College football 2025 betting tips, foundations, and best practices

The 2025 college football season got underway last Saturday, but the four-month party truly gets started this weekend with a Week 1 slate that features wall-to-wall action headlined by several marquee matchups.

It’s an amazing card of games, and it’s staggered wonderfully with Texas vs. Ohio State at lunchtime, Alabama at Florida State at 3:30 p.m. ET, and LSU against Clemson set to kick off four hours later. There’s even a robust late-night session with Utah, Hawaii, and Washington all getting underway after 10 p.m.

It is a carnival of college football, and the Corinthian spirit will be on full display, but it’s also a great reminder to check in on your fundamentals to give yourself the best chance at a successful and enjoyable betting campaign this fall. 

Don’t get carried away, especially in Week 1

Perhaps the most important guideline to follow in college football is to exert self-control by only betting the games in which you think you have an edge.

Speaking from experience, it’s easy to get carried away with bets when you’re scrolling through a massive Saturday card, like the one we’re being dealt this weekend.

If you’re a gambler, seasoned or novice, you will feel the pull of every game, as you want to get the full experience of a college football Saturday. We’ve missed these days, and there are only 14 of ‘em, so you want to make the most of them. We get it.

But the way to make sure you can enjoy the entire season is to keep your bankroll healthy from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. That means you’re going to need to limit your card to a responsible size. 

It’s OK to pass on Old Dominion at Indiana even though it’s the only game kicking off at 2:30 p.m.

Betting on College Football?

Be ready to adjust on the fly

The NFL is a much more contained environment than college football, so things are a lot more chaotic and move a lot quicker in the latter than in the former.

So while you’ll want to be slower in adjusting your power rankings and opinions on NFL teams, you need to be on your toes from the jump in college football.

Last year’s Florida Gators are a good example of this. They struggled out of the gates, and it looked like Billy Napier was on his way out, but the Gators turned things around without warning in the middle of the campaign and finished the season with wins over LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State before pasting Tulane in a bowl game.

Try to bet early and pay attention to line movement

You’ll notice that college football lines zig and zag throughout the week, starting as soon as the markets open. 

That’s why it’s a best practice, not just in college football, to try and bet early before the market gets shaped. Eventually, the price will settle where it’s supposed to, and you want to get in before that to give yourself the best chance at winning.

It’s easier said than done, but it’s worth noting where these lines open, where you think you’ll close, and where they actually do. 

If you notice you’re consistently beating the closing number – or even have a good idea of where numbers are going to move – you are doing something right. 

And finally, don’t chase losses with Hawaii at Midnight

We’ve all been there. 

You’re exhausted and down after a losing Saturday night, and the University of Hawaii is just about to get underway on the Island. 

The temptation to erase your losses with one big chunk play on the Rainbow Warriors against San Jose State is just staring you in the face.

Go to bed. Live to fight another Saturday.

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.