Week 1 of the college football season is exciting for fans not only because of the return of meaningful football, but it's also unique for bettors because lines are available months in advance.
For example, the line for Saturday's marquee matchup between Michigan and Notre Dame opened on May 30, meaning bettors have had three months to shape these lines.
With this in mind, I've analyzed some of college football's biggest Week 1 line moves at Pinnacle to get bettors up to speed on how numbers have moved throughout the summer.
>> All odds as of 9 a.m. ET on Thursday. Download The Action Network App to get real-time college football odds and track your bets.
Middle Tennessee State at Vanderbilt
- Opening spread:Vanderbilt -6.5
- Current spread:Vanderbilt -3
- Time: Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m. ET
This game is interesting because steady underdog money is moving the number. Sixty-seven percent of dollars wagered have come down on the Blue Raiders, driving this line down 3.5 points to Vandy -3.
Middle Tennessee State checks in as one of six underdogs receiving more than 65% of spread money in Week 1.
Marshall at Miami Ohio
- Opening spread: Miami Ohio -2
- Current spread: Marshall -2.5
- Time: Sept. 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
While this game has not attracted much of a handle overall, the action that has come in has been all on Marshall. After Miami Ohio opened -2, 64% of tickets and 87% of dollars wagered have pounded the Thundering Herd, flipping Marshall from +2 to -2.5.
Texas vs. Maryland (n)
- Opening spread: Texas -9
- Current spread: Texas -13.5
- Time: Sept. 1, 12 p.m. ET
This game is interesting because it's attracting massive action all around, and the overall betting data indicates wagering has been extremely one-sided.
Eighty-one percent of tickets and 91% of real money pushed this line from -9 to -13.5, but it's important to also check out the line history for this matchup.
Early Wednesday afternoon, books moved to Texas -14 to account for the onslaught of Longhorns money, however, that's when Maryland buyback finally (and quickly) showed up to grab the Terps and kick the line back down to +13.5.
Bowling Green at Oregon
- Opening spread: Oregon -27.5
- Current spread: Oregon -32
- Time: Sept. 1, 8 p.m. ET
Money has flowed in on Oregon all summer, slowly and steadily moving the line to -31.5. With no signs of professional action playing this game thus far, it'll be interesting to monitor whether Bowling Green buyback shows up before kickoff.
BYU at Arizona
- Opening spread: Arizona -15
- Current spread: Arizona -11.5
- Time: Sept. 1, 10:45 p.m. ET
Arizona opened -15, and while 73% of betting tickets and 52% of dollars are on the Wildcats, the line has plummeted down to -11.5. Considering the spread hasn't moved since landing at 11.5 on Aug. 4, the eerily quiet betting market suggests it could be on the move again as kickoff nears.
