How about that? A perfect Week 1!
Let’s keep the good times rolling …
Rutgers +3.5 (-122) at Boston College (FanDuel): If ever there were a time to back Rutgers, it would be now. Greg Schiano’s back is against the wall, and he’s rolling with AJ Surace as his QB. If the Scarlet Knights lose this, they probably won’t beat an FBS team this season. This line opened at +4 — a gross overreaction to the Week 1 letdown at UMass — and all the sharp money has taken this down to +3 in most spots. A reminder: Shop around … and #CHOP out.
Syracuse -3 (-115) vs. Cal (Circa): Two weeks in a row, Cal opens as a 1.5-point favorite, only to see sharp money completely go against the Bears. And with good reason: Cal lost by 21 at home in Tosh Lupoi’s debut. They gave up 8.7 yards per carry to UCLA. The Dome is a different beast, as is Syracuse early in the season. Throw in the fact that this game is three time zones away, and after Cal played in the late #Pac12AfterDark spot last week, and this is the recipe for Steve Angeli’s coming-out party for the Orange.
Minnesota +1.5 (-122) vs. Mississippi State (FanDuel): This line has been all over the board this week, with the Gophers now favored at some shops. Quite frankly, I think Minnesota is simply the better team. At home, the Gophers will have to work to lose this one — turnovers, special teams miscues, etc. — and I just don’t see that happening to a P.J. Fleck outfit at this stage. As my colleague Bill Landis pointed out, the Bulldogs have not been road favorites since 2022 … and they lost that game by 10 points to Kentucky. That was with Mike Leach as coach, too. Ride with Goldy here.
Week 1 record: 3-0
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