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Congratulations, our long national nightmare is over. After an 8-month hiatus, college football is finally back. This week, and every week, we will take a look at some of college football's best available bets on the board.
Each week will bring its bumps, bruises, and unexpected turns in the age of COVID. In the first college football game of the year, for example, Austin Peay played without their top long snapper forcing the quarterback to have to pooch punt for the remainder of the game. Small adjustments like these can make or break a week, and we'll do our part to stay on top of the nuances to bring some of the best picks to you each week.
This week brings the first games for the ACC and Big 12 conferences in this 2020 fall college football season. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite picks for Week 1 of the 2020 college football season.
Charlotte at Appalachian State (-17)
O/U: 59
The 2-hour trip up Interstate-77 is a commute that both Charlotte and Appalachian State have had long interest in making an annual trip, but logistically have been unable to squeeze into a long-term annual contract. In each of the past two seasons, Appalachian State has shown its potent offensive firepower outscoring the 49ers 101 to 50, and now breaks in its third different head coach in as many years when Shawn Clark patrols the sideline for the first time. Third-year starting quarterback Zac Thomas has had a prolific career in Boone, North Carolina, but was dealt a big blow when star receiver Corey Sutton decided to opt out of the fall season in the fall. While the offense should still operate at a high level, with 7 returning starters, the concerns start on defense. Star linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, a fourth round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, is irreplaceable and is one of 6 defensive starters gone from last year's team.
The Charlotte 49ers had a highly successful 2019 campaign under first-year head coach Will Healy as they made their first-ever bowl game appearance. Healy, who oversaw a monumental transformation of a middling Austin Peay program prior to joining Charlotte last year, will have to replace a few key contributors from 2019, including All-Conference USA defensive end Alex Highsmith, and two-time 1,000-yard rusher Benny LeMay. Luckily, help on the way on offense as Northern Illinois graduate transfer Tre Harbison (2 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for the Wolfpack) joined the team in the spring to shore up the running game, while quarterback Chris Reynolds returns his top two receivers in Victor Tucker and Cam Dollar. On defense, Charlotte returns 7 starters, and gets a huge boost with two sixth-year senior stars in defensive end Tyriq Harris and safety Ben DeLuca who both missed 2019 with injury.
Appalachian State is overwhelmingly favored to conquer the Sun Belt, with a legitimate chance of posting a perfect 11-0 record. Having to replace three of four linebackers, and two three-year starters in the defensive backfield will be a difficult task for the Mountaineers in their quest for a perfect season.
Pick: Charlotte +17
Duke at Notre Dame (-20)
O/U: 53.5
Coach David Cutcliffe is one of the longest-tenured coaches in college football, having been at the helm of Duke since December 2017. Duke's 72-79 record in those 12 seasons perfectly encapsulates the consistency that Cutcliffe has brought to an otherwise middling program that had a combined 19 wins in the 12 years prior to his arrival. The Blue Devils enter 2020 with a new quarterback in Clemson transfer Chase Brice, for whom the team has high expectations this year. Unfortunately, Duke received a bad piece of news when All-ACC center Jack Wohlabaugh suffered a serious right knee injury. Coincidentally, Wohlabaugh's injury replacement is redshirt junior Will Taylor, who was the new quarterback's center at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are led by their fifth-year senior quarterback and marketing major Ian Book. Book took over as the starting quarterback midway through the 2018 season, en route to a prolific 2019 season in which the captain was threw for 34 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions as the team's offensive player of the year. Entering 2020 as an early Heisman contender, Book will have plenty of help up front with all five primary starting offensive linemen - Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Jarrett Patterson, Tommy Kraemer and Robert Hainsey - returning for another season in South Bend. The road-grading group up front paved the way for lead back Tony Jones Jr. to average over 6 yards per carry last year and will open holes for whichever young back takes over for Jones this season.
With the South Bend weather forecasting rain and overcast skies, the running game will be crucial to deciding this game's fate. Behind the stout offensive line, the weather and overall talent level vastly favors the Fighting Irish.
Pick: Notre Dame -10 first half
Arkansas State at Kansas State (-11)
O/U: 54.5
The Arkansas State Red Wolves stumbled in their opener last week at Memphis, but showed some flashes that should keep bettors excited about this team's prospects. Starting quarterback Logan Bonner, a junior who started four games in 2019 before injury, had two costly interceptions and looked lost against the Memphis defense. Coach Blake Andersen turned to his backup, Alabama transfer Layne Hatcher, who led the Red Wolves down the field catching an immediate connection with former Oklahoma transfer Dahu Green on the outside. Last season under the Bonner-Hatcher duo, Arkansas State ranked 10th in the nation in passing yards per game (312) and 26th in points per game (33.7). The defense, which ranked 114th in points allowed per game (34.2) remains suspect.
Coach Chris Klieman worked wonders with Kansas State last year in his first season at the FBS level, after leading North Dakota State to four consecutive FCS championship appearances. The Wildcats are led by dual-threat quarterback Skylar Thompson, who threw for 12 touchdowns and ran for 11 more in 2019. An interesting tidbit to keep an eye on - the Wildcats have scored the most non-offensive touchdowns in the nation since 1999 with 118.
Kansas State will be caught up in its fair share of high-scoring affairs playing in the Big 12 this season, and it makes sense that this game should be another one of those types of games.
Pick: Over 54.5
