The Week 1 college football schedule continues Sunday with a pair of games on national television. No. 13 South Carolina squares off against Virginia Tech at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta, and No. 10 Miami hosts No. 6 Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. ET. South Carolina narrowly missed out on a College Football Playoff spot last season, while Virginia Tech is coming off back-to-back 6-6 regular seasons. The Gamecocks are 7.5-point favorites in the Week 1 college football odds for the first game of the day, and Notre Dame is a 3-point favorite against Miami in the nightcap.
Before locking in your Week 1 college football picks on your favorite betting apps, be sure to check out the top college football betting picks from SportsLine’s proven computer model. Claim the latest bet365 promo code here, where new users get $200 in bonus bets with the placement of a $5+ bet:
The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a betting profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks, and was a profitable 27-16 combined on money-line and over/under college football picks in 2024. Anybody following its college football betting picks on betting sites could have seen strong returns, and new users can also target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $300 in bonus bets instantly plus over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket:
Week 1 college football best bets for Sunday, Aug. 31 (odds subject to change):
- Under 51.5 in South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech (-110)
- Notre Dame -3 vs. Miami (-105)
- Over 50.5 in Miami vs. Notre Dame (-110)
Combining the model’s three picks into a Week 1 college football parlay would result in a payout of +612 (risk $100 to win $612).
Under 51.5 in South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
South Carolina tends to play low-scoring games to open the season, as it has gone Under in six of its last seven games in August. The Gamecocks’ offense revolves around quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who is a dual-threat sophomore. Utah State transfer running back Rahsul Faison was deemed eligible at the beginning of the week, so it could be a heavy dose of rushing from South Carolina to keep the clock moving. SportsLine’s model has these teams combining for 49 points on Sunday afternoon, with the Under cashing in 58% of simulations.
Notre Dame -3 vs. Miami
Notre Dame lost its starting quarterback from last year’s team, but redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr is taking over an offense that has an elite ground game. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are back this season, giving them a chance to control the time of possession on Sunday night. Miami quarterback Carson Beck tore the UCL in his throwing elbow last year while playing for Georgia in the SEC Championship, causing him to miss spring practice. The model has Notre Dame covering the spread in 70% of simulations, providing clear value on this spread.
Over 50.5 in Notre Dame vs. Miami
Notre Dame has a strong offensive line to go along with its star running backs, so its offense is going to be difficult for Miami to slow down. On the other side of the field, Beck is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country, and the Hurricanes retooled their wide receiver room in the offseason. The Fighting Irish have gone Over in eight of their last 12 games, while Miami has gone Over in 12 of their last 16 contests.
Want more Week 1 college football picks?
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Also at SportsLine:
You can also see Week 1 college football picks from insider Thomas Casale. Visit SportsLine to see his best bets. SportsLine’s Matt Severance, who is 8-2 in his last 10 spread picks involving Notre Dame, has locked in his best bets for Notre Dame vs. Miami right here.