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‘Bear Bets’: Best Bets for Penn State-West Virginia, Notable Week 1 Matchups
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‘Bear Bets’: Best Bets for Penn State-West Virginia, Notable Week 1 Matchups

The first week of the American football season has arrived.

To celebrate this occasion,Bear Bets” is back, as the gang finally gets to choose games.

Chris “The Bear” Fallica And Geoff Schwartz were accompanied by Sam Panayotovich And Will Hill for the betting group chat to discuss which teams they like the most in the key matches of week 1 and what their favorite moves of the weekend are.

Let’s take a look at their choices!

No. 14 Clemson (+13.5) vs. #1 Georgia

Sammy P: Lean Clemson +13.5, will bet if it goes to Clemson +14

“My concern for Georgia is this: Georgia wants to overwhelm everybody. They want to play Geoff Schwartz football and just kill you with the offensive line, overwhelm you, run 180 yards. Set up the pass through the run. Can Georgia overwhelm Clemson for four quarters? I have my doubts.”

Hill: Lean Clemson +13.5

“Clemson has set a standard for themselves. When you win national championships and you don’t win national championships anymore, people are so negative about them. Maybe they’re not the national championship team they used to be with Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson, but they still have pros on defense. … I think Clemson defends well enough to stay in this game.”

De Beer: Would look at Under 48.5 points total

“Just a lack of confidence in Clemson’s quarterback, and Georgia’s defense usually does a pretty good job against these non-conference opponents that don’t see Kirby Smart’s defense year in and year out. So we could very easily be looking at a 27-14 type of game.”

No. 7 Notre Dame (+3) vs. #20 Texas A&M

The Bear: Under 46.5

“You obviously have the familiarity with Mike Elko and Riley Leonard. Does Notre Dame have the playmakers to really separate what should be a really good A&M defense? Does A&M have the playmakers on the offensive side of the ball? Last year, if it wasn’t for Evan Stewart or Ainais Smith, they wouldn’t have moved the ball. … A&M could struggle moving the ball, too.”

Sammy P: Notre Dame +3

“Back in the day, when Notre Dame went on the road in the SEC, they took a lot more than three, guys. They took seven, they took 10. That’s respect, I think, for the Irish.”

CFB Week 1: Gambling Group Chat Previews Penn State vs. WVU

CFB Week 1: Gambling Group Chat Previews Penn State vs. WVU

No. 8 Penn State (-8) against West Virginia (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)

The Bear: Penn State -8

“If you look at James Franklin’s Penn State in games where they’re favored by between seven and 24 points, they’re 16-0-1 against the spread. When they’re favored by a touchdown or more, they’re 26-1.”

Sammy P: Lean Penn State -8

“Franklin knows what the number is. He knows the boosters want to cover the number. (He did it last year in the) West Virginia game and against Northwestern, when he had the backup take a fake knee and throw a touchdown pass to cover 27.5.”

Schwartz: Penn State -8

“I think Penn State is going to want to make a statement on offense in this game. West Virginia has a lot back right now offensively, although they can probably catch up in some areas, but I think Penn State’s defense, even though they lose a lot, has recruited really well the last few years.”

CFB Playoff Best Bets: Big Ten’s Penn State and Iowa

CFB Playoff Best Bets: Big Ten's Penn State and Iowa

No. 19 Miami (Florida) (-2.5) versus Florida

Sammy P: Miami (Florida) -2.5

“I’m all in on the U. It is what it is. It’s been done. I’ve been talking about this for a month. I’m all in on the U. I took the U. I got them to make the Playoff. I’m not scared. I think Mario is going to channel all those doubts and they’re going to boo Florida. Florida’s win total is 4.5. Florida’s not that good.”

No. 23 USC (+4.5) vs. #13 LSU

The Bear: Less than 64.5 points in total

“I think it’s a good place because most people expect a game with a lot of goals.”

Sammy P: Waiting to bet on Under

“I think this new communication rule is going to slow these games down. … If you go back to that Florida State-Georgia Tech game in Ireland last weekend, only 14 possessions. That was the fewest possessions in an FBS game since November of 2020. When you’re only getting the ball six, seven times a game, you really have to be extra efficient against a USC defense that’s better than it’s ever been, and I think this LSU defense is underrated.”

Schwartz: LSU -4.5

“The best unit in this game is LSU’s offensive line. That’s why I’m betting on LSU. I think overall, at the end of this game, that’s the unit that takes over the fourth quarter, and they win this game and cover it for LSU.”

Hill: USC +4.5

“I want to drop LSU. You lose the No. 2 pick in the draft, a couple top-20 receivers, and maybe a little bit better defense. With what you lose on offense, I don’t know if a little bit of improvement on defense makes up for it.”

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