College football Week 1 opens Thursday with two betting spots that offer very different risk profiles. Colorado visits Georgia Tech in a Power Four rematch, then No. 21 Utah hosts Idaho in Salt Lake City. Georgia Tech is favored by 6.5 points, and Utah is laying 35 against an Idaho team that already owns a Week 0 loss—a spread drawing plenty of debate in the sports betting forum.
Thursday Week 1 Schedule And Odds
| Matchup | Time ET | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
| Colorado at Georgia Tech | 8:00 PM | COLO +6.5 (-107) GT -6.5 (-113) | COLO +192 GT -230 | Over 51.0 (-110) Under 51.0 (-110) |
| Idaho at Utah | 9:00 PM | IDHO +35 (-102) UTAH -35 (-118) | N/A | Over 57.5 (-110) Under 57.5 (-110) |
Lines can shift quickly across top offshore sportsbooks before kickoff. The most interesting difference between these games is the amount of information available. Colorado and Georgia Tech both enter with major offensive changes. Idaho has already played, giving bettors a live sample before facing a ranked Utah team.
Colorado Buffaloes vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech won last season’s meeting 27-20 in Boulder and rushed for 320 yards. That victory launched a 9-4 campaign, the program’s best win total since 2016. Haynes King is gone, leaving Alberto Mendoza to take over at quarterback, with Michigan transfer Justice Haynes expected to carry a large part of the rushing workload.
Colorado comes off a 3-9 season and seven losses across its final eight games. Deion Sanders changed both coordinators. Brennan Marion now runs the offense, and 18-year-old Julian Lewis gets the quarterback job after appearing in four games last year. Lewis completed 52 of 94 passes for 589 yards and four touchdowns.
The matchup points toward Georgia Tech’s ground game. Colorado must prove its rebuilt front can handle a Yellow Jackets offense that established physical control in Boulder one year ago. Mendoza is inexperienced, so laying a full touchdown would be less attractive. At -6.5, Georgia Tech can cash with a seven-point win.
Georgia Tech’s 2025 rushing success matters since Colorado must replace production across several defensive roles. Brent Key can protect Mendoza by leaning on Haynes and a veteran blocking structure instead of asking his new quarterback to win immediately through high-volume passing. Colorado’s quickest route to an upset is forcing third-and-long situations, then letting Lewis attack a Yellow Jackets secondary that will see several new transfer targets throughout the first half.
NCAAF Best Bet: Georgia Tech -6.5 (-113)
Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Colorado 23
Idaho Vandals vs Utah Utes
Utah begins the Morgan Scalley era after finishing 11-2 last season. Scalley took over when Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan, then guided the Utes to a 44-22 Las Vegas Bowl win over Nebraska. Quarterback Devon Dampier returns after throwing for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns, plus 835 rushing yards and 10 scores.
The Utes have continuity at the positions that matter most for a huge favorite. Wayshawn Parker averaged 6.6 yards per carry last season, and Utah’s defense retains the structure Scalley built during his long run as coordinator. Rice-Eccles Stadium has hosted 95 consecutive sellouts entering the opener.
Idaho’s Week 0 result makes the matchup tougher to defend. The Vandals lost 38-34 at Cal Poly as Joshua Wood threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Harste caught nine passes for 180 yards and two scores, proving Idaho can create explosive plays. The defense surrendered 38 points to an FCS opponent before traveling to face a ranked Big 12 roster.
Utah -35 asks for a blowout, so the cleaner angle is the total. Idaho has enough passing ability to contribute points, and Dampier should create explosive gains against a defense that struggled one week ago. Utah can reach the mid-40s without needing four full quarters from its starters.
NCAAF Best Bet: Over 57.5 (-120)
Prediction: Utah 45, Idaho 17
Best Thursday Betting Card
Georgia Tech -6.5 is the stronger side. The Yellow Jackets own home field, a proven rushing identity, and recent success against this opponent. Colorado’s new offense may improve under Marion, but Lewis faces a difficult road debut against an experienced staff.
The Utah game offers a better total than spread position. Idaho’s offense showed enough in Week 0 to threaten double digits, and Utah has the quarterback and rushing talent to score quickly. A 45-17 type of result clears 57.5 without requiring Utah to cover 35.
Official NCAAF Picks: Georgia Tech -6.5 and Idaho-Utah Over 57.5
