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The college football world was expecting a March Madness kind of feel for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, with upsets galore. Instead, the 4 first-round matches underwhelmed, providing lots of time for holiday shopping. Favorites went an ideal 4-0 against the spread, including 3 relatively non-competitive efficiencies by underdogs Indiana, SMU and Tennessee. Sportsbooks and the public do not seem to believe so. At least in two cases.

Both Penn State-Boise State and Texas-Arizona State feature double-digit spreads preferring the lower-seeded Nittany Lions and . And the latter has actually been a specifically popular pick with the general public. The Longhorns -12.5 is the most-bet side at BetMGM nationally in regards to overall dollars since Monday afternoon.

"All the cash is can be found in on Texas," Seamus Magee, a BetMGM trader, wrote in a text message to The Athletic. "We require Arizona State to cover +13.5."

The enthusiasm for the Longhorns encompasses the futures market as well. Remember that huge $1.5 million wager on Texas to win it all at +390 chances? The ticket is still out there at Caesars Sportsbook.
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Interestingly, the Longhorns' opponent, Arizona State - the most significant underdog amongst the College Football quarterfinal matchups - is getting the most love from sharp bettors. The Athletic spoke with a number of bookmakers who had taken sharp action on No. 4 Arizona State - which had gotten as high as a 14-point underdog at some books versus No. 5 Texas - to push the line down to -12.5 or -12.

John Murray, the executive director at The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, informed us he received a wager on Arizona State +13.5 from a "extremely reputable player."

Although highly regarded cash has been available in on Arizona State to cover, sportsbooks will likely require the Sun Devils to do simply that, as public bettors are overdoing Texas.

"We would like to see ASU cover, and after that Texas win the game, so we get our Arizona State liability off the futures book," Magee included.
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While the Texas game will be huge for the books, it isn't the only video game in town. We chatted with multiple bookies to break down where the wagering action is on the other 3 College Football quarterfinal matchups. 6 Penn State (-11, 53) at No. 3 Boise State

This game opened Penn State -10.5 at most sportsbooks and has approached somewhat to an agreement of -11. sports betting on the spread is fairly divided at many sportsbooks. The total dollars bet differs by book, as 52% of bets and 79% of the money at BetMGM nationally are on Boise State -11, while 56% of bets but only 42% of the money at DraftKings is on Boise State -11.5. Penn State to cover is currently the second most popular CFP wager in terms of overall tickets at BetMGM books.
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"We opened Penn State -10.5 and are resting on Penn State -11," Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata in Atlantic City, told The Athletic. "I wouldn't be shocked if this line approaches a little bit more before kickoff, however I presently welcome any Boise State cash."

Ohio State got the Oregon second opportunity it wanted. Are the Buckeyes prepared for revenge?

No. 8 Ohio State (-2.5, 55.5) vs. No. 1 Oregon

Perhaps most surprising to the general public is that No. 1 seed Oregon is an underdog against No. 8 Ohio State. These groups fulfilled back on Oct. 7 in Eugene, and Oregon won 32-31 as a 3.5-point home canine.

So why is OSU favored?
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Several oddsmakers The Athletic talked with before the CFP preliminary had Ohio State atop their power rankings, and the lookahead lines for this theoretical match were Ohio State -1 or -1.5. One oddsmaker mentioned that Ohio State playing up to its power ranking in its dominant first-round win over Tennessee likewise formed his opening line.

Ohio State opened as a 1- or 1.5-point favorite (depending on the sportsbook) in this video game before highly regarded money pushed it to the existing line of -2.5. A somewhat greater majority of wagers at a number of sportsbooks, approximately 60%, are on the Ducks to cover, while near 60% of the cash has come in on the Buckeyes. This will likely be the highest-handle game of the four come kickoff.
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"We did take some reputable cash at -1.5, quickly went to -2.5 where it's stayed," Gable said. "It's decent two-way action at that number today. The overall has gone up 3 points from 52.5 to 55.5, which has been the most significant relocation of any of the totals. Money has all been on the over up until now.
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Joe Brennan, the CEO of Prime sports betting, a sportsbook in Ohio and New Jersey that deals with sharp bettors, informed The Athletic that "Ohio State opened as a 1-point preferred, and immediately our Ohio bettors thought we were too low. Our opening cost of Ohio State -1 has been increased to -2.5 and the total from 52 to 55."

He did note, however, that the book had seen substantial buyback at the present line of Ohio State -2.5 and that 52% of the total dollars at his book were taking the points with the Ducks.

GO DEEPER

The most likely upsets for the College Football Playoff's second round

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (-1, 45)

The preferred flipped in this video game, as Notre Dame opened a 1.5-point favorite and is currently a 1- or 1.5-point underdog at sportsbooks.

What triggered the line flip? Simply put, the sports betting action.

Although Georgia's starting QB Carson Beck is out for the season and has actually been replaced by relative unknown Gunner Stockton, gamblers are gravitating towards the Bulldogs.

Georgia to cover is the most popular versus the spread wager at BetMGM books nationally in terms of ticket count (second-most popular by total dollars bet), and it has actually been "one-way traffic on Georgia," according to Magee. Nearly 70% of bets are on the Bulldogs at multiple sportsbooks.