College Football Parlay Picks for Week 1 (2021)
Oh, what a time to be alive! College football is back, and I’d love to find one reader who is as excited as I am! Technically, the action got underway last weekend with a minuscule Week 0 slate. Consider that merely the appetizer to the first helping of the main course that comes our way this weekend. Week 1 action sees numerous games span all the way from Thursday evening through Labor Day night. Needless to say, the college football betting season is kicking off with a bang!
With a full slate of games on tap, the first college football betting parlays column of the 2021 season is locked and loaded. There is a fun mix of large-point spreads and toss-up games on this opening weekend. Read on for the best Week 1 college football parlay bets as we aim to start the season off on a positive note.
Check out all of our college football game previews and picks of the week >>
Week 1 College Football Parlay #1
Our first featured college football parlay for Week 1 consists of five legs spanning across several Saturday games. Four moneyline favorites combined with a ranked team laying a short number on the road produce a ticket with +270 odds. Without further ado, let’s dive further into the picks that comprise our first parlay recommendation of the season.
LSU (-2.5) at UCLA
Our lone ATS pick included in this parlay actually comes from one of the higher-profile games of the weekend. 16th-ranked LSU is currently just under a field goal favorite for their matchup at the Rose Bowl against UCLA. Despite being ranked, the Tigers will have a few wrinkles to overcome this weekend. Aside from the Bruins already having a game (and convincing victory at that) under their belts, LSU had to shift operations to Houston this week as Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast. Despite this being a true road game and Chip Kelly’s UCLA team clearly being a program on the rise, the Tigers simply bring more talent to the table. We’ll look to take advantage of this cheap spread in our parlay.
Indiana at Iowa (-190)
The first moneyline favorite included in this college football parlay wager is Iowa. This pick deserves some increased attention as it is much shorter in terms of odds. The Hawkeyes kick off their 2021 campaign with a conference home game against Indiana. After one of the best seasons in recent program history, the Hoosiers are a popular pick to hold their own in the Big Ten once again this season. Such optimism has led to IU being a bit overvalued by the college football betting market out of the gates. A lethal Iowa defense combined with what figures to be a raucous home crowd at Kinnick Stadium will be the staples in a Hawkeyes victory.
Georgia Tech (-900), Florida (-2200) and Washington State (-850)
The remaining three moneyline favorites are simply to add beef to our parlay. After showing flashes of improvement last season, Georgia Tech should have no trouble against one of the worst teams in the MAC in Northern Illinois this weekend. In fact, the price on the Yellow Jackets to win outright really could stand to be even higher. Meanwhile, Florida should have no trouble against in-state opponent Florida Atlantic. Washington State is the final large moneyline favorite included. The Cougars should take another step forward in year two under Nick Rolovich and cruise past a rebuilding Utah State program.
Week 1 College Football Parlay #2
Although our second Week 1 college football parlay only has three legs, a much greater potential return awaits. The combination of two slim favorites, one ATS and one on the moneyline, along with an intriguing under play, result in a ticket with +475 odds. Let’s examine each bet in more detail.
Army at Georgia State (-2)
In this parlay, the resident ATS pick has us laying two points with Georgia State in a home matchup against Army. While the triple-option offense is never easy to game plan for, given its uniqueness, one advantage that the Panthers will have over Army’s future opponents is an entire preseason to prep. Many college football betting analysts consider the Sun Belt Conference a three-team race again this year, with Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, and Appalachian State comprising the battle. However, Georgia State lost to Louisiana and App State by a combined seven points last year. With several players returning, the Panthers might be a team to bet on beyond just this week’s parlay.
Stanford vs. Kansas State (-155)
We take Kansas State as a moneyline favorite for their neutral-site clash against Stanford at Jerry’s World. Not many expect the Wildcats or Cardinal to make a ton of noise in their respective conferences this season. However, K-State has a couple of things working in their favor for this season-opener. Along with a veteran presence under center in Skylar Thompson, the noon EST kickoff for this game is much more in line with the Wildcats’ body clocks. Stanford coach David Shaw has openly criticized FOX Sports for having Stanford playing a 9 a.m. PST game. Kansas State should pull out a win and has a great chance to cover the three-point spread here as well.
New Mexico State at San Diego State (Under 51)
At first glance, bettors might be wary of playing under on a game with a huge spread of 31 points in favor of the San Diego State. When one considers the two teams in question, the play suddenly becomes more digestible. The run-heavy, clock-chewing offense of SDSU will at least lessen how far the Aztecs can run up the score on what is a terrible NMSU squad. New Mexico State was routed 30-3 in Week 0 by rival UTEP. The Aggies’ power rate is far below any other FBS program and will have all they can do to hang a field goal on the scoreboard against what is still a respectable San Diego State defense.
No Juice on All Week 1 Top-25 College Football Games >>
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Henry John is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Henry, check out his archive and follow him @HankTimeSports.