The opening weekend of the 2025 college football season features critical matchups that will shape the direction for the teams. Coaches, fans, and bettors alike will monitor these games closely, and oddsmakers will adjust their evaluations accordingly.

Setting the point spreads for college matches is dynamic, often changing based on prior game outcomes. Unlike the NFL, which often sets spreads weeks in advance, college football spreads are more limited in their forecast.

For instance, after Hawaii narrowly beat Stanford 23-20, the opening spread for their upcoming game against Arizona shifted from 13.5 to 17.5 points in favor of the Wildcats. Though Hawaii’s quarterback, Michael Alejado, is expected to play, concerns about his injury loom, especially after allowing 177 rushing yards to a struggling Stanford offense.

Besides that, some pre-set college football bets exist for future weeks via platforms like DraftKings. Currently, Clemson stands as a 3.5-point favorite against LSU and is anticipated to be 8.5-point favorites against Georgia Tech the following week.

Considering Clemson’s strong performance history, including a decisive 42-21 win against Georgia Tech in their last encounter, the expectation is for them to maintain their form and possibly exceed the spread significantly.

Looking at LSU, they are projected at 5.5-point favorites over Florida in Week 3. However, a potential loss in their opener against Clemson could see that spread decrease, making them an interesting bet depending on their performance leading up to the game.

Lastly, for Week 2, Baylor is currently a 3.5-point underdog against SMU, with experts believing they might outperform expectations based on early game performances.