Major College Football is back! It’s been a long while since January 20th. When the confetti fell on the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, as they were crowned the champions of the College Football Playoffs. Finally, this week, it’s the start of a new College Football season as Week 0 is upon us. Let’s jump in and take a look at this College Football Week 0 best bets: upset parlay.
There are five FBS games in action for Week 0. Kansas State and Iowa State head to Dublin, Ireland, for a Big 12 showdown in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Idaho State and UNLV will clash, while Fresno State heads to face Kansas. Sam Houston State and Western Kentucky face off, and the nightcap features the Stanford Cardinal taking on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
College Football Week 0 Best Bets: Upset Parlay
First Leg – Iowa State +135
Iowa State +3 is one of my favorite bets this week, and I also like them on the money line to take down Kansas State on Saturday when the teams face off in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin. Iowa State is also a team I’m high on this year, predicting them to win the Big 12.
I love the fact that you are getting an experienced offensive line, an experienced quarterback, and an experienced coach. Making this big trip overseas for the first game of the season as underdogs. Matt Campbell has largely gotten the best of Chris Klieman in their five matchups, going 4-1 against the spread for Campbell and Iowa State. This game has potential College Football Playoff implications, and I can’t think of a better way to start the College Football season than with an upset. Make sure you grab Iowa State as an individual play on top of this parlay.
Second Leg – Sam Houston State +290
The Sam Houston State Bearkats make the trip to Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium Saturday for a CUSA showdown with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Sam Houston is coming off a 10-win season in which they won four of the six games they came in as the underdogs. Hunter Watson returns as the starting quarterback for Sam Houston State. While Western Kentucky is putting the ball in the hands of an Abilene Christian transfer.
When these two teams squared off last year, it was the Hilltoppers who topped the Bearkats 31-14. For our best this week, that’s a score I love. Returning to face the team that kept a 10-win team out of the CUSA championship game and handily beat them, as underdogs in Week 0. It’s a beautiful recipe for this second leg of our upset parlay.
Third Leg – Stanford +115
The Cardinal of Stanford had a bit of a tumultuous off-season. Where they let their head coach, Troy Taylor, go in March, not the typical time you’d see a head coach relieved of his duties. Luckily enough for the Cardinal, they had experienced NFL head coach Frank Reich step up to take the job on an interim basis. Andrew Luck has done a great job as the team’s general manager. Putting together a strong roster led by Oregon State transfer quarterback Ben Gulbranson.
Despite not coaching in college before this season. Reich has had plenty of time to implement his system. He is the perfect style of coach to manage a big trip like this and get the team fired up to stand on business. Timmy Chang for Hawaii has struggled when he’s faced Power Four programs. He’s gone 0-6, including a 37-24 loss to the Cardinal in 2023. This game will be huge for either team as they look to turn their programs in the right direction. I’ll roll with the small underdog to finish off our Week 0 parlay.
College Football Week 0 Parlay
Iowa State + Sam Houston State + Stanford +1870
Put these three teams together in our first College Football underdog parlay of the season. A nice cool $20 bet will return you $374.10. Be sure to tune into The College Football Experience for a more detailed breakdown of each matchup!
