AAC Week 1 Picks: Bet Temple, Florida Atlantic to Cover Spread
- Florida Atlantic will look to pull off a huge upset when they visit Michigan State on Friday night.
- Temple is a six-touchdown road dog at Oklahoma on Friday.
- Check out the college football betting odds for every AAC matchup in the BetUS football sportsbook!
The Temple Owls and Florida Atlantic Owls face tall tasks against their respective Week 1 Power 5 rivals. Yet, both AAC schools are attractive college football betting odds picks for different reasons.
North Texas is also a Week 1 road underdog, but the Mean Green will have a better chance of getting the outright win in the BetUS football sportsbook than either of their conference counterparts. Now, let’s find out why all three AAC schools look like solid NCAAF betting odds picks this coming week.
Best Bets in AAC for Week 1
Temple to Cover Huge Spread at No. 16 Oklahoma
Temple went 3-9 straight up, 3-9 against and 6-6 on over/under betting last season in its second year under head coach Stan Drayton. Unfortunately, starting quarterback EJ Warner bolted in the transfer porta and now the Owls have issues at the position, with Drayton withholding who his starter will be until game day.
Temple added a bunch of new players on both sides of the ball in the offseason but needs to improve an offense that averaged 21.1 points and a defense that gave up a whopping 35.7 points per contest. The Owls are moving to a 4-3 defense in 2024 after playing a 3-4 the previous two seasons.
Oklahoma improved from 6-7 in head coach Brent Venables’ first season in 2022 to go 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS and 8-5 O/U last season. While the Sooners lost star quarterback Dillon Gabriel to Oregon in the portal, they have a former five-star recruit in the wings in Jackson Arnold. The Sooners return their leading rusher from last season and their top four receivers from an offense that averaged an impressive 41.7 points (4th nationally).
Defensively, the Sooners allowed 23.5 points per game (49th) and have their leading tackler, sack leader and interceptions leader back. Oklahoma closed out its 2023 campaign by going 3-3 over its final six games. but lost its Alamo Bowl matchup against Arizona 38-24.
Temple hasn’t won a road game since 2021 but never lost a game last season by more than 38 points. The Owls are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games while Oklahoma is 6-2 ATS in its last eight home games.
The outcome of this Week 1 affair isn’t in doubt as Oklahoma will get the outright win. Yet, I like Temple to cover the college football betting spread as a six-touchdown road dog simply because Arnold lacks experience and the Sooners might not be firing on all cylinders.
Temple has a long way to go to get back to being respectable, but I’m urging online betting enthusiasts to take the 42½ points and back the Owls to narrowly cover in this one.
Check out Oklahoma’s national championship odds right here!
Bet on FAU to Challenge Michigan State for Outright Win!
Florida Atlantic went 4-8 SU and 4-7-1 ATS last season in head coach Tom Herman’s first season. Despite playing for one of college football’s most creative offensive minds, the Owls struggled to score by averaging 23.8 points. To make matters worse, Herman saw three quarterbacks on the roster bolt in the transfer portal.
Now, either former Marshall starter Cameron Fancher or junior Tyriq Starks will take over under center. Florida Atlantic gave up 25.5 points per game defensively but will have a handful of returning starters including leading tackler Jackson Ambush.
College football news later revealed that the Spartans hired former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith in the offseason to lead the program in a new direction. The Spartans will have a new starting quarterback in Aidan Chiles, who left the Beavers with Smith after his true freshman year last season.
Former Oregon State center Tanner Miller and Beavers tight end Jack Velling also join Smith and are expected to start. Smith will have his hands full in trying to improve an offense that averaged a pitiful 15.9 points and gave up 28.3 points per game defensively.
Michigan State is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games while Florida Atlantic is 1-4-1 ATS in its last six games. While I expect Michigan State to be vastly better than it was a year ago, I also like Herman’s innovative offense to be better in 2024 despite the question marks at quarterback.
With Michigan State amid massive changes and this game taking place so early in the 2024 season, I think Florida Atlantic will be able to keep this game fairly competitive. I like the Owls to cover the college football betting odds as a 14-point road dog!
Michigan State 28 Florida Atlantic
North Texas ATS Pick vs South Alabama
North Texas went 5-7 SU, 8-4 ATS, and 6-6 O/U last season in their first year under head coach Eric Morris. The Mean Green averaged a healthy 34.5 points a year ago but the defense gave up 37.1 points per game.
North Texas lost starting quarterback Chandler Rogers to the transfer portal and will go with former Oklahoma and TCU signal-caller Chandler Morris in 2024. The 6-foot junior threw 12 TD passes and five picks in seven games last season. The defense was one of the worst in the country last season but has five starters returning.
South Alabama went 7-6 SU, 5-8 ATS and 7-6 O/U last season under former head coach Kane Wommack. The Jaguars averaged 33.1 points and limited their opponents to 21.0 points per game. However, Wommack bolted to Alabama to take over as defensive coordinator. Now, the Jaguars will suit up for former offensive coordinator and former Houston head coach Major Applewhite in 2024.
Redshirt freshman Gio Lopez will start for Applewhite and looks like a promising player after throwing three touchdown passes and rushing for another in South Alabama’s bowl game win over Eastern Michigan to close out last season.
The defense was outstanding last season under Wommack and returns star safety Jaden Voisin. The Jaguars added former Oklahoma State safety Ladarius Webb in the transfer portal. South Alabama has a run-stopping force in defensive tackle Wy’Kevious Thomas.
As far as NCAA football betting trends, North Texas went 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight games and is 4-1 ATS in its last five road dates. South Alabama is 9-4 SU in its last 13 home games, but 2-6 ATS in its last eight home games.
I’m going with South Alabama to take care of business in this regular-season opener, but this Week 1 matchup has the look of a classic field goal finish. The Jaguars should have the better defense in this affair and they are playing at home.
Yet, North Texas put a bunch of points on the board a year ago and should be able to keep this one close with a good chance of getting the outright win. Take the Mean Green and the 5½ points, BetUS sportsbook betting faithful!
South Alabama 27 North Texas 24
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions of the Day
Who won the AAC last season?
SMU, which bolted for the AAC, beat Tulane in the conference title game.
