That massive 38.5-point spread for No. 14 USC against San Jose State? Forget about it. The Trojans pulled off a 48-13 win, but they absolutely FAILED to cover, sending shockwaves through early season picks and setting a wild tone for Week 0 of college football. This isn’t just a friendly warm-up, folks; we’re already seeing some insane action and surprising outcomes right out of the gate, proving that anything can happen when the pigskin finally gets rolling.
Early Shocks from Across the Pond and the West Coast
The college football season officially kicked off with some serious international flair, as TCU and North Carolina duked it out at 12 p.m. over in Dublin, Ireland. TCU was favored by 7.5 points, and everyone was wondering if Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig, who racked up 48 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions the last two years, could keep that efficiency against a North Carolina defense that gave up 30-plus points five times last season. Historically, five of the last six Aer Lingus Classic matchups were decided by three points or less, and this one stayed tight. TCU pulled out the 27-21 win, but they FAILS TO COVER the spread! What a way to start the year, right?
Then, over on the West Coast, No. 14 USC, the only ranked team in action, faced San Jose State at 3 p.m. on NBC. That 38.5-point line for the Trojans was just gigantic. Sure, San Jose State was coming off a rough 3-9 season, but they were a respectable 2-3 against the spread. USC has been crushing Group of 6 schools lately, averaging 60.4 points per game in their last five matchups, but they’ve also allowed 15 points per game in those contests. Everyone was watching to see if new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson could be a game-changer. USC won 48-13, just like we said, but they absolutely FAILS TO COVER that monstrous spread! What a statement game that wasn’t for the spread.
Upset Alert in the ACC and Newcomers Make Their Mark
Over in the ACC, we had what could easily be the best game of the week: NC State at Virginia, kicking off at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN. Virginia, a 5.5-point favorite, is led by fifth-year senior Beau Pribula, a transfer from Missouri. But don’t sleep on NC State’s CJ Bailey, either; that dude is already generating some serious NFL buzz. The Wolfpack, under coach Dave Doeren, have been absolute monsters against the Cavaliers, holding a 4-0 record, including a 35-31 victory just last season. And guess what? NC State did it again, winning 30-27 in a straight-up UPSET! You gotta love college football, man.
Rounding out some of the action, we saw some new blood make their FBS debuts. North Dakota State took on Jacksonville State at 5:30 p.m. ET. Welcome to the big leagues, Bison! This was a tough opener against a Jacksonville State program that’s put up nine wins each of the last two seasons. North Dakota State rolled out a new quarterback in Nathan Hayes and a new running back in DJ Scott. The line had actually dropped over the summer, but the Fargodome advantage clearly kicked in. North Dakota State snagged the 28-19 win and COVERS the spread, making a solid first impression.
After all that madness in Week 0, it’s clear college football is back with a vengeance. Our picks went 222-76 S/U last year and 138-154-6 ATS, so we’re starting this season with some serious insight. Get ready for more wild rides and unexpected outcomes as the season truly gets rolling next week. It’s going to be absolutely nuts!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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