You would think by the end of September college football bettors and oddsmakers would at least be able to agree on which teams should be favored.
However, that wasn’t the case heading into Week 5. Several games saw the role of favorites change hands shortly after opening lines began appearing at online sportsbooks on Sunday afternoon.
You can check the opening numbers and how they’ve moved at 12 different online sportsbooks here. In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of this week’s biggest early moves:
ADVERTISEMENT: Enjoy a free half point when you bet college football favorites - this is a huge perk and offered only at GTbets.eu - check it out.
Texas (-2.5) at Oklahoma State, 7:50 p.m. (FOX)
The Cowboys opened as 2-point favorites, but that number lasted only minutes, as money poured in on the visiting Longhorns. Oklahoma State will be without their starting quarterback, freshman Wes Lunt. However, backup JW Walsh, a redshirt freshman, didn’t appear to be that big of a drop-off from Lunt in the Cowboys’ 65-24 drubbing of Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 15. Walsh threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns against ULL. Both teams are coming off a bye.
Penn State at Illinois (-1.5), 12 p.m.
Another game that went across the fence, the Nittany Lions, winners of two straight, opened as 4-point road favorites over an Illinois team that just got smashed by Louisiana Tech. The Fighting Illini have won only three of the last 10 games against Penn State, but are 6-4 against the spread in those meetings.
Tulsa (-13.5) at UAB, 3 p.m.
Oddsmakers apparently didn’t give UAB as much credit for hanging with Ohio State as bettors did. Tulsa opened at a hefty -17, but it was down to -13 at 5Dimes as of Monday morning. UAB had a 9-0 lead in the second quarter at Ohio State, but wilted down the stretch. The Golden Hurricane nipped Fresno State 27-26 at home last week.
San Jose State (-2.5) at Navy, 3:30 p.m.
Coach Mike Macintyre’s Spartans are one of only five teams that have covered the spread in their first four games. They played Stanford extremely tough in the season opener and are coming off a big road win at San Diego State. However, Navy actually opened as a 1-point favorite. Bettors weren’t buying it and quickly forced oddsmakers to make San Jose State the favorite.
Boise State (-27) at New Mexico, 6 p.m.
The Broncos opened as 30-point favorites, but New Mexico received the early attention. The Lobos are unquestionably better coached under Bob Davie, but are they capable of staying within four touchdowns of Boise State? The Broncos, of course, didn’t look that special in a 7-6 win over BYU on Thursday, but did blast New Mexico 45-0 last season.
College Football Lines - opening values courtesy of 5Dimes:
Stanford -7 at Washington +7 - Matchup Report
Trends: Stanford is 22-2 SU in its last 24 games
Washington is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
Hawaii +27.5 at BYU -27.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: Hawaii is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
BYU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Baylor +11.5 at West Virginia -11.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: Baylor is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Stony Brook at Army - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Army's last 8 games at home
Penn State +1 at Illinois -1 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Penn State's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Illinois's last 5 games when playing Penn State
Buffalo +18 at Connecticut -18 - Matchup Report
Trends: Buffalo is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Connecticut is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Buffalo
Minnesota +7 at Iowa -7 - Matchup Report
Trends: Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Ball State -2 at Kent State +2 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ball State's last 5 games
Kent State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Indiana +13.5 at Northwestern -13.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
Northwestern is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Missouri +2.5 at Central Florida -2.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: Missouri is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Central Florida's last 9 games at home
Arkansas +13.5 at Texas A&M -13.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 7 of Arkansas's last 9 games on the road
Texas A&M is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home
Duke +3.5 at Wake Forest -3.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 4 of Duke's last 5 games when playing Wake Forest
Wake Forest is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Duke
Miami (Ohio) -6 at Akron +6 - Matchup Report
Trends: Miami (Ohio) is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Akron
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Akron's last 5 games when playing Miami (Ohio)
Nevada at Texas State - Matchup Report
Trends: Nevada is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games
Texas State is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
Colorado State +15 at Air Force -15 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado State's last 5 games when playing Air Force
Air Force is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Colorado State
Tulsa at UAB - Matchup Report
Trends: Tulsa is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of UAB's last 6 games
San Jose State -2.5 at Navy +2.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: San Jose State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Navy is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games at home
Troy at South Alabama - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Troy's last 13 games
South Alabama is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Rhode Island at Bowling Green - Matchup Report
Trends: Rhode Island is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Bowling Green's last 5 games at home
Idaho +24 at North Carolina -24 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 5 of Idaho's last 6 games on the road
North Carolina is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Louisiana-Monroe -19.5 at Tulane +19.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 4 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tulane's last 5 games
Tennessee +14 at Georgia -14 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Georgia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Georgia's last 5 games
Marshall +15.5 at Purdue -15.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 4 of Marshall's last 5 games on the road
Purdue is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Ohio at Massachusetts - Matchup Report
Trends: Ohio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Massachusetts is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Central Michigan +9.5 at Northern Illinois -9.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 6 of Central Michigan's last 7 games on the road
Northern Illinois is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
Ohio State +2.5 at Michigan State -2.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: Ohio State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Michigan State
Michigan State is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games at home
Houston -4 at Rice +4 - Matchup Report
Trends: Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Rice's last 6 games when playing Houston
North Carolina State at Miami - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Carolina State's last 5 games on the road
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Florida State at South Florida - Matchup Report
Trends: Florida State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
South Florida is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
Louisiana Tech at Virginia - Matchup Report
Trends: Louisiana Tech is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Virginia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Clemson at Boston College - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Clemson's last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston College's last 5 games when playing Clemson
Virginia Tech at Cincinnati - Matchup Report
Trends: Virginia Tech is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Arizona State +1.5 at California -1.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona State's last 5 games on the road
California is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona State
North Texas at Florida Atlantic - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Texas's last 6 games when playing Florida Atlantic
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida Atlantic's last 6 games when playing North Texas
UCLA -21 at Colorado +21 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 9 of UCLA's last 13 games
Colorado is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games
Boise State at New Mexico - Matchup Report
Trends: Boise State is 23-2 SU in its last 25 games on the road
New Mexico is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games at home
South Carolina at Kentucky - Matchup Report
Trends: South Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kentucky's last 5 games when playing South Carolina
TCU -17 at Southern Methodist +17 - Matchup Report
Trends: TCU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Southern Methodist is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
Toledo +3 at Western Michigan -3 - Matchup Report
Trends: Toledo is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Western Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Western Kentucky +1 at Arkansas State -1 - Matchup Report
Trends: Western Kentucky is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Arkansas State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Texas El Paso +4 at East Carolina -4 - Matchup Report
Trends: Texas El Paso is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
East Carolina is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home
Towson at LSU - Matchup Report
Trends: Towson is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
LSU is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home
Middle Tennessee at Georgia Tech - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 6 of Middle Tennessee's last 8 games on the road
Georgia Tech is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games at home
Florida International at Louisiana-Lafayette - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Florida International's last 9 games on the road
Louisiana-Lafayette is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Texas -2.5 at Oklahoma State +2.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Louisville at Southern Miss - Matchup Report
Trends: Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Southern Miss
Southern Miss is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
UNLV +16.5 at Utah State -16.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 8 of UNLV's last 12 games on the road
Utah State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
UTSA at New Mexico State - Matchup Report
Trends: New Mexico State is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games at home
Texas Tech -2.5 at Iowa State +2.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone OVER in 6 of Texas Tech's last 7 games on the road
Iowa State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Wisconsin at Nebraska - Matchup Report
Trends: Wisconsin is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Nebraska is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
Mississippi +31.5 at Alabama -31.5 - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Mississippi's last 5 games when playing on the road against Alabama
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Diego State at Fresno State - Matchup Report
Trends: The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego State's last 6 games on the road
Fresno State is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Oregon State +3 at Arizona -3 - Matchup Report
Trends: Oregon State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Arizona is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Oregon -29 at Washington State +29 - Matchup Report
Trends: Oregon is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington State's last 5 games when playing at home against Oregon
