Big Ten Conference Week 1 Props: New Coach Should Have Badgers Soaring
The Big Ten season got underway with a bit of a snoozer with Minnesota edging Nebraska 13-10 in Matt Rhule’s first game as the head coach of the visiting Huskers. When looking at the college football predictions, expect much more offense this week.
According to the sportsbook, the most competitive game could be the Purdue-Fresno State affair while plenty of eyes will be on Indiana’s home date with Ohio State to see if a change at quarterback will slow the mighty Buckeyes.
The biggest line move came in the Buffalo-Wisconsin matchup with that game going from the Badgers being favored by 23 points to being a 28-point favorite according to the college football picks.
Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are all ranked in the Top 10 in the national polls so after the Wolverines and Buckeyes both made it into the College Football Playoff field in 2022, it is not a surprise to see them among the top candidates in the odds to win the national title.
Here’s a look at some prop bets that those who bet online might want to consider.
New Coach Looking To Badger the Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo has lost its last three games against teams from the Power-5 conferences by at least 20 points with losses to Maryland, Nebraska and Penn State.
The Bulls face another Big Ten team when they head to meet Wisconsin. Look for the Badgers to air it out more with former Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell now calling the shots at Wisconsin. Don’t forget that the Badgers still have one of the top running backs in the country so
This could be ugly.
Go with the +475 odds for Wisconsin to win by 19-24 points.
Spartan Living on Display
Michigan State has won 15 games in a row against teams from the Mid-American Conference and topped 50 points in two of the last three meetings.
The Spartans have something to prove this season so things might not go well for Central Michigan.
Look for Michigan State to get going early in this one. Another 50-point explosion might be asking a bit much, but jumping out to the early lead is certainly something to look for.
Hoosiers Will Be Ready To Strike
It is hard to know what to expect from Ohio State following the departure of quarterback C.J. Stroud and both starting offensive tackles.
Coaches hesitating to name a starting quarterback is usually not a great sign so while Ohio State has elite playmakers in receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and running back TreVeyon Henderson, expect Indiana to be a better team in 2023. Can they slow down Harrison, who might just be the best player in college football?
The Hoosiers should be fired up to have the national title contenders coming into Bloomington so why not take a chance on the Hoosiers striking first?
Iowa Hawkeyes To Go Under? That Sound Familiar
Nine Iowa games finished under the total a season ago as the Hawkeyes continue to have a dreadful offense.
Will it be more of the game in 2023? There is no reason to think that things will be that much different for the Hawkeyes with very few personnel changes for a team that ranked last in multiple offensive categories in the Big Ten during the 2022 season.
According to the college football odds, Iowa comes in as a 23½-point favorite against Utah State and it might take some gumption for the offensively-challenged Hawkeyes to cover.
Those who wish to play it a little more conservatively in Saturday’s season opener might want to roll with the game going under the 43½-point total.
West Virginia To Hand Around – For A While
Penn State is certainly a team to watch in the Big Ten title chase. However, with a new quarterback and some other holes to fill, it won’t be a surprise to see the Nittany Lions feed dynamic running back Nicholas Singleton early in this one.
Look for Penn State to pull away late against an overmatched West Virginia team as these former rivals meet for the first time since 1992.
However, the game’s outcome could still be in question at halftime.
