Texas and Alabama meet again Sept. 7, 2023 in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide escaped last year with a … [+]
The second full week of the college football season is always an adjustment period for both the leading online sportsbooks and bettors. There are changes and adjustments in the AP Top 25 poll and it includes the top 10 after Florida State trounced the LSU Tigers 45-24 last week with the Seminoles moving up to No. 4 in this week’s Top 25.
Big upsets were also in play as two other Top 25 teams fell victim as double-digit favorites when Colorado upset TCU 45-42 and Duke clobbered Clemson 28-7 to close the Labor Day weekend on Monday.
Colorado’s win in head coach Deion Sanders and his son QB Shedeur’s debut for the Buffaloes led the Pac 12’s Week 1 dominance. Pac 12 teams went 12-0 SU and 10-2 ATS for bettors. It’s the final season of the Pac 12 before the dismantling of the conference next year with TV rights and big money tearing apart the 108-year-old conference.
The Pac 12 also has three of the top 5 favorites in the Heisman odds led by last year’s Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams (+450) of USC. But both Michael Penix, Jr. (+850) and Oregon QB Bo Nix (+2000) are leading challengers along with Florida State QB Travis Jordan (+750), according to adjusted odds and betting data from FanDuel Sportsbook.
FanDuel is the official odds provider for The Associated Press, who selects voters for the AP Poll from sports reporters around the country who cover college football.
AP Top 25 Week 2 Matchups and Odds
College football odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
Saturday, Sept. 9
No. 1 Georgia (-42.5) vs. Ball State | 12 p.m. ET | SEC Network
No. 2 Michigan (-37.5) vs. UNLV | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
No. 3 Alabama (-7) vs. No. 11 Texas | 7 p.m. | ESPN
No. 4 Florida State (-30.5) vs. Southern Miss | 8:30 p.m. | ACC Network
No. 5 Ohio State (NL) vs. Youngstown State | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
No. 6 USC (-29.5) vs. Stanford | 10:30 p.m. | FOX
No. 7 Penn State (NL) vs. Delaware | 12 p.m. | Peacock
No. 8 Washington (-34.5) vs. Tulsa | 5 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
No. 9 Tennessee (NL) vs. Austin Peay | 5 p.m. | ESPN+/SECN+
No. 10 Notre Dame (-7.5) at NC State | 12 p.m. | ABC
No. 12 Utah (-7.5) at Baylor | 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 13 Oregon (-6.5) at Texas Tech | 7 p.m. | FOX
No. 14 LSU (NL) vs. Grambling | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/SECN+
No. 15 Kansas State (-16.5) vs. Troy | 12 p.m. | FS1
No. 16 Oregon State (NL) vs. UC Davis | 9 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
No. 17 North Carolina (-18.5) vs. Appalachian State | 5:15 p.m. | ACC Network
No. 18 Oklahoma (-16.5) vs. SMU | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 19 Wisconsin (-6.5) at Washington State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
No. 20 Ole Miss (-7.5) at No. 24 Tulane | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 21 Duke vs. Lafayette | 6 p.m. | ESPN+/ACCNX
No. 22 Colorado (-2.5) vs. Nebraska | 12 p.m. | FOX
No. 23 Texas A&M (-4.5) at Miami (Fla.) | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
No. 25 Clemson (NL) vs. Charleston Southern | 2:15 p.m. | ACC Network
Others receiving votes: Iowa 73, UCLA 55, Arkansas 28, TCU 27, Kentucky 15, Pittsburgh 8, Mississippi St. 5, Miami 4, NC State 4, Auburn 3, Troy 3, Fresno St. 3, Minnesota 3, Wyoming 3, Iowa St. 2, Texas St. 2, Texas Tech 1, Louisville 1, Washington St. 1, Illinois 1, Houston 1, UCF 1, James Madison 1.
Notable line moves
Line moves from FanDuel’s early week opening odds.
- Ole Miss -4.5 to -7.5
- Colorado -1.5 to -2.5
- Georgia -44.5 to -42.5
- Michigan -36.5 to -37.5
- USC -30.5 to -29.5
No. 11 Texas at No. 3 Alabama
The biggest early season games continue Sept. 9 with No. 11 Texas at No. 3 Alabama.
According to ESPN’s 2023 College Football Power Index, Alabama is ranked tops in the nation at 30.2 whereas Texas shows an FPI of 19.7 (9th of 133). Alabama QB Jalen Milroe pass for 3 TD’s and rushed for 2 TD’s in 56-7 route of Middle Tennessee State last week. The Crimson Tide scored 14 points in each quarter of the one-sided win. Texas QB Quinn Ewers pass for 3 TD’s and ran for another in a 37-1o win over Rice.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 28-2 SU against former assistants, including 4-0 SU/ATS at home when favored by less than 18 points. Texas has top tier talent and Big 12-best position groups across the board for head coach Steve Sarkisian, who goes against his former coach Saban before joining him next year with Texas moving to the SEC.
FanDuel Sportsbook also reports that Texas has received majority of the bets on the moneyline in this contest while Alabama has taken more money with a slightly higher handle in the same market. The game total has the sharpest early action and move from 52.5 to 56 points before dropping back down to 54.
More college football news matchups and schedules
No. 20 Ole Miss at No. 24 Tulane
Ole Miss trounced Tulane 61-21 two years ago before Mississippi QB Jaxson Dart took over. He’s now much improved and one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC operating behind an experienced and top-tier offensive line with star RB Quinshon Judkins. Ole Miss scored 73 points last week vs an inferior FCS opponent with Dart pulled in the third quarter after passing for 334 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Rebels defensive backfield is long, athletic and a real strength. Tulane’s defensive front is solid, and the Green Wave returned eight starters on defense from a unit that allowed 360 yards and 22 points per game last year – Tulane’s best in a decade. But the Green Wave face a very tough test against this Rebel’s offense, who should average near 35 points per game versus FBS opponents this season even playing a very tough SEC schedule. Tulane gave up plenty of points last year when stepping up in class, and a high-scoring Mississippi win is likely.
Week 2 of the 2023 college football season also means fans in the Bluegrass state will be able to bet on sports. Kentucky became the 37th state to legalize sports betting in the United States. Kentucky sports betting officially launched September 7 (retail), and mobile sports betting starts Sept. 28.
Betting on SEC football has never been better.
You can bet on it.
