College Football Picks: The Panel's Best Bets For Week 1 On Thursday Night

The Panel's College Football Thursday Night Picks:

• North Carolina And Minnesota Over 49.5 Points @ -108 With DraftKings
• North Dakota State And Colorado Under 30.5 First Half Points @ -110 With Caesars
• Jacksonville State Gamecocks On The Moneyline @ -135 With BetMGM
• Eastern Illinois +27.5 Points @ -105 With BetMGM

Our team of experts dive into the openign week of the college football season, focusing on insights and odds from top NFL betting sites. 

Leveraging our in-depth expertise, we'll cover the key matchups, spotlight players to watch, examine positional battles, and identify potential surprises.

We'll provide a thorough overview of where the smart money is trending, break down each game, and share our own strategies and insights.

Keep reading for The Panel's detailed coverage and expert predictions for Week 1 of the 2024 season.

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North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers - (O/U 49.5, Tar Heels, -2) 

While Drake Maye has gone from North Carolina, Minnesota gets an upgrade at quarterback with Max Brosmer. Brosmer transferred from New Hampshire and carries an instant presence. 

The Golden Gophers upgraded with solid players at wide receiver and running back.   

Darius Young could be one of the better runners in the Big 10 this season. Tyler Williams might be a real factor from the wide receiver position. 

Don't forget that North Carolina’s defensive deficiencies seem to very much still exist. The Tar Heels can give up 400+ yards with ease, a streak that has continued for four seasons now.      

The over is down to 49.5 points for this Thursday night contest, which aligns with projections. Both teams can put up some points. 

This is a different era, especially for Minnesota, which notoriously has had some duds in season openers.                                                                                                                                 

Should we take the over on Thursday night here with betting apps? The answer would be yes, and Minnesota is an excellent pick for the outright win

The Panel Pick 1: North Carolina And Minnesota Over 49.5 Points - DraftKings -108

North Dakota State Bisons vs. Colorado Buffaloes - (O/U 60.5, Buffaloes, -9.5) 

Both teams have been fun to watch in their own ways. North Dakota State are one of the best running teams in the nation. 

Cam Miller returns and this team will run first to wear defenses out. Their starting duo and Miller combined for over 1,600 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns in 2023.   

So, Colorado will take a more cautious approach as it transitions to a more pro-style offense under Pat Shurmur. Shedur Sanders and Travis Hunter figure to get their yards, but not quite at the pace we saw early last year. 

The Panel expects these two teams to grind it out and play with some hesitation early and with a number of 30.5 for the half, taking the Under is our pick.

The Panel Pick 2: North Dakota State And Colorado Under 30.5 First Half Points - Caesars -110

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (O/U 54.5, Gamecocks -2.5)

The best news for this Thursday night game is that this home game at Jacksonville State could be a boon for the Gamecocks. 

The Gamecocks and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers struggled to score at times last season. Jacksonville State will rely on running the ball again, which means the Gamecocks expect to try to control the clock.

That Over is not worth our eyes on Thursday. Instead, siding with the Under here is a good move. 

A better pick would be taking the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on the Moneyline at -135. 

The Panel Pick 3: Jacksonville State Gamecocks On The Moneyline  - BetMGM -135

Eastern Illinois Panthers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (O/U 45, Fighting Illini -27.5)

The fun part of this in-state college football contest is that it starts a little later than usual (9pm ET).

Last year, the Illinois Fighting Illini struggled mightily in close games en route to a 5-7 record. 

Nobody expects that this time around. However, Eastern Illinois could make this game more complicated than anticipated.

That full-game spread is too high for Week 1. Going back a half point gets us closer to Even for Thursday night. 

Take Eastern Illinois and those 27.5 points. They might need almost all of that.                  

The Panel Pick 4: Eastern Illinois +27.5 Points - BetMGM -105