The 2024 College Football Week 2 action report reveals a significant surge in betting activity favoring Texas.
A highly anticipated clash is on the horizon, as No. 3 Texas prepares to face No. 10 Michigan during FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff.
Let’s break down the key matchups!
College Football Thrills on FOX
The showdown between Texas and Michigan marks the first encounter of top-10 teams this season, kicking off at noon ET on Saturday on FOX. Caesars Sports opened the Longhorns as 4-point favorites on the road at the Big House, but the line quickly adjusted to -3.5 on August 29.
Following the results from Week 1—where Texas dominated Colorado State 52-0, while Michigan secured a less convincing 30-10 victory over Fresno State—the betting line shifted upward. By Sunday, the Longhorns surged to a -7 line, with intermediate adjustments at -4.5, -5.5, -6, and -6.5.
By Tuesday, Texas had reached -7.5.
“We’re witnessing a lot of action on Texas, along with interest in the Over,” noted Feazel. “Michigan appears to be a different team this year. Their defense seems solid, but the offense struggled last week.”
“That’s influencing public bettors’ perceptions.”
Despite public enthusiasm for the Over, the total has decreased by 2.5 points, opening at 45 and settling at 42.5 by Wednesday night.
Paul Stone, a college football betting expert from On-Campus Sharp Side, resides in Texas but is opting out of betting on the Texas-Michigan matchup.
However, Stone is keenly focused on another exciting matchup: Colorado versus Nebraska.
Deion Sanders, known as Coach Prime, continues to attract attention from bettors, especially with his star quarterback and son, Shedeur Sanders, along with standout player Travis Hunter. Nebraska may also have a rising star in true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Stone observed that Nebraska started as a 5-point home favorite, but the line has shifted to a consensus of -7.
“Some are acting as if Colorado performed poorly last week, but North Dakota State is a formidable FCS powerhouse,” he pointed out, referencing the Buffaloes’ narrow 31-26 victory as an 11-point home favorite.
In their previous encounter, Colorado was a 2.5-point home favorite against Nebraska and achieved a decisive 36-14 win, amassing 454 total yards, with 396 coming through the air. Stone highlighted that this was the highest yardage allowed by Nebraska throughout the season.
“Shedeur Sanders has improved significantly after a year at the FBS level,” he remarked. “The Buffaloes’ receiving corps is among the best in the nation. An upset from Colorado wouldn’t be surprising.”
Stone is also backing Maryland -9 at home against Michigan State in both teams’ Big Ten opener. He expressed disappointment with the Spartans’ performance in their 16-10 victory over Florida Atlantic in Week 1, under the guidance of first-year coach Jonathan Smith.
“Michigan State managed only 293 total yards against a mediocre American Athletic Conference opponent, committed three turnovers, and incurred 12 penalties totaling 140 yards. I predict Maryland will win by two touchdowns,” Stone stated.
Stone is also involved in the Iowa State versus Iowa matchup. The rivalry for the Cy-Hawk Trophy has consistently favored the Under in recent seasons.
“This game is expected to have a low total of 35,” Stone noted. “Both teams are fielding strong defenses again, and the game pace should be slow with minimal explosive plays. I anticipate another low-scoring affair.”
Nebraska Early, Colorado Late?
Feazel shared insights on the Colorado-Nebraska matchup from his perspective.
Last season, the betting public heavily favored Coach Prime and the Buffaloes early in the season. This trend is likely to continue leading up to the Saturday evening kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET, though it hasn’t materialized just yet.
“Unexpectedly, there has been significant action on Nebraska so far,” Feazel commented. “Last year, one of the most popular betting games was when Colorado convincingly beat Nebraska.”
As previously mentioned, the Buffs triumphed in that game with a score of 36-14 as 2.5-point home favorites.
“Colorado is a polarizing team and is likely to attract a lot of attention,” Feazel stated. “I expect the Colorado supporters’ bets to come in, probably on game day. I anticipate that the Colorado moneyline will be part of that action.”
For those considering a bet on a Buffaloes upset, Caesars lists the Colorado moneyline at +215. This means a $100 wager would yield a profit of $215 ($315 total payout) if the Buffaloes triumph in Lincoln.
“Currently, our ideal scenario is for Nebraska to win by 1-6 points.”
