georgia Bulldogs (-4.5) at Alabama Crimson Tide
- Wisconsin Badgers at USC Trojans (-4.5)
- Oklahoma Sooners (-3) at Auburn Tigers
Georgia Bulldogs QB Carson Beck drops back to pass vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2023 SEC title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports)
Week 6: Saturday, October 5th
- Michigan Wolverines (-9) at Washington Huskies
- Clemson Tigers at Florida State Seminoles (-4)
Week 7: Saturday, October 12th
- Red River Shootout: Texas Longhorns (-8.5) at Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas
- Penn State Nittany Lions (-4) at USC Trojans
- Florida Gators at Tennessee Volunteers (-11)
- Ohio State Buckeyes at Oregon Ducks (-1)
Week 8: Saturday, October 19th
- Georgia Bulldogs (-1.5) at Texas Longhorns
- Alabama Crimson Tide (-2) at Tennessee Volunteers
Week 9: Saturday, October 26th
- Penn State Nittany Lions (-6.5) at Wisconsin Badgers
Week 10: Saturday, November 2nd
- Oregon Ducks (-2.5) at Michigan Wolverines
- Ohio State Buckeyes (-3) at Penn State Nittany Lions
Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar in action during the Penn State Blue-White spring game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports)
Week 11: Saturday, November 9th
- Georgia Bulldogs (-7) at Ole Miss Rebels
- Holy War: BYU Cougars at Utah Utes
- Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers (-1)
- Florida State Seminoles at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3.5)
Week 12: Saturday, November 16th
- Swamp Bowl: LSU Tigers (-5.5) at Florida Gators
- Oregon Ducks (-10.5) at Wisconsin Badgers
- Tennessee Volunteers at Georgia Bulldogs (-17.5)
Week 13: Saturday, November 23rd
- Alabama Crimson Tide (-2) at Oklahoma Sooners
- USC Trojans (-4.5) at UCLA Bruins
Alabama Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe warms up during offseason practice in Tuscaloosa. (Gary Cosby Jr./Tuscaloosa News/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Week 14: Saturday, November 30th
- Sunshine Showdown: Florida Gators at Florida State Seminoles (-12.5)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3.5) at USC Trojans
- The Game: Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes (-10)
- Iron Bowl: Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide (-15)
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