SEC College Football Week 1 Odds, Game Notes, Betting Guide

Written By Road to CFB | Published at August 28, 2024

The Southeastern Conference returns to the football field this weekend with a couple of new blue-bloods in the mix in Oklahoma and Texas. Though the most influential conference in the nation steered the ship on all the changes to the sport, the SEC itself remains remarkably unchanged. Top SEC matchups this weekend include Clemson vs. Georgia, Miami (FL) at Florida, Notre Dame at Texas A&M, and LSU vs. USC. Of course, sportsbooks have odds posted for every SEC football matchup this season.

This weekend, SEC football odds include games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and even Sunday with the Modelo Vegas Kickoff. No conference games will be played, but we can and will gauge some teams.

SEC Football Odds: Week 1

Browse the best odds for SEC teams in Week 1 below. Click inside the odds tables to bet now.

Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Arkansas, Thursday (7:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: ARK -52.5, O/U 58.5
Last time out, Arkansas (-48) beat APBU, 45-3 (2021)
First game for the Razorbacks under OC Bobby Petrino and with QB Taylen Green

Murray State at No. 11 Missouri, Thursday (8:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: MIZ -47.5, O/U 58.5
Missouri is 0-3 ATS against FCS opponents since 2021 (-27, -31, -34 favorites, avg. point margin +24.3)
Murray State turns over in the coaching ranks, hired South Carolina TEs coach Jody Wright as head coach

Temple at No. 16 Oklahoma, Friday (7:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: OKLA -41.5, O/U 60.5
Rain is expected Friday night in Norman, wind does not appear to be a factor
Watch for cluster injuries in Oklahoma's WR room. Jayden Gibson is out for the season, and Andrel Anthony and Nic Anderson are both questionable for this game
Oklahoma has been favored by 10+ points in 17 straight non-conference games (11-6 ATS in those games)
Temple starting QB Forrest Brock completed 7-of-15 passes for 60 yards and a pick last year

Read up on our preseason college football betting guide for SEC football odds, complete with SEC team previews.

No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia, Saturday (12:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: UGA -13.5, O/U 48.5
Georgia leads the all-time series, 43-18-4 (just five meetings since 1996)
UGA is 50-1 outright against opponents not named Alabama since 2020
These two last played in Charlotte to open the 2021 season. Georgia (+3) won 10-3
Clemson is 0-5-1 ATS against their first non-conference FBS opponent since 2018

Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt, Saturday (12:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: VAN +13.5, O/U 55.5
Watch the weather here! Nashville is expecting thunderstorms and nearly a 20º drop in temperature from Friday
First time Virginia Tech opens the season against a non-conference FBS team since 2017 (beat and covered against West Virginia)
Vanderbilt is 3-18 overall when opening the season against Power Conference competition (but 12-9 ATS)
First time Vandy opens the season against a non-conference FBS team since 2010

Chattanooga at No. 15 Tennessee, Saturday (12:45 p.m.)

Opening odds: TEN -41.5, O/U 56.5
Weather should hold up, although PM thunderstorms are expected

Colorado State at No. 4 Texas, Saturday (3:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: TEX -35.5, O/U 57.5
Colorado State is one of the biggest spread movers this offseason
Texas RB C.J. Baxter suffered a season-ending injury; depth piece Christian Clark is also OFY
Longhorns have won their last five season openers by an average 34.6 points per game (4-1 ATS)

Miami (FL) at Florida, Saturday (3:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: FLA +2.5, O/U 53.5
Hurricanes lead all-time series, 29-27 (last: 2019)
Just the fourth matchup since 2005
Florida plays all three in-state Power Conference teams (Miami, UCF, Florida State)
UF is 7-4 against in-state FBS opponents since 2017

Old Dominion at South Carolina, Saturday (4:15 p.m.)

Opening odds: SC -17.5, O/U 52.5
First-ever meeting between these two teams
South Carolina is 7-2 ATS as a 10+ favorite since 2020 (9-4 ATS as a home favorite under Shane Beamer)

Eastern Kentucky at Mississippi State, Saturday (6:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: MSST -29.5, O/U 58.5
Mississippi State will be without a handful of starters, including UTEP transfer WR Kelly Akharaiyi, top corner Corey Ellington, and starting RB Jeffery Pittman. Pittman is no longer with the team, per Jeff Lebby.
First game for State under Jeff Lebby and staff
EKU is 4-1 ATS against FBS opponents since 2021 (2-1 ATS vs. Power Conference teams)

Furman at No. 6 Ole Miss, Saturday (7:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: MISS -42.5, O/U 60.5
Ole Miss averages 56.5 points per game against FCS competition under Lane Kiffin (four games)
The previous meeting was 100 years ago to the date
Furman loses eight defensive starts from a unit that ranked No. 11 in the FCS
Paladins also lost starting QB in the transfer portal

College Football National Title odds

Western Kentucky at No. 5 Alabama, Saturday (7:00 p.m.)

Opening odds: BAMA -31.5, O/U 60.5
First time Alabama won't be led by Nick Saban since 2007
Kalen DeBoer has a career 37-9 record in the FBS (.804)
Western Kentucky will start QB T.J. Finley "first," but Caden Veltkamp will also probably play

No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M, Saturday (7:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: A&M -1.5, O/U 50.5
Weather forecasts call for rain Saturday, but not much wind impact
Notre Dame leads the all-time series 3-2 (last: 2001)
Texas A&M won the only matchup in College Station, 24-3, in 2001
A&M is 2-4 outright against non-SEC Power Conference opponents since 2017 (4-2 ATS)

Alabama A&M at Auburn, Saturday (7:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: AUB -49.5, O/U 56
Auburn is 4-11 ATS against FCS foes in its last 15 meetings
Just the second time Auburn has opened with an FCS foe since 2017 (Mercer, 2022)
Alabama A&M features Miami (OH) transfer dual-threat QB, Aveon Smith

Southern Miss at Kentucky, Saturday (7:45 p.m.)

Opening odds: UK -23.5, O/U 52.5
Watch the weather here! Forecasts call for thunderstorms in Lexington throughout the day, although that chance tapers in the evening
Kentucky has won its last 20 non-conference regular season games (14-6 ATS in those games)
Southern Miss (+6) sprung an upset of Kentucky in 2016, but is 2-5 ATS against the SEC since

No. 23 USC vs. No. 13 LSU, Sunday (7:30 p.m.)

Opening odds: LSU -6.5, O/U 66.5
LSU opens its third-straight season at a neutral site, went 0-2 SU and ATS against Florida State the last two years
Both LSU starting WR Chris Hilton and OL Miles Frazier are questionable to play Sunday
The first game under LSU OC Joe Sloan, who was an internal hire
USC plays its first game under new DC D'Anton Lynn