Every week, Rock M Nation will post the SEC betting lines for that week’s slate of games. DISCLAIMER: Rock M Nation is not an online gambling operator, nor a gambling site of any kind. We are simply here to provide information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only. None of the staff will be using this information for gambling purposes and are not liable for any losses incurred due to the analysis contained within.
We’re back and better than ever with our weekly Best Bets picks for the
college football season. Last year we finished with a stellar 35-26-1 record on our Best Bet picks, in the black by nine full units. We’re going to do our best to beat that .574 winning percentage in 2025, so make it a habit to check back in to Rock M every week to check out our picks.
Each week, I’ll give you my three-ish top picks of the week, called my Best Bets. I’ll also provide a three-ish additional picks that are worth keeping an eye on as well. Pretty easy to grasp. Got it? Great! Let’s get to it!
Best Bets
Auburn (-2.5) vs. Baylor
Hugh Freeze enters the 2025 season on the hot seat after missing a bowl game in 2024 and tallying a losing record in his first two seasons on the plains. In what may be a serious temperature check game right off the bat, his Tigers head to Waco to take on Baylor, a darkhorse contender for the Big 12 title this year. That said, Freeze appears to finally have enough talent on his side to break through and win eight games this year and I think one of those eight will be in Waco by at least a field goal. Auburn’s defense is going to be good and even of Jackson Arnold isn’t great, he can’t be worse than who they had at quarterback last year. Give me Auburn to cover.
Texas vs. Ohio State (-2.5)
In one of the most anticipated season-opening matchups in recent memory, Texas gets an opportunity to extract some revenge from Ohio State after the close loss in the playoff semifinals last January. Arch Manning will get his first start in a game versus a ranked opponent as well as his first start on the road in his career. He may very well be the world beater everyone expects him to be for the Longhorns, but this is a really tough way to start that journey. While Texas may very will win the SEC and/or the national championship this season, I think they will start the season off with a loss in Columbus. Ohio State is too talented and the Horseshoe is too tough a venue for the Longhorns to walk in and win a game this early in Manning’s career.
Notre Dame (-2.5) vs. Miami, Fla.
Coming off their surprising national title game run last season, the Fighting Irish will once again sport an excellent defense and a run-first offense. That sounds like a winning recipe on the road against a Miami team that, while talented, is replacing the first overall pick in the NFL draft with hit-or-miss Carson Beck. I think the Irish find a way to get an early lead and smother the Canes late in the game. Plus, Mario Cristobal is always good for at least one baffling game management decision which will only help Notre Dame win by at least a field goal.
Worth a look
Georgia Tech (-4.5) vs. Colorado
If the year was 1990, this game very well might have been labeled the Game of the Century. Well, it’s actually 35 years later and while both programs have had their ups and downs since they split a national championship, the Yellow Jackets and Buffaloes seem to be trending upward. Colorado is coming off their best season in a couple decades while Georgia Tech came within inches of upsetting rival Georgia at the end of the 2024 season. Colorado lost a ton of talent off their nine-win team, including Heisman winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Yellow Jackets return much more experience and while Colorado has talent, it may take a few weeks for it to gel. I like Georgia Tech to win by at least a touchdown in Boulder.
Missouri State vs. USC (-34.5)
Welcome to the FBS, Missouri State! Your first challenge is to be fed to USC! In one of the more questionable reclassification decisions, the Bears decided to jump up to FBS football despite never being even middling at the FCS level. Well, they might make a few more bucks, but they certainly are going to get pounded all season by just about everyone they play. That pounding starts in Los Angeles on Saturday when they face off against an angry USC team that (presumably) is sick and tired of underachieving under Lincoln Riley. Riley knows how to do one thing well and that is score a heap of points. I expect the Trojans to score two heaps against the Bears and win by at least five touchdowns.
Toledo (+7.5) vs. Kentucky
I think Kentucky is low-key going to suck out loud this season. They just announced that Aggie reject Zach Calzada will start for them at quarterback, which is underwhelming enough, but the Wildcats lost a ton of players off a bad team last year. It’s hard to envision them being even as good as they were in 2024 and I think that becomes evident early when they take on perennial MAC power Toledo. I’m picking the Rockets to win outright so the fact that they are getting 7.5 points is just gravy. 2025 might be the beginning of the end for Mark Stoops in Lexington and I think we’ll get an idea as to why this week.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.
