The 2021 college football season is right around the corner in some respects, and in others, it's not.
Yes, the start of the season is just one month away, which certainly brings excitement for college football fans.
But for bettors, especially recreational ones, there's still too much time between now and the Aug. 28 four-game opening slate to really start placing wagers right now.
Professional bettors, on the other hand, are interested in anything with value, no matter when the event will take place.
And while most bettors still haven't made decisions on what to lock in, wiseguys have already taken a market-moving position on one big college football Week 1 favorite.
Northern Illinois vs. Georgia Tech
Sept. 4 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ACC Network
This is nowhere near the most exciting Week 1 game, but the Northern Illinois vs. Georgia Tech spread is already on the move thanks to sharp betting action.
Action Labs' Bet Signals, which track and report professional betting action in real-time, are reporting a steam move on July 27 in which an influx of money from respected bettors hit the Yellow Jackets at -16.5. This pushed the price to a consensus of -17.5 (click here for live college odds) across the market.
Again, it is very unlikely that casual bettors picked up on this line move, or even care to pick up on it this far in advance of the actual game.
However, bettors with the resources to move the college football betting market have just done that and will continue to do it leading up to the start of the season next month.