College Football

'Bear Bets': The Group Chat's picks on Colorado-Nebraska, Texas-Alabama, more

Updated Sep. 7, 2023 6:07 p.m. ET

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Week 2 of the college football season is here, and the "Group Chat" from the "Bear Bets" digital show has some wagers they like for this weekend.

This week, FOX Sports' Chris "The Bear" Fallica and Geoff Schwartz, along with Sam Panayotovich and Will Hill, previewed the Week 2 slate, focusing on the big Texas-Alabama matchup and whether coach Deion Sanders can get the Colorado Buffaloes to 2-0 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Saturday on FOX Sports and the FOX Sports app, among other things. 

Did your outlook on Colorado change after last week, and can they cover (-3) against Nebraska?

Sammy P: "[Colorado -3 against Nebraska] is going to be one of the most bet on public sides maybe ever in college football. I was talking to Dave Mason, who books bets offshore, who said not only will this be the most bet on college football game of all time, but this will be the most public side of all time. Yeah, people are like, ‘Well, you can't bet against Colorado.' To hell I can't! What are you talking about? Nebraska was an 8-point favorite on the look-ahead line. Now, after winning the national championship in Week 1, Colorado is laying three points? I have to go back to the well and go against the Buffaloes. I have to!"

Hill: "I agree with betting Nebraska. It's just a matter of when. Do you wait for [the line to move] to +3.5 for Nebraska, and you jump on it? Or do you wait until slightly before kickoff, and the ball keeps rolling and rolling? To me, it's just when you bet it."

The Bear: "There will be a point at some point this year where these numbers might not catch up. Like, it's going to come in later in the year. They're going to score on anybody. This offense is really good. But what's going to happen when an offensive lineman gets hurt? Or when a defensive lineman or a linebacker [goes down]? Last week, as big as that win was, they should've given up 56 to TCU. They had an interception in the end zone and a ridiculously great play by Travis Hunter in the other end zone. So, they're going to score on anyone. But I'm curious for later in the year, once they start playing USC, Oregon and some of the other teams in the Pac-12, maybe they're dinged up front. That's going to be the time to strike against Colorado."

Schwartz: "I don't know if I'm buying it, but their offense is for real. Their offensive line has issues, but Sean Lewis, their offensive coordinator, did a great job of scheming guys open into the space. The question I have with Colorado is, how long can Travis Hunter keep up this pace? He played 145 snaps in Week 1. I think they transition him more to defense, but against bigger opponents, like Nebraska, USC and Oregon, he'll probably have to play both ways. I'm buying Colorado being able to score points. But, as The Bear mentioned, they have defensive and offensive line issues. How long can they keep this going?"

Can Deion Sanders and Colorado win at home against Nebraska?

Who is going to come out victorious between No. 11 Texas and No. 3 Alabama (-7) in Tuscaloosa?

The Bear: "The [line] is kind of making you decide which way you want it to go in this game. Either -6.5 for Alabama or +7.5 for Texas. I think Texas has a really good chance to win this game outright. I don't think this is a great Alabama defense. I think they're good. But I don't think this is a vintage Nick Saban type of defense. Obviously, Jalen Milroe is going to run circles against Middle Tennessee State, but that Texas front seven is really, really good. I think they're going to give Alabama problems. I think Texas as the underdog is very attractive, and I think the Under (53.5) is as well."

Hill: "The one thing I noticed last week with Alabama and going over the roster is that they don't have the usual embarrassment of riches at receiver and running back, where they're typically two or three deep with pro after pro. That plays into the Under. They've also got a young quarterback. Does Saban trust him right away in a big game? Maybe both teams come out a little bit tight. To me, it'd be the Under, and if it's a lower-scoring game, I like the points here."

Will Jalen Milroe prove himself as Alabama's starting QB?

Sammy P: "One of my favorite spots over the years is taking that ‘bad' Bama team that's sort of laying in the weeds, and nobody wants to bet them. In what world are we not excited to lay seven on Alabama against a former assistant? And here's the exciting part: Last year, I know they had Bryce Young, Jahmyr Gibbs and Will Anderson, but that number was -20. Now it's -7! It's way too low here."

Schwartz: "This is a much more talented Texas team than they've had in many years. They can go into Alabama and probably physically withstand this Alabama team, which hasn't been as good as they've been in the past. They've sort of had a talent drain over the years. … It's still a great football team, but Texas, talent-wise, can [go in there] and hang with them. I have no play on this game, but I can understand why the oddsmakers made it seven points."

OTHER QUICK TAKES

Will Notre Dame win and cover (-7.5) on the road against NC State?

The Bear: "It's the first real team that Notre Dame's facing this year. … It's NC State or nothing here, right?"

Sammy P: "Anything under 51 and the hook is good [to bet the Over]. I think this is a game that plays in the high 20s, like a 28-27 game. I'm definitely with you that I'm not going to lay 7.5 with Notre Dame."

Will Sam Hartman continue to shine with Notre Dame?

What to make of Utah being slightly over a touchdown (-7.5) favorite at Baylor Bears?

The Bear: "There was an even bigger Big 12 loser than TCU last week as Baylor lost as a near-30-point favorite to Texas State. … I'm still not sure if Cam Rising is going to play. Now you've got them laying north of a touchdown. … You would think that Baylor will show up and give Utah a game, right?"

Schwartz: "You have to play the Under at 47 here. … Florida had a lot of mistakes [against Utah in Week 1]. More importantly, why I won't take Utah in this situation, they'll still be down about eight starters. I don't expect Rising to play in this game. The Utah offense wasn't that great against Florida. They hit a home run on the first play of the game. And then Nate Johnson had that long touchdown run, and that was about it."

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