Football refers to team sports where participants kick a ball in various ways to achieve a goal. Football is a term used to refer to several different sports, including association football (also known as soccer in North America and Oceania), gridiron football (also known as American football or Canadian football), Australian rules football, rugby union, rugby league, and Gaelic football. The most common variation of football in the context it is used is called sim football. Football is an entertaining spectator sport and has a legion of devoted followers. That vision of the ball hitting the net is one of the most satisfying visuals.
This Weekend’s Games
Nearly two dozen teams will start their 2022 college football seasons in the last week of August before all FBS teams begin to play in the first week of September. The Week 0 college football schedule features 11 games and three conference matchups, starting on Saturday, August 27. The only Power-5 match of the week will feature Big Ten rivals Nebraska and Northwestern, with the Cornhuskers projected as 13-point favorites. Caesars Sportsbook provided those Week 0 college football odds; the game’s over/under was 50.5.
Conference championship week is the season’s turning point for every program not competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Hoisting the trophy is the reward for all the efforts during spring training, summer workouts, and additional training sessions. It’s simple to undervalue the importance of league titles in today’s CFP-or-bust culture. But regardless of what the final rankings reveal, winning the conference is a huge accomplishment. Yes, the College Football Playoff deserves to be in the spotlight and does so.
Some of the most anticipated games are coming soon, and the fans are gearing up to watch their favorite players take the stage. Two games from Conference USA will be featured elsewhere: North Texas vs. UTEP (pick them) and Charlotte vs. FAU (-7)). Before putting your Week 0 college football wagers on Saturday’s condensed schedule of games, who should you side with? Check out the most recent college football predictions from SportsLine’s tested model before deciding on any Week 0 college football picks for the 2022 campaign.
The SportsLine Projection Model performs 10,000 simulations of every FBS college football game. The proprietary computer model’s top-rated college football choices against the spread have produced a remarkable profit of approximately $3,600 over the previous six years for $100 bettors. Additionally, it ran 43-31 on all elite college football side picks to close up the 2021–22 season.
Our Predictions
Pittsburgh/Arkansas ML Parlay (-118)
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Both teams are giving up a score at home, and while we like them both to win, each team possesses an element that might give them the winning edge. Pitt is in terrific shape this season and could easily win the Coastal Division. With so many players returning, the Panthers should have a fierce defense again, which will make things very difficult for the visiting West Virginia team. Pitt replaced Kenny Pickett with Kedon Slovis at quarterback and brought back the whole offensive line, even though they may have taken a tiny step back offensively. The Mountaineers should lose in this Thursday night rivalry game since they suffer so much away from home.
Cincinnati surprised everyone by actually qualifying for the College Football Playoff last season, but as was to be expected, Alabama destroyed them. Not that Arkansas is Alabama, but it’s a big ask to start the season on the road against an SEC club that went 9-4 and finished last season ranked in the top 25 after losing a tonne of skill from that playoff squad. Considering 13 starters are returning, the Bearcats will be successful this season. The Hogs, who produce a tonne of elite talent on both sides of the ball, including K.J. Jefferson, have been led by Sam Pittman, who has done an outstanding job. However, both excellent cornerbacks, Desmond Ridder and Alec Pierce, are enormous offensive weapons playing in the NFL.
Appalachian State ML (+115)
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In 2019, App State defeated a far more skilled Tar Heels team, including Howell, Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, and Dazz Newsome, on the road as a similarly priced underdog. Since then, UNC’s offense has considerably declined, and it will now play on the road against a group expected to dominate ACC opposition.
We are uncertain about how UNC will fare this season. At least App State will get some footage on their opponent, who must prepare for an opening a week sooner, even though UNC should thrash Florida A&M in Week 0. The Mountaineers can relax and focus solely on preparing for the Tar Heels.
Utah/Ohio State ML Parlay (+100)
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Utah’s season kicks off with a challenging away game against the Gators at The Swamp. May the fittest survive. Cam Rising, a starter for Utah last year who went 9-2, with one of those losses coming to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, is back. Rising is the genuine deal, and he backs up a great offensive line and running attack. Kyle Whittingham has done great work on both sides of the ball, and his defense is getting back many of its important players. Florida is undoubtedly a top-tier SEC team, but with significant squad movement and a new coach, I don’t see them starting the season with a top-10 victory.
Why We Made These Predictions
One of the best college football picks the model suggests for Saturday is Wyoming (+10), keeping Illinois within the number in a Sunday game at 4 p.m. ET. Despite lacking consistency at quarterback, the Cowboys just completed a 7-6 campaign and won a bowl game. Levi Williams and Sean Chambers played equally; however, both players left in the offseason. Additionally, Wyoming received a transfer at the position from Utah State in the form of Andrew Peasley.
Peasley can be a dual threat and should work well with Titus Swen in the Cowboys’ backfield. Despite being a backup during those five games, Swen averaged 92.2 rushing yards in 2021. Just 14 of the 130 FBS teams had a lower scoring average than the Fighting Illini, who are counting on their new QB transfer to spark the offense. However, a former Syracuse quarterback, Tommy DeVito, is just 4-9 in his last 13 starts. He will face a Wyoming defense that finished No. 13 against the pass last season, just one spot behind eventual national champion Georgia. The model predicts a low-scoring contest, which benefits Wyoming. It indicates that the Cowboys (+10) will win in nearly 60% of scenarios despite only losing by a touchdown. Let the games continue to flourish!
