College Football Best Bets: Three Favorite Picks for Week 1 of the 2022 Season

After a Week 0 slate that left college football fans wanting a lot more, the Week 1 schedule is certainly going to deliver and we're hoping to do the same with our best bets for Saturday September 3, 2022.

If you’re looking to bet on college football, then you should consider signing up with DraftKings ➡️ here ⬅️ as you can turn a $5 bet on any game into a free $200 instantly, even if your bet doesn't hit. You know you’ll be on the couch watching the games anyway, so why not take this free money from one of the best sportsbooks on the planet?

RELATED: College Football Bet Hub 

Week 1 College Football Best Bets for Saturday September 3, 2022

North Carolina vs. Appalachian State - 12:00PM ET

This is a match-up in which a lot of casual bettors are going to want to take the bigger brand, and that's Mack Brown's North Carolina squad. However, Appalachian State is a team that consistently churns out a good product, and the Mountaineers are actually 18-4 when playing as favorites under head coach Shawn Clark. They're also 11-1 as home favorites in that span.

Considering this game has a 1.5-point spread, this is essentially going to come down to whoever wins the game outright. We think that'll be the team that has consistently excelled at home, especially considering North Carolina also happens to have some major question marks this year.

The main one is whether or not quarterback Drake Maye can come close to matching the production of Sam Howell, who was a star in his time in Chapel Hill. Also, do the Tar Heels have any chance at stopping an efficient Mountaineers offense?

BET: Appalachian State -1.5 at -115 at DraftKings Sportsbook

🏈 North Carolina vs. Appalachian State Predictions
📈 Betting preview: North Carolina vs. Appalachian State

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Arizona vs. San Diego State - 3:30PM ET

This bet has quite a bit to do with the state of these two programs at the moment. San Diego State is a team that has won games at a high clip over the years, but there's a little bit of drama surrounding the university after some nasty sexual assault allegations came to light last week. That might not have to do with a majority of the players on the roster right now, but it is still a bad look for the coaches and just an overall distraction.

Meanwhile, there's nothing but excitement surrounding Arizona, which has new life under head coach Jedd Fisch.

The Wildcats are coming off of a lousy 1-11 season last year, but they were 6-6 against the spread. That means they were competitive and moving in the right direction. Now, they'll look to increase their win total to three or four games this year. This is one of the ones that they have to believe they'll win.

The Wildcats made some key additions on the transfer market, and they're a better team in the trenches than they were a year ago. That's going to matter against a San Diego State team that wants to win ugly. We believe the Wildcats can match them in nastiness, which is why we like them to cover and potentially win outright. 

BET: Arizona +7 at -130 at DraftKings Sportsbook

🏈 Arizona vs. San Diego State Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Arizona vs. San Diego State

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Cincinnati vs. Arkansas - 6:30PM ET

A lot of people seem to be ready to write Cincinnati off this year, with Luke Fickell having lost most of the starters from last year's College Football Playoff team. But it's probably just time to accept that Fickell is capable of having his Bearcats team competing at a high level year in and year out.

And while Desmond Ridder is no longer playing quarterback for this team, the Bearcats do have a pretty intriguing option in Eastern Michigan transfer Ben Bryant. Bryant, who was formerly a member of this Cincinnati team, threw for 3,121 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven picks last year. He also rushed for two scores and he should be even better when surrounded by as much talent as he will be this year. 

While Arkansas has an explosive offense, Cincinnati also happens to have a defense that we can rely on to get stops in key moments. All in all, the Bearcats might not win this game outright, but it'd be rather surprising if this isn't close late in the fourth quarter. We're taking the points and paying up a little more to grab an extra .5 points in the event it's a one-touchdown game. 

BET: Cincinnati +7.5 at -125 at DraftKings Sportsbook

🏈 Cincinnati vs. Arkansas Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Cincinnati vs. Arkansas