5 Highest-Edge College Football Bets to Make Before the Season

The college football season is nearly here, and our college football Futures model is already pumping out the best values you can find before the season begins, identifying the five highest edge plays to make before Week 1. Today we deep dive on the five college football Futures bets with the highest edges that you can make before it's too late.

Today's bets span multiple conferences, focusing on teams from the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and even the American conferences. It won't be long before our Saturdays are filled with college football, so let us help prepare you as much as possible before the season begins!

Now, we know you probably already have an account with one of the leading sportsbooks here in the US, but it definitely pays to have more than one funded account.

Find out which books are best, who has the best new customer offer, and how you can secure better odds and lines for all of your bets, in Dimers' Best US Sportsbooks and Betting Sites section.

*all odds are correct at the time of publishing*

The 5 College Football Bets to Make Ahead of the 2023 Season

1. Alabama to Win the SEC West

Fair odds: -222

Actual odds: +105

Edge: 20.4%

One thing is always true in college football: the Tide rises after it falls. Look no further than this stat - Alabama has won the SEC West seven of the last 11 seasons. You have to go all the way back to 2010-2011 for two consecutive years where Bama didn't represent the SEC in the conference championship game.

That's why it is such a surprise to see these odds at plus money heading into 2023. Nick Saban sat with the television crew at last year's College Football Playoff while his conference rival Kirby Smart waltzed to his second straight national championship and you know it's eating him inside. Gone is Bryce Young, but in steps another wave of star young talent and the Tide are going nowhere. 

DimersBOT says this bet would be fair at -222, making any plus money value you can find the single best college football futures bet you can make before the season begins.

MORE: NCAAF Futures

2. Tulane to Win the American 

Fair odds: +113

Actual odds: +170

Edge: 18.32%

Major conferences like the SEC aren't the only place for college football bettors to fins value! We move to the American conference, where Tulane became a household name by the end of last season, especially after going toe to toe with Heisman winner Caleb Williams and his USC Trojans and defeating them in the Cotton Bowl in a high-scoring 46-45 game.

Star quarterback Michael Pratt's decision to stay at Tulane for another season instead of transferring or heading to the pros makes the Green Wave the clear favorite to repeat as champions, as evidenced by DimersBOT's projection that they have an 8% higher likelihood to win the league than runner-up SMU.

With fair odds closer to pickem, this bet is a must-make at FanDuel Sportsbook at +170 odds.

3. Iowa to Win the Big Ten West

Fair odds: +171

Actual odds: +350

Edge: 14.7%

For our third highest-edge play, we move to the Midwest, where Iowa is poised to make a run at a return to the Big Ten Championship Game. After a "down" year by Hawkeye standards filled with low scoring games due to their elite defense and a struggling offense, longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz has made the necessary moves to right the ship.

In steps his new quarterback, Michigan's ex-starter Cade McNamara, who believe it or not led the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff a year before JJ McCarthy replaced him under center. With much to prove, and many key pieces returning from last year's stellar defense, Iowa to win their division is one of the best value bets on the board.

DimersBOT believes they should be closer to +171 to win this division, making their +350 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook a complete steal.

MORE: Big Ten Betting Preview

4. Oklahoma to Win the Big 12

Fair odds: +235

Actual odds: +450

Edge: 11.7%

Next up is the Big 12 conference, where the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to rebound from a catastrophic year that saw them fall out of contention after head coach Lincoln Riley left them for Los Angeles. A 6-7 season is almost unheard of in Norman, and Brett Venables and company will be looking for a turnaround season.

Luckily for Sooners fans, there's a lot to like. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel returns from a high-powered offense that scored 30 points per game. On defense, the Sooners needed change, and they went and attacked the transfer market bringing in freshman All-American Dasan McCullough from Indiana to help get things on track.

DimersBOT is buying that they'll make a serious run here, fading league favorite Texas and instead choosing to back Oklahoma at an 11.7% edge.

5. Georgia to Win the SEC East 

Fair odds: -1000

Actual odds: -384

Edge: 11.6%

Last but certainly not least, we make our way back to the SEC to the defending national champions.  In the first section of this article, we wrote about how rare it is for Alabama to miss the conference championship. Impressively, Georgia is on a run that is even stronger, winning the SEC East five of the last six years.

While superstars like Stetson Bennett, Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo are gone, the newest wave of talent is ready to take the reigns in Athens. And that's not to say the Dawgs are lacking in returning firepower - as do-it-all tight end Brock Bowers may be the single most talented player in all of college football.

While we rarely recommend laying the juice on a bet with -384 odds, this is incredible value according to DimersBOT, as Georgia should be closer to -1000 to win this division. While we wouldn't recommend it as a single play, it's certainly a good option for preseason parlays.

Remember to gamble responsibly and set limits on your betting activities. It's important to approach sports betting as a form of entertainment, rather than relying on it for financial gain. Set a budget for yourself and stick to it, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.