We've done it. We've survived the football-less months of winter, spring and most of summer. The end of August approaches, and with it, we have Week 0. Why they refuse to call it Week 1, I do not know, nor do I care. All that matters is that it's a Saturday with multiple college football games being played.
We don't get nearly enough of them, so we must cherish the ones we receive. Even if the slate is a bit, well, it's sparse. Sure, we have blue-blood programs like Notre Dame and USC playing, but they're facing teams they're heavily favored against.
Thankfully, we have the reason you're here reading this: gambling. A new college football season means a new season of The Six Pack, though this week's version is one of those smaller four-packs you buy from a microbrew.
It's fitting. You don't typically see four packs from name-brand beers, and these aren't name-brand programs we're betting on this week, but we're betting them all the same.
All time Eastern | Odds via SportsLine consensus
Games of the Week
No. 13 Notre Dame vs. Navy (Dublin, Ireland): We begin the season, as we often do, in Ireland, where Notre Dame and Navy kick off the latest chapter in their ongoing rivalry. It is not a game I expect to be close. The biggest story surrounding the Irish heading into the season is the arrival of former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman. Hartman was prolific with the Demon Deacons and should be an upgrade at the position for the Irish. However, as important as Hartman is, don't let him overshadow the rest of the offense.
I expect the Irish to be much more explosive at the receiver position this year, and they will have one of the best offensive lines in the country. It will be very difficult for most teams to stop, and Navy is one of those teams. The Mids have gone 11-23 in the last three seasons, which is why new coach Brian Newberry will be in charge for the first time here. Maybe Navy can shorten the game and get a few turnovers to keep it close, but I expect this one to be decided by the fourth quarter. The Pick: Notre Dame -20.5 (-110)
San José State at No. 6 USC: I believe the Trojans will contend for a Pac-12 title and a College Football Playoff berth this season, but if they do so, it'll be because they score 40 to 50 points per game. With the combination of Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams, plus a ton of talent at skill positions, it'd be hard not to. The problem is USC's defense was abysmal last season, ranking 120th or worse in dang near every category, both standard and advanced. It's a unit that should improve in 2023, but by how much?
Meanwhile, San José State is not a pushover. The Spartans are salty enough on defense to be more than a speed bump in this spot, and they should be able to move the ball on offense. Until USC shows me proof of concept on defense, don't expect me to have the Trojans covering a spread this large. The only teams USC beat by more than 31 points last season were Rice and Colorado. The Pick: San José State +30.5 (-110)
Lock of the Week
UMass at New Mexico State: I do not understand why this spread isn't larger. When it was initially posted, the Aggies were 9.5-point favorites, but it got bet down to as small as 6, which is where I jumped on it. Now it's moved to 6.5 points, which suggests plenty of others feel the same way I do.
It's not that the Aggies are a juggernaut. They aren't, but they did go 7-6 last season and reach their first bowl game since 2017. Jerry Kill teams aren't exciting but are well-coached and don't beat themselves. UMass is a team that doesn't need to beat itself because its opponents don't usually need the help. The Minutemen are 3-37 since the start of the 2019 season and only 13-27 ATS. That includes a 12-25 ATS mark as an underdog and 6-17 as a road dog, losing by an average of 33.7 points per game. The Pick: New Mexico State -6.5 (-110)
New FBS Program of the Week
UTEP at Jacksonville State: One of the side effects of conference realignment is we're seeing a lot of FCS programs make the jump to FBS. However, unlike how it used to be, the FBS level these programs are joining is much more watered down at the bottom. So, instead of moving up and enduring a bunch of two and three-win seasons, these teams are ready from the jump.
And Jacksonville State is a team that will be ready from the jump. The Gamecocks are coached by Rich Rodriguez, who has plenty of experience at the FBS level and led them to the ASUN title last season. Frankly, I'm of the opinion the only reason the Gamecocks aren't favored in this spot is because they're new. If they're worse than UTEP, it's not by much, and being at home for the program's first FBS game? How can you bet against those vibes? The Pick: Jacksonville State +1 (-111)
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 0? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $2,500 in profit over the past seven seasons -- and find out.
| Bets | Last Week | Season | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
Games of the Week | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Lock of the Week | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Overall | N/A | N/A | N/A |
