Dec 26, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New Mexico State running back Star Thomas (4) (center) runs for a touchdown after catching a short pass against Bowling Green in the first quarter in the 2022 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to the 2023 college football season! To kick off the year, we’ve put together a three-team parlay for Week 0 that takes advantage of some mispriced betting lines. This week’s matchups include Navy vs Notre Dame and USC vs San Jose State.
Here’s a parlay worth considering for Week 0:
| Matchup | Pick (Odds) |
|---|---|
| UMass vs New Mexico State | New Mexico State ML (-275) |
| UTEP vs Jacksonville State | UTEP ML (-120) |
| Ohio vs San Diego State | San Diego State ML (-140) |
| TOTAL ODDS | +325 |
All odds as of August 25th, at Bovada Sportsbook. Browse the best sports betting apps for parlay betting.
College Football Week 0 Parlay Picks
In our Week 0 college football parlay for Saturday, we’re taking two home favorites with great value to win outright, plus a Conference USA road favorite with a notable matchup edge. Parlaying these three college football teams together gives us +325 odds at DraftKings.
UMass vs New Mexico State
Kicking off our Week 0 college football parlay is a play on New Mexico State at home against the UMass Minutemen. Massachusetts won just a single game last season and now must face an Aggies team that ended the 2022 season with a three-game winning streak.
NMSU’s most significant offensive strength is its run game, which averaged 161.5 yards per game last season. While the Minutemen were surprisingly efficient on defense overall last season, their rush defense was a significant concern, allowing 194.3 yards per game on the ground [114th].
Pick: New Mexico State ML (-275)
UTEP vs Jacksonville State
Another addition to our college football Week 0 parlay is the UTEP money line against Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks are a popular against-the-spread wager in the college football public betting trends, but the majority of the money line handle is actually on the Miners.
UTEP has the best player in this game, wide receiver Tyron Smith, who is on a quest for a second consecutive 1,000-yard season. He’ll be catching passes from quarterback Gavin Hardison, who threw for over 2,000 yards last season.
UTEP’s stout defense is a reason to consider them for your Week 0 college football parlays. They ranked 42nd in FBS in total defense last season and return leader Praise Amaewhule, who has accumulated 17.5 sacks during his four-year college career.
Pick: UTEP ML (-120)
Ohio vs San Diego State
The final addition to our college football Week 0 parlay is the recommended pick of San Diego State against Ohio. While Kurtis Rourke is expected to play quarterback for the Bobcats, there’s no guarantee he’ll be at 100% after suffering a torn ACL at the end of last season.
Ohio’s defense was ranked 108th nationally last season, and San Diego State features an experienced offense that returns senior QB Jalen Mayden. During the 2022 campaign, Mayden threw for 2,030 yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.
SDSU returns six of their top seven players from their secondary, and we expect them to perform well against Rourke in his first game back from injury. The Aztecs are 5-1 in their last six home games and should deliver for their fans in their first game of the 2023 college football campaign.
Pick: San Diego State ML (-140)
- College Football Week 0 Parlay: New Mexico State, UTEP & San Diego State (+325)
Week 0 College Football Picks Against the Spread
Optional Game-Total Parlay Picks
If you’re looking to spice up your college football parlay, we have some additional over/under picks for you to consider. By throwing these picks into your CFB parlay, you can increase the odds payout to +1448 ($10 = $154.80 if successful).
San Jose State vs USC
The USC Trojans were one of the highest-scoring teams in college football last season, and they return quarterback Caleb Williams, who is the repeat favorite in the Heisman odds.
The Trojans have seen eight straight games go to the “over”, and there’s reason to expect plenty of offensive fireworks on Saturday night. The Spartans return their starting quarterback, Nick Starkel, who is the conference preseason OPOTY.
As much hype as there is around Caleb Williams and the Trojans, they still have a concerning defense. USC allowed over 400 yards per game in 2022, and San Jose has enough weapons to put up some points and cash this over.
Pick: Over 67 (-110)
Hawaii vs Vanderbilt
Another college football Week 0 game that could feature plenty of offense is a showdown between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Vanderbilt Commodores.
Vanderbilt won this game 63-10 last season, and while it’s projected to be a closer matchup this season, neither team is expected to be all that improved defensively.
Hawaii has a tendency to produce wild season openers, as the “over” has cashed in eight of their past 10 Week 0/1 contests. With QB Brayden Schager leading Hawaii’s new run-and-shoot offense, look for the Rainbow Warriors to relatively keep pace with the Commodores.
Pick: Over 56 (-110)
