College Football Player Props: Best Bets for Week 1 (Saturday, Aug. 30)

• Week 1 of the College Football season continues Saturday
• Texas ranked 7th in pass yards allowed last season and first in yards allowed per attempt
• Keep reading for my favorite College Football player props and best bets for Week 1

Saturday marks the first full slate of the college football season, with games kicking off from Noon to 11 pm ET.

20 ranked teams will take the field, with the day headlined by the Texas vs Ohio State, and LSU vs Clemson showdowns. Both matchups find their way into my Week 1 college football player props, starting with a fade of Buckeyes superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith.

College Football Week 1 Player Props

The sophomore has the highest receiving projection at 77.5, which is six yards more than Alabama’s Ryan Williams.

LSU’s stud QB and Heisman Trophy odds contender Garrett Nussmeier carries the day’s highest passing yards prop at 290.5, while Penn State running back Kaytron Allen has a slate-high 82.5 yard rushing prop.

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Week 1 College Football Player Prop: Jeremiah Smith Receiving Yards

To some, betting against Smith would be unheard of, but there are a lot of things working against him on Saturday. Let’s start with his quarterback. Julian Sayin was a top recruit in 2024, but it took him until last week to nail down the starting job. We shouldn’t expect instant chemistry with Smith, especially in the first month of the season.

Also working against him is a new offensive coordinator. Brian Hartline is back in that role, but let’s not forget it wasn’t long ago that he was demoted for Chip Kelly. That’s a major downgrade in terms of play caller and scheme, and I wouldn’t be shocked if the Buckeyes’ offense looked nothing like a National Championship odds contender early on.

Then there’s the matchup. Texas was arguably the best pass defense in the country last season, ranking first in yards allowed per attempt, and top-seven in passing yards allowed and interception percentage. They faced Smith in the College Football Playoff in January, and held him to one catch for 3 yards.

Texas Longhorns 2024 Pass Defense

Yes, they lost several defenders to the NFL, but they brought in the top recruiting class in the country. Bettors are certainly bullish on Texas on Saturday, as the spread is moving in the Longhorns favor.

• Best Bet #1: Jeremiah Smith Under 77.5 Receiving Yards (-114 at FanDuel)

Saturday CFB Player Prop: Garrett Nussmeier Passing Yards

I’m also expecting a slow start for Nussmeier and the LSU offense out of the gate. Clemson’s defense looks ferocious on paper, led by a front that features two top-8 projected picks in next year’s Draft.

That spells trouble for Nussmeier, who’s playing behind four new starters along the LSU offensive line. The Senior QB struggled with sacks down the stretch in 2024, absorbing 14 over his last five conference games. He also threw eight picks in four games versus ranked opposition, posting a 1-3 record.

I’m all over under 290.5 passing yards for Nussmeier, and if you want to get frisky, you can combine that with Clemson -4.5 for a +190 pay day.

• Week 1 Player Props Best Bet #2: Garrett Nussmeier Under 290.5 Passing Yards (-114 at FanDuel)