The 2023 college football season is technically already underway after seven games last week, but the majority of the country will kick off their year over Labor Day weekend. The Week 1 college football schedule only features one matchup between ranked teams but it's a good one, with No. 5 LSU taking on No. 8 Florida State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday. Both teams have College Football Playoff aspirations and will be looking to impress the committee with a massive season-opening victory when they kick it off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
After winning the SEC West last season, LSU is the 2-point favorites in the Week 1 college football odds, according to the SportsLine consensus. In another high-profile matchup, Deion Sanders will make his Colorado debut as the Buffaloes take on TCU in a noon ET kickoff on Saturday. No. 17 TCU is a 20.5-point favorite in the Week 1 college football lines, but can Sanders show immediate results after almost completely turning over the Colorado roster in one offseason? Before locking in any Week 1 college football picks on those games or others, be sure to see the top Week 1 college football expert picks, predictions and best bets from Barrett Sallee.
Sallee is a true insider -- a CBS Sports analyst, SiriusXM host, Heisman voter and consistently one of the top CBS Sports experts picking games against the spread -- and his best bets have helped bring in huge returns. He debuted with SportsLine in 2017 and has delivered his three best college football picks to members each week. He got off to a fast 2-1 start in Week 0 of the 2023 season.
Now, he has turned his attention to the Week 1 college football odds and is sharing his top three best bets over at SportsLine. If you parlay them together, you could be looking at a return of around 6-1. Get his top college football picks at SportsLine.
Top Week 1 college football expert predictions
One of Sallee's top Week 1 college football picks: He is going Under 64.5 in the South Carolina vs. North Carolina matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The neighboring state institutions met for the first time in 1903 and Saturday's matchup will be the 60th in the history of the rivalry.
Playing totals in 2023 is going to be challenging early on, with everybody adjusting to rule changes that eliminate the clock stopping to reset the chains. That should lead to a slower, more methodical pace from both of these teams. The trends for the Tar Heels already are on the under's side, with North Carolina games going under in each of the last five instances where the total has been over 60.
"This is going to be a battle between two stud quarterbacks in Tar Heel star Drake Maye and Gamecocks veteran Spencer Rattler, but the last thing that either team wants is to get into a track meet in the opener," Sallee told SportsLine. "Expect both teams to establish the run and the work off play action." See what else Sallee likes at SportsLine.
How to make Week 1 college football picks
Sallee has also found two other college football picks he loves, including fading a team he says "can barely field a roster." You can only see his picks at SportsLine.
What are the best bets for Week 1 of college football, and which overmatched team goes down hard? Visit SportsLine now to see Barrett Sallee's college football best bets, all from one of the top analysts in the nation who has crushed his picks for SportsLine.
