Week 0 CFB preview

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Tyler Everett

By Tyler Everett

Sports Betting Editor

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NFL action remains more than a month-and-a-half away, but fans of college football are just 31 days from the opening whistle of the 2024 season.

On August 24, this year's Week 0 slate will feature four games:

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Let's get right into the spread and moneyline odds, as well as the best bets for FSU vs. GT and SMU-Nevada (odds are not currently widely available for Delaware State vs. Hawai'i or Montana State at New Mexico).

Week 0 College Football Odds, Predictions

Florida State at Georgia Tech (in Dublin, Ireland)

Over/Under:

The biggest matchup of the day is the clash in Dublin between the reigning ACC champs and an intriguing Georgia Tech squad that went 7-6 last year in its first season under head coach Brent Key.

GT brings back veteran former Texas A&M QB Haynes King, who put up solid numbers for the Yellow Jackets a year ago (226-for-367 passing for over 2,800 yards passing, with 27 TDs and 16 interceptions). King, who also ran for 700-plus yards and 10 TDs, makes the Yellow Yackets a frisky underdog.

Florida State lost a ton of talent from last year's squad, which went undefeated despite a late-season injury to QB Jordan Travis. The Noles were blown out by Georgia in the Orange Bowl, but are still coming off a tremendous season.

King and the Jackets played well against the best teams on their schedule in 2023. They memorably upset then-No. 17 Miami in Coral Gables and also beat North Carolina, and they were competitive in close losses to Louisville in last year's season opener and Georgia in the season finale.

That, combined with how much FSU has to replace from last year's roster, not to mention the unpredictability of an August 24 game overseas, all adds up to make the Jackets a live dog.

Best bet: Georgia Tech +13.5 (-115) at BetMGM

SMU at Nevada

Over/Under:

The primetime battle between SMU, which joined the ACC this offseason after winning the AAC to finish the season ranked No. 22 in 2023, doesn't look nearly as compelling as FSU-GT.

On the surface, whether SMU's high-powered offense will cover the lopsided spread against Nevada is hard to predict. But based on a closer look at these teams, don't be surprised if the Mustangs, who averaged 38.7 points per game last year, light up the scoreboard and win this one by 30 or more.

Closer to kickoff, two plays to consider that should be safe bets, regardless of what happens in the fourth quarter, are 1) SMU on the first-half spread and 2) SMU's team total. Unfortunately, those markets haven't been posted yet.

So for now, let's put our faith in SMU, which has a point to prove in its first year in the ACC. More importantly, coach Rhett Lashlee's team showed a tendency last year to keep its foot on the gas against overmatched opponents, with at least 45 points scored in five of its 11 victories.

It's hard to trust most teams to cover a spread of more than 24 points, but SMU is the exception after winning six games last year by at least that many, including four AAC matchups.

Best bet: SMU -24.5 (-110) -- available across the board

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