CFB Week 1: Best bets for Thursday night

Week 0 was just that - a bit of a zero. You were disappointed if you were hoping that boxscore results would equate to the scoreboard. Louisiana Tech almost got beat by Florida International despite out-gaining the Panthers 447-182. Closer to home, UTEP did everything it could to lose to Jacksonville State, racking up five turnovers in a three-point loss and preventing us from salvaging a split.

Week 1 kicks off with weeknight action featuring more notable programs as excitement for the college football season slowly ramps up even further.

Florida @ No. 14 Utah (-4.5, 44.5)

This line has you feeling like the time when your nine-year-old nephew talked you into the ride at the fair that didn't look all that sturdy.

The Utes opened well into double-digit favorites for this headliner, but that was when it was assumed that Utah quarterback Cameron Rising would be ready to go after suffering a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl. As this game nears, the spread has gone under a touchdown and climbed up to -7 and then back down to -4. That's not a good sign for Rising's availability. The Utes would have a market rating in the 70s with a healthy Rising, but this line suggests they're a team that's barely above average.

Discrediting Utah likely stems from its struggles after Rising's injury in the Rose Bowl. However, Kyle Whittingham - a coach who reliably leads the Utes over their win total each season - has had the entire lead-up to the season to prepare presumed starter Bryson Barnes and sub-packages for dual-threat freshman Nate Johnson.

We know what we're getting with Florida - a team that will try to rely on the run to take off pressure from Graham Mertz, who was jettisoned by another run-heavy offense in Wisconsin. The Utes' defensive size up front should hold up well against the Gators.

You can take the Utes now at -4, and you either get a great deal if Rising is the surprise starter - something that Whittingham admits will be hidden until near kickoff - or you get a fair price on a team that's done nothing but exceed expectations since Whittingham took over. You can also wait and hope the line gets to a field goal if it looks like Rising is definitely out.

Pick: Utah (-4.5)

North Carolina State @ Connecticut (+14.5, 46.5)

Speaking of line moves, North Carolina State has dropped from -16.5 to right around two touchdowns. The interest in UConn comes after Jim Mora's first season as head coach ended in a bowl berth, and the hope is that this primetime visit from an ACC team will be the most highly attended UConn football game ever.

It remains to be seen whether the Wolfpack are getting an upgrade from Devin Leary to Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong, so 14.5 is still worth taking with the Huskies, who should see even more improvement as Mora starts his second season and is already ahead of schedule in changing the culture in Storrs.

Pick: UConn (+14.5)

Nebraska @ Minnesota (-7, 43.5)

The Big Ten season kicks off with a West division tilt between two teams hoping to be more than just a middle-of-the-pack program. Matt Rhule makes his debut as Nebraska's head coach, and he's known for quick turnarounds at the college level. He might be assisted by new quarterback Jeff Sims - the best thing that Georgia Tech had going for it until he transferred to Lincoln.

Minnesota's slow transition from Tanner Morgan to Athan Kaliakmanis means there's also uncertainty surrounding P.J. Fleck at the quarterback position, and that's not helped by workhorse and star tailback Mohamed Ibrahim's departure to the NFL.

Patience for a rebuild is limited at Nebraska, and what's left in this matchup is two teams who feel good about competing in the trenches but are merely hoping for good quarterback play. Preseason win totals suggest this line should be closer to six, so getting the full seven points is worth a bet on the dog.

Pick: Nebraska (+7)

Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.