Ladies and gentlemen, we are back! College football has returned, and fans (and bettors) across the globe rejoice yet again.
When it comes to college sports betting, there's no better feeling than sitting back on a Saturday and watching the action unfold.
That's why I've laid out a bet that can be played in two ways. Depending on your preference and risk tolerance, it can either be a mega-long shot parlay or a round-robin.
While I've had some success with long-shot parlays in the past, a round-robin can also be an effective way of hitting underdogs you're interested in betting while diversifying your risk.
Each week, I'll be back with a long-shot parlay/round robin that will hopefully turn out some profit.
Some weeks will have just a handful of games involved, while there may be more legs in other weeks. And remember, this is an extreme long shot for a reason — please bet responsibly.
Read on for our college football parlay and round robin for Week 1.
College Football Long-Shot Parlay & Round Robin Odds
- By 2's: +388
- By 3's: +960
- By 4's: +2171
- By 5's: +4718
- 6-Leg Parlay: +10020
Pick #1: Minnesota ML +108 vs. North Carolina
UNC is planning to play two quarterbacks, which we all know means nobody is happy with Drake Maye’s successor.
Minnesota has incoming New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer — who led the FCS in passing yards last year — along with key pieces back at running back and receiver.
The Golden Gophers defense held Omarion Hampton to 40 yards rushing last year, which bodes well for a new era where shaky quarterback play may be imminent.
All five offensive line starters are new for Carolina, which gives the Minnesota defense a chance to shine.
In PJ Fleck’s 11 years as a head coach, he has four losing seasons. He has followed each previous losing season with a winning record the next year.
Last season, the Gophers limped to a 6-7 finish. But these are the games Fleck wins to keep instilling belief amid his many gimmicks. Home game at night? Row the boat.
Pick #2: UMass ML -142 vs. Eastern Michigan
Revenge spot!
Eastern Michigan got UMass by two points last season, but the game was extremely fluky. The Minutemen turned it over four times despite stuffing nearly half of the Eagles' rush attempts and outgaining them offensively.
UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh is back for his sixth year in college football, and he's a master of explosive plays.
Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan got destroyed by departures in the transfer portal, most notably in the secondary, where top returnees Quentavius Scandrett and Daiquan White both graded outside of the top seven EMU defenders in coverage ratings last season.
EMU has lost its last four road openers. Back the home team looking for revenge that outplayed the other squad last season.
Pick #3: Northwestern ML -154 vs. Miami (OH)
Star quarterback Brett Gabbert is back for the RedHawks after suffering a gruesome leg injury that ended his season last year. I expect some rust in his first competitive showing in nearly a calendar year.
Historically, Miami (OH) has been a mess against Big Ten opponents, as the RedHawks are just 1-17 all-time against Big Ten teams.
On the other side, Northwestern was quietly one of the best values in college football betting last year, going an impressive 7-0 against the spread in their last seven games.
The Wildcats return leading rusher Cam Porter, along with two of their top three receivers. With Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright under center, an upgrade in the passing game could be expected as well. Take the home team.
Pick #4: West Virginia ML vs. Penn State
Penn State enters as a road favorite here, and for good reason given their talent on paper. Last season, Penn State beat West Virginia, 38-15, in the opener.
But despite its dominance in that game in Happy Valley, Drew Allar had an up-and-down season under center last year, and the Nittany Lions opted to replace both coordinators heading into this season.
With a new-look offense and defense, this won’t be as easy as it looks for James Franklin’s squad.
Dual-threat quarterback Garrett Greene is back for the Mountaineers, along with a duo of running backs who provide both power and speed looks.
West Virginia turned its season around last year with elite play from both lines, leading the Big 12 in sacks and allowing just 10 sacks of its own offensively.
If the Mountaineers can put pressure on Allar, the Mountaineers can force him into plenty of uncomfortable throws that he consistently missed for much of last season.
Pick #5: Florida ML +122 vs. Miami
Both the Gators and Hurricanes have plenty of new faces coming into this season, none bigger than former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward.
While Pro Football Focus marked Ward as having 24 “big-time throws” last season, he was also extremely turnover-prone, throwing 21 “turnover-worthy passes” as well. That’s a dangerous formula for a team with plenty of transfers in key starting roles offensively, especially on the road at the Swamp.
Both Billy Napier and Mario Cristobal desperately need a win here, and this is a game where it’s better to have a game manager like Graham Mertz returning at quarterback than a boom-or-bust talent like Ward making his team debut on the road.
Expect a turnover or two to make the difference and swing the game toward the Gators.
Leg #6: Notre Dame ML +126 at Texas A&M
While both teams have big dreams for success this year, only one put up a fight against quality opponents last year. Notre Dame picked up three wins over ranked teams, while Texas A&M went a miserable 0-5 against ranked foes.
This is a game where experience under center will matter, and Notre Dame has to like its chances. Duke transfer Riley Leonard was one of the best quarterbacks in the country last season prior to a devastating injury.
Much like Sam Hartman before him, he steps into a quarterback-friendly system ready to captain the ship.
On the other side, Conner Weigman enters this season as the starter for the first time in three years at Texas A&M. While he has shown flashes, it's a tall task to ask Weigman to face this Notre Dame defense in his season-opening start.
Ride the Irish to close out our parlay.
