The regular season has concluded, so college football conference championship week is upon us.
With Championship Week here, Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson will give out his favorite early bet for the week Wilson moved to 4-0 in his early bet articles thanks to a 36-28 victory by Air Force over Fresno State last week.
Now, it's onto conference championships.
Like all sports, grabbing the best number when lines come out is paramount when it comes to betting college football.
For example, a -6.5 favorite could move to -7.5 on Saturday morning, and you run the risk of that team winning by one of the most likely outcomes — a seven-point victory — and you just lost your bet.
Ideally, that could all be avoided by locking in the best number early in the week. That's going to be the goal for this Saturday night Mountain West matchup.
Continue reading for college football odds, NCAAF picks and early bets for Championship Week.
Clemson vs. SMU Odds
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 55.5 -110o / -110u | +115 |
| SMU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 55.5 -110o / -110u | -135 |
With a projection that resides above 60, the first wager of Championship Week comes on the total in the ACC title game. SMU will be a favorite against Clemson in a championship game that the Tigers have won six times since 2015.
When SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee meets offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, expect two fast-paced offenses to get as many plays in as possible.
SMU leans heavily toward the rush with running back Brashard Smith, who averages more than 3.5 yards after first contact with 14 touchdowns on the season.
The Mustangs are expected to put up multiple rush explosives against a Tigers defense that ranks 126th in Defensive Rush EPA.
SMU will use heavy inside zone to stay in standard downs against a Clemson defense that's outside the top 100 in broken tackles allowed.
Clemson, meanwhile, will have a more balanced approach between the run and pass.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik and running back Phil Mafah have used inside zone and counter at a high rate, with Klubnik gaining nearly 300 rushing yards off designed calls this season.
However, the advantage may come in the passing game against SMU's secondary.
Klubnik has more than double the number of big-time throw numbers compared to turnover-worthy plays this season, and he's expected to take advantage of an SMU secondary that ranks 48th in creating contested catches.
Look for two offenses that average 25 seconds per play run with haste while using explosive plays to generate plenty of scoring opportunities.
Pick: Over 56
