BK’s Bets: Week 1’s Best Bets

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.

Well, week 0 started us off with a disappointing finish by Vanderbilt. The Commodores were up 35-14 early in the fourth quarter, but they let Hawaii score 14 unanswered points to close out the game. A 7-point win is fine for the standings, but it is very much not ideal for those of us who had Vandy -17.5.

So, we’re 0-1 to start the season. We’ll look to rebound this week with our first (full) SEC slate of the 2023 season. But, in classic SEC fashion, it’s not a particularly appealing slate. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth betting on, though.

Let’s dive into the best lines this week.

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WORTH A LOOK:

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Florida @ Utah (-6.5) — 7:00 pm on ESPN (Thursday Night)

• Can someone tell me a reason - any reason - to be optimistic about Florida? Did you love Graham Mertz at Wisconsin? Did they add a bunch of high-level players in the portal that I’m unaware of? Meanwhile, Utah returns the majority of its production from a defense that was among the 25-30 best in the country last season. Replacing Dalton Kincaid will certainly be a tall task, but I’m going to side with the infrastructure at Utah over a program at Florida that seems to be in a significant state of flux. If it wasn’t for questions on Cam Rising’s status, I would have this as my best bet of the week. He’s recovering from an ACL injury he suffered at the end of last season and the team has been coy on his status for week one. IF you trust that he’s going to be a full go and will start for the Utes (that’s my current lean), then I like the Utes by a wider-than-expected margin, 31-20.

New Mexico @ Texas A&M (-38) — 6:00 pm on ESPN

• You know what helps in games like this? Being able to score. And I’m not convinced New Mexico can. The Lobos scored a combined 23 points in games last season against Boise State, Fresno State and LSU. They return very little offensive production. Bill Connelly currently ranks them as one of the five worst FBS offenses heading into the 2023 season. I am very low on Texas A&M heading into the season, but this is exactly the type of game they should dominate. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if the Aggies’ defense outscores New Mexico’s offense. Give me the Aggies, big, 41-0.

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BK’S BEST BETS:

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South Carolina (+2.5) @ North Carolina — 6:30 pm on ABC (Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC)

• It’s week one and I’m ready to get a little crazy with my best bet of the week. Let me ask you this: Why are we sleeping on South Carolina this season? The Gamecocks flew under the radar last season because they started 1-2. Well, they finished 8-4 with wins over Kentucky, Tennessee and Clemson. Spencer Rattler looked... good? It is more than reasonable to be skeptical of his late-season heroics, but I think he’s a better college quarterback than most give him credit for being. Add in a whole heck of a lot of returning production around him offensively, and I think this has the making of a more interesting SEC East sleeper than some are suspecting. UNC returns the majority of its offensive line, but the weapons could take some time working through some chemistry issues, and the defense was more than a bit of an adventure last season. Is Gene Chizik suddenly going to work miracles on that group? I think the Drake Maye hype (which is justified) is getting people out over their skis on how good North Carolina will be this season. Give me South Carolina in a tight contest, 31-30.

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NO STRONG LEAN:

Virginia @ Tennessee (-28) — 11:00 am on ABC

Ball State @ Kentucky (-26.5) — 11:00 am on SEC Network

UMass @ Auburn (-37) — 2:30 pm on ESPN

Middle Tennessee State @ Alabama (-39.5) — 6:30 pm on SEC Network

LSU (-2.5) @ Florida State — 6:30 pm on ABC (Sunday Night)

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NO LINE:

South Dakota @ Missouri — 7:00 pm on SEC Network (Thursday Night)

Mercer @ Ole Miss — 1:00 pm on ESPN+

Western Carolina @ Arkansas — 3:00 pm on ESPN+

Southeast Louisiana @ Mississippi State — 3:00 pm on SEC Network

UT Martin @ Georgia — 5:00 pm on ESPN+

Alabama A&M @ Vanderbilt — 6:00 pm on ESPN+

Those are my picks for the week. All odds are provided by DraftKings. Which SEC teams will you be taking this week against the spread?

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.