Indiana just hoisted the College Football Playoff trophy last season after a 27-21 win over Miami. Now, heading into Week 1, Curt Cignetti’s squad is already making waves, laying a massive 40 points at home against North Texas in the FOX Big Noon Kickoff. Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel isn’t mincing words: “Action is one way. They’re laying the 40 points with Indiana.”
Hoosiers Hype Train Rolls On
This Hoosiers hype train isn’t new, folks. Last season, after their 16-0 SU run and that CFP win, Indiana became a betting monster. They were 5-0 straight up and 4-1 against the spread in their last five games, including a sweet three-game win-and-cover streak. The only slight stumble? They fell just shy of covering as a 7.5-point favorite in the championship game. The public remembers that kind of dominance. Caesars opened them as 40.5-point favorites, even bumped it to -41.5 briefly, and it’s settled at -40. Feazel highlighted their killer track record, going 19-10 ATS over the last two seasons, and he expects even more bets to pour in before kickoff.
Why the huge spread against North Texas, you ask? Last year, North Texas was a bettor’s dream at 12-2 SU and 10-4 ATS, but that team is GONE. Coach Eric Morris and the majority of the squad packed up and headed to Oklahoma State. This isn’t your daddy’s North Texas, plain and simple.
Kiffin’s New Era and Top-25 Tilt
Beyond the Hoosiers, Week 1 is stacked. The Clemson vs. LSU matchup is arguably the biggest showdown. Dabo Swinney wants Clemson back on the CFP map, but it’s a new era at LSU with Lane Kiffin calling the shots. Caesars started LSU as a 9.5-point home favorite, pushing it to -10.5 before settling at -10 after some “pushback” from Clemson interest. Feazel sees it as two-way action right now but anticipates LSU getting even more love as game time nears, especially with parlays. Plus, sharp money jumped on the Under 51.5 early, dropping the total to 50.5.
The lone Top 25 clash for Week 1 features No. 24 Louisville against No. 9 Ole Miss. Ole Miss is coming off a stellar 13-2 SU season, 9-6 ATS, led by QB Trinidad Chambliss. Kiffin was running the show for them in the regular season before he bolted for LSU, leaving Pete Golding to guide Ole Miss.
So when Saturday finally rolls around, get ready. Can Indiana live up to that insane 40-point expectation, or will North Texas pull off the impossible? And how will Kiffin’s new-look LSU fare in their big opener? These are the early tests, the first glimpses of what could be a wild season. You know I’ll be glued to every snap, trying to figure out if these early trends are for real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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