The long wait is finally over, and a new college football season is here. After a nice appetizer in Week 0, there is a full slate of lines for Week 1. Marquee matchups and paycheck games pack the schedule from Thursday to Monday. With many lopsided spreads this early in the year, it can be overwhelming to sift through the weeds to find the long shots that can cover these massive spreads or even win outright.
My goal is to help find some of these spots. I will focus on large underdogs that can cover the spread and some that I like on the money line. Here are the matchups to keep an eye on for week 1:
Cincinnati +6 at Arkansas (+196)
After a dream season in 2021, Cincinnati is looking to prove its success was no fluke. They'll open up the 2022 campaign on the road against Arkansas. The Razorback faithful are hoping head coach Sam Pittman can build on a bit of a renaissance season in Fayetteville. They return their talented quarterback, KJ Jefferson, but will need to replace a lot of last year's production at the skill positions. Cincinnati lost a lot of NFL talent of its own on both sides of the ball, especially on defense, so it is easy to see why the home Razorbacks are favored in this matchup.'