College football odds, picks, predictions for Week 1, 2024: Proven model backs Penn State in best bets

While many teams are expected to ease into the 2024 college football season as heavy favorites in their openers, the Week 1 college football schedule also presents some major hurdles for several ranked teams. No. 20 Texas A&M is a 3-point favorite against No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday night in the Week 1 college football odds, so that game could wind up being crucial for the College Football Playoff. Another ranked vs. ranked showdown in Week 1 features No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson on Saturday afternoon, with the Bulldogs at -13.5 in the Week 1 college football spreads. Clemson is expected to contend for the ACC title, so an upset win on Saturday would put the Tigers on a path to the CFP.

This week’s loaded schedule also features games on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday, presenting five straight days of football for fans and bettors. Which games should you target with your Week 1 college football bets? Before locking in any college football picks for Week 1 of the 2024 season, be sure to see the latest college football predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also coming off a profitable 13-9 season on top-rated spread picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds for Week 1 and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top college football predictions for Week 1

One of the college picks the model is high on during Week 1: No. 8 Penn State (-8.5) cruises to a blowout win over West Virginia at noon ET on Saturday. These teams met to open the 2023 season as well, with Penn State covering the spread as a 21-point favorite in a 38-15 victory. The Nittany Lions have now covered the spread in six straight games against Big 12 opponents, and they have covered at a 15-4-1 clip in their last 20 games overall.

West Virginia has struggled against Big Ten teams, going 2-6 against the spread in its last eight such games. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar had 25 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions last season, and he could improve even more under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnecki. The Nittany Lions outgained the Mountaineers by 170 yards in last year’s opener, and they are covering the spread in well over 70% of the model’s simulations. See which other picks the model likes here.

Another prediction: Western Kentucky (+31.5) stays within the spread at No. 5 Alabama in a 7 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday. The Hilltoppers have been successful under head coach Tyson Helton, who has a 40-26 record across five seasons. His teams have participated in bowl games in all five seasons, picking up four wins in those games.

Experienced quarterback TJ Finley transferred to Western Kentucky after spending time at LSU, Auburn and Texas State, so he has faced plenty of SEC teams during his career. He is facing an Alabama secondary that is reloading this season, which is one of several position groups that suffered from attrition following Nick Saban’s retirement. The model expects some bumps and bruises for the Crimson Tide early in the season, which is enough for the Hilltoppers to cover the spread well over 50% of the time. See the rest of the model’s picks here.

How to make college football picks for Week 1

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every FBS matchup in Week 1, and it’s calling for several underdogs to win outright. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and which underdogs win outright? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit since its inception, and find out.