Can you say, “Texas versus Alabama?” Repeat it. Say it three times because not only is this the biggest game of Week 2, but it’s also a rematch of last year’s dazzling Week 2 game between two of college football’s most prominent programs.
Except, there’s more, far more. While the Texas Longhorns against the Alabama Crimson Tide is far and away the most popular game of the day, there are five other contests worth a long look. Some of them have odds we couldn’t just sit here and not tell you about.
Week 2 College Football Big Game Odds (Courtesy of Bovada)
Check out what’s on the docket for College Football Week 2 on Saturday, September 9th, 2023.
- Texas vs Alabama Texas -6.5
- Nebraska vs Colorado Nebraska -7.5
- Ole Miss vs. Tulane Ole Miss -7.5
- Texas A&M vs Miami Texas A&M -7.5
- Iowa vs Iowa St. Iowa -3.5
- Oregon vs Texas Tech Oregon -3
The lines above have just been put up and are about as fresh as you’re ever going to see college football lines. These come from some of our favorite sportsbooks, such as Bovada and BetOnlin, where you can grab fantastic signup bonuses for the college football season.
Without knowing who’s who as of the time of this writing, it’s wise to grab some of these great lines before they move heavily out of your favor after Week 1 ends. That’s when these lines dramatically change, so keep reading because we’ve got the inside scoop on the best bets.
>> Find the latest college football odds at Bovada
Closer Look at the Big Games for College Football Week 2
Texas (+6.5) vs Alabama (-6.5)
The biggest game of the day pits the Texas Longhorns against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. Last year’s game between these two teams went down to the wire and was only decided by one point in a 20-19 ‘Bama victory. Get ready for another rollercoaster ride on the gridiron.
Favored by a touchdown, the Crimson Tide have every reason to have the oddsmakers’ confidence since coach Nick Saban took over. That’s what happens when you’ve won six national championships. The odds favor you in just about every game. That’s Alabama.
Texas, however, is no slouch. They’re one of the best college football programs in the sport and are easily the biggest in Texas, which is saying a lot. The Longhorns have a fanatical following, the kind of fans that love them from the time they’re born until they die. They’re that diehard.
2022’s team featured the best running back in the game, with Bijan Robinson racking up 1580 rushing yards to go with 18 touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry. Unfortunately, Robinson left for the NFL draft, getting taken ninth overall by the Atlanta Falcons.
This year’s Texas Longhorns are still a tough team, ranked 11th in the preseason polls, and oh, by the way, they have Peyton and Eli’s brother, Arch Manning, on their team. He’s a freshman and won’t play right away, but the future looks mighty bright for the orange and white.
Starting QB Quinn Ewers isn’t too shabby, but in case he can’t get the job done or gets injured, they have Manning or the big, athletic Maalik Murphy at 6’5 235 pounds. Regardless of who starts, they don’t have any excuses to perform poorly.
Why?
Because Texas’ wide receivers are insanely good and fast, they need to get the ball no matter who’s playing QB so that they can make plays. This could be one of the best offenses in the league if they get consistently good play from the QB position the entire season.
The Longhorns’ defense isn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special in 2022 and could be much improved in 2023. Jaylon Ford is a year older and was already an incredibly gifted tackler, recording 118 tackles last season.
>> Place your bets at MyBookie
With Ford manning the linebacker corps, the front line should be able to penetrate the line of scrimmage and get to the opposing quarterback. If not, there’s always Ford to make the tackle, as he’s one of the best in college football at doing so.
He’ll have his work cut out for him against Alabama, ranked fourth in the preseason polls, which is relatively low for a Crimson Tide team under Saban that’s used to being ranked first or second entering the season.
That being said, why are they ranked fourth for 2023? It’s simple. Quarterback Bryce Young was drafted first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 NFL Draft. That’s a huge hole to fill, but Bama always has talent stockpiled, and this year is no different.
If any position is weak, it’s at quarterback. The issue with that is how weak is it? Starting QB Jalen Milroe fared well when he took over for Bryce Young against Texas A&M last season, and he has plenty of weapons on offense to rely on to be bad.
Should Milroe not look comfortable, Saban will turn to either Tyler Buchner or Ty Simpson to take over. In fact, knowing Saban, he may just use all three quarterbacks in different situations because he’s Nick Saban. This position is a toss-up but still has plenty of talent.
The Crimson Tide’s running game is strong, especially with highly-touted freshman Justice Haynes possibly getting some touches early in the season.
The offensive line will be good, and the defensive line will be a massive load of giants making nightmares for any offenses they face. Alabama also has a secondary that, despite only six picks last season, is outstanding. They will have at least triple that amount in 2023. Book it.
This enormous Week 2 matchup has the Alabama Crimson Tide at -6.5, meaning they have to beat the Texas Longhorns by at least seven points to cover.
Look, the Longhorns are good, one of the top 15 teams in college football entering the season. The problem is they’re not as good as Bama. They’re close but not quite there. Hell, even if they win this game, they’re still not as good from top to bottom.
People are sleeping on Jalen Milroe. He doesn’t have the star power of departed Bryce Young, but if Nick Saban believes in him, well, so do we. If anything, simply being a solid game manager will be enough to get this team past double-digit wins this year.
But are the Crimson Tide a whole seven points better than the Longhorns? That’s a touchdown plus the extra point. The talent margin isn’t that wide between these two squads, but there’s an X-factor here that people sometimes overlook.
Nick Saban doesn’t like losing, nor does he like his squad looking like an inferior program. He’ll remember how close last year’s contest was and have his players ready to rock and roll in Tuscaloosa.
Bama is going to stuff Texas at the line of scrimmage, putting starting QB Quinn Ewers on his heels all day. He’ll be throwing the ball into what should be one of the best secondaries in college football.
The Longhorns might keep it close at some point in the game, but the Crimson Tide will prevail easily in this game, unlike last year’s one-point classic. We like Alabama to cover the -6.5 points at home.
Alabama -6.5
Over/Under N/A
>> Place your Texas vs. Alabama bets at BetOnline
Nebraska (-8.5) vs. Colorado (+8.5)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers look to improve on last year’s disappointing 4-8 record. The Huskers have a fanbase as loyal as any of the big programs but haven’t seen a winning season in more than six years. New head coach Matt Rhule was hired to change that.
Colorado, on the other hand, brought in one of the most entertaining names in college football. Deion “Prime Time” Sanders has taken over the Buffaloes and has already instilled a brash and cocky culture in just a few months on the job.
Who do you take in this matchup of brand-new coaches? If we’re talking straight up, Nebraska might be the better bet being that the Buffs are in total rebuild mode, however, are the Huskers 8.5 points better than Colorado?
We’re not so sure. Remember, both of these programs are coming off disappointing seasons, so one has to wonder why betting on Nebraska is favored by a fairly large margin, given last year’s debacle.
Matt Rhule could have the edge over Deion Sanders given that he has a solid D1 track record, whereas Sanders is beginning his very first head coaching job at an FBS school, having previously coached in the FCS at Jackson State University.
However, despite one of the Big 10’s best linebackers in Luke Reimer, this team will have a lot of growing to do this season with a brand new starting QB in Jeff Sims, a mobile-style QB transfer from Georgia Tech. While he runs very well, passing isn’t his forte.
What this comes down to is merely defensive, where Rhule’s former programs succeeded before he took the Carolina Panthers head coaching job in the NFL. If they’re going to win on the road, they’ll do it with hard-nosed D.
Colorado is in a heavy transition from a team that hasn’t won more than six games in a season since 2011, but that’s about to change with Coach Prime at the helm. Sure, he wasn’t coaching D1 football, but Sanders went 27-6 at SWAC with back-to-back conference titles.
His son, Deion Jr., will be under center running the offense by new coordinator Sean Lewis, the former Kent State coach who had one of the nation’s fastest offenses last season. If anything, Sanders wants the offense to move down the field quickly and efficiently.
With both teams coming into the 2023 season in rebuild mode, it’s hard to see Rhule’s Huskers winning by more than a touchdown on the road in Colorado. For that reason, we like Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes to cover the 8.5 points at home.
Colorado +8.5
Over/Under N/A
>> Place Nebraska vs. Colorado bets at BUSR
Ole Miss (-7.5) vs. Tulane (+7.5)
Lane Kiffin’s Mississippi Rebels will head into New Orleans in Week 2 to take on a scrappy bunch in the Tulane Waves. The Rebels have the SEC pedigree and the popular head coac, while the Waves are an under-the-radar program looking for a little respect.
The mighty SEC versus the little engine that could from far less popular American Athletic Conference (AAC). The line looks understandable on the surface, but the deeper we dive into this matchup, we’re not so sure it makes sense.
Ole Miss likes to kill you with its offense. It racked up close to 500 yards per contest last season, which was huge for a team that had close to a nonexistent defense in many games in 2022. Kiffin likes his offense to put up points, running plays quickly to catch defenses sleeping.
As Alabama and Georgia get all the big headlines in the SEC, Ole Miss has been the third-winningest SEC program since he took over in 2020. It’s not an easy conference to make noise in, but Kiffin has done so and will continue to grab headlines as he entertaining.
However, Kiffin’s fun antics don’t guarantee wins, and Tulane, a team many people don’t even know about, won’t be an easy out. For one, they’re tough all around, and secondly, the game is in New Orleans where the Green Waves play.
Tulane went a surprising 10-2 in 2022 and beat USC in one of the most exciting bowl games of last season.
Now in his eighth year, head coach Willie Fritz finally has a winning season to build on. Not only that, but the division could be theirs with the departures of successful programs like Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston.
With that in mind, Ole Miss technically is Tulane’s toughest game and, should they win, will give them a great shot at double-digit wins again with most of their best players returning from last year’s Cotton Bowl-winning team.
On that note, can Lane Kiffin’s Rebels win a road game against an underrated, well-rounded Tulane Green Waves?
Yes, but not by much. If the Rebels take this game, it will be by a field goal but don’t count out Tulane with an upset here. They have more to prove coming into this game, not only for themselves but for the sake of the entire AAC.
Ole Miss can score. So can Tulane. Neither team is great at defense, so this should be a high-scoring affair. Although the Rebels are from the big, bad SEC, Tulane will be ready for them and cover the +7.5 as home underdogs.
Tulane +7.5
Over/Under NA
>> Wager on Ole Miss vs. Tulane at SportsBetting.ag
Texas A&M (-7.5) vs. Miami (+7.5)
The SEC and ACC meet for this tilt between two programs that were once far better than they’ve been recently. Their fanbases are still waiting for sunnier times. Perhaps 2023 will be successful for two teams struggling to win consistently.
A&M should have been a lot better since head coach Jimbo Fisher took over in 2016. He was hired to turn the program around, but that hasn’t happened. Every year, the experts think the Aggies will be one of the better SEC teams, yet it never comes together.
Will that be the case this season? Fisher is out of excuses because he’s done great at recruiting guys who were supposed to be future NFL starters. That hasn’t happened, nor has Fisher had a team among the best in college football.
Any fans of this program feel they’ve been waiting a bit too long to see a team of merit, and they deserve a 2023 A&M team that will have a good year and go bowling. Is that too much to ask?
Miami hasn’t been a notable college football program since the early 2000s, when they won the college football championship in 2001 behind the likes of Clinton Portis, Andrew Johnson, and Frank Gore.
They’re not back to that point yet, but they’re starting to look better behind head coach Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes’ strength is in its offense line, which could give Texas Tech’s defensive front fits.
However, as good as Miami’s offense line is, their offense just wasn’t productive last year. In fact, they scored 17 points or less in five games last season. That’s more than 40% of their games in 2022.
Can they get back to the Hurricanes of old, the teams that could put up points in the blink of an eye? No, they won’t. They’re not close to that good yet, but they can still improve dramatically on last year’s pathetic offense, which was about as bad as a Miami offense can get.
The short of it is that the Hurricanes will be better this season, but that doesn’t mean they’re beating A&M. Unfortunately, the Aggies have far more firepower and depth, enough that they should win this game by double digits. Take the stronger team here, and that’s Texas A&M.
Texas A&M -7.5
Over/Under N/A
>> Bet on Texas A&M vs. Miami at BetAnySports
Iowa (-3.5) vs. Iowa St. (+3.5)
Instate rivalries are always awesome in college football, and the Iowa Hawkeyes versus Iowa St. Cyclones is a great one. Beginning in 1894, the winner of this battle gets the coveted Cy-Hawk Trophy. College football fans get an early-season treat with this fierce rivalry in Week 2.
While both teams share the same state, they play in separate conferences, with Iowa in the Big Ten and Iowa State in the Big 12. What both the Hawkeyes and Cyclones do share is great defenses, something both will be showing off in this competition.
Iowa will be a beast on defense. They usually are every year, but this year’s defense should be one of the best under Kirk Ferentz, now entering his 25th year as the Hawkeyes head coach. ESPN has Iowa ranked as the 6th-best defense in college football for the 2023 season.
The Hawkeyes went 8-5 last year, but that record is a tad bit deceiving. Had they beaten Nebraska late in the season, they would have been in the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State.
While they’re not going to be as popular of a pick as Michigan or Ohio State, don’t sleep on the Iowa Hawkeyes as a dark horse candidate to win the Big Ten this season. They’re our pick to win the Big 10 West division, as the Wisconsin Badgers pose their biggest threat.
Don’t be surprised if Iowa wins 10 games or more this season. They’re ranked 25th in the Preseason AP Top 25, so assuming they beat every team ranked below them and lose to 7th-ranked Penn State and 19th-ranked Wisconsin expectedly, they’ll still win 11 games.
Of course, reaching double-digit wins in the Big Ten is no easy feat, but Iowa looks primed to compete for the Big Ten West title.
Iowa State is coming off a 4-8 season in the Big 12. However, they have a nasty defense that kept them in almost every game last season, with the exception of two or three. While it didn’t amount to more than four wins, it still had a lot to be happy about.
For one, they beat Iowa, which always is a bright spot in any season for the Cyclones. They lost by less than a touchdown to ranked (at the time) divisional foes such as Texas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. Hey, when you’re 4-8, any silver lining is worth mentioning.
Iowa State had the fourth-best total defense in college football last year and was atop the Big 12’s team defensive categories such as scoring defense, run defense, and passing yards allowed. That’s impressive in a conference with a lot of high-powered offenses.
Speaking of offenses, the Cyclones didn’t have one last year. This year, Iowa State at least has something resembling an offense with an above-average backfield in running backs Cartevious Norton and Jirehl Brock. The problem is they have to run behind a belove-average line.
It gets worse. The Cyclones’ most glaring weakness remains at the quarterback position, where their starting QB from last season is caught up in gambling allegations making freshmen slinger JJ Kohl the likely starter for 2023.
On that note, maybe the kid is a sleeper. He’s huge at 6’7, 242 pounds, allowing him to be able to see over the line of scrimmage. Plus, a guy that size can’t be easy to bring down. With the Cyclones in rebuild mode, Kohl may be the QB they need to jumpstart the program’s offense.
So, where does all of this leave us with the odds currently, given the Cyclones are getting +3.5 points and the Hawkeyes are favored by -3.5?
Don’t get cute here. Iowa is the better team. They should have a significantly better offense in 2023, and their defense is equal to Iowa State’s, if not better. While the Cyclones beat them 10-7 last season, that won’t happen again this year.
That Iowa is only a -3.5 favorite should be taken as an opportunity, as the Hawkeyes are ranked 25th (out of 133 Division 1 programs in the CBS Sports rankings) heading into the season for a reason. On the contrary, the Cyclones are ranked 60th overall.
Iowa -3.5
Over/Under N/A
>> Bet on Iowa vs. Iowa St. at BetUS
Oregon (-3) vs. Texas Tech (+3)
The most successful football program in the Pacific Northwest over the last two decades, the Oregon Ducks head into the Lone Star State to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This should be a blast, as both teams can put up a lot of points.
That being said, let’s start with the team known to put up points in bunches, and that’s the Oregon Ducks. Former head coach Chip Kelly instilled a high-powered offense back in the early 2000s, and the Ducks have been rolling with that style ever since.
They’re one of the best in college football at generating offense, whether by ground or air. QB Bo Nix returns to captain an offense that was ranked sixth nationally in offense, partly because they were first overall in sacks allowed.
The line lost a bit of experience, but they’ll still be one of the better units in college football. Nix enters his senior year as a possible Heisman contender. He wasn’t that good during his few seasons at Auburn, but transferring to Oregon brought out his confidence.
Nix is also a great runner and put together more than 500 yards on the ground to go with 14 scores. That’s on top of the 3,593 yards passing to with 29 touchdowns. With a receiving corps featuring star WR Troy Franklin, Nix’s numbers could be even better in 2023.
Of course, Oregon’s defense left a lot to be desired in 2022. Will they be better this season? The jury is still out on that one, but a game against Texas Tech should tell coach Dan Lanning a lot about his defense.
Texas Tech is coming off a winning season, which is always a welcoming change for a fanbase that has only seen the Red Raiders accomplish nine winning seasons over 27 years in the Big 12. Ouch!
Head coach Joey McGuire intends to change all of that, taking the Red Raiders to an 8-5 record, the first winning season since 2009. Can they get even better in 2023?
Ironically, Texas Tech’s starting QB was once an Oregon Duck. Tyler Shough starts for the Red Raiders, although he hasn’t proven himself quite yet. This is a make-or-break season for him as he’s failed to stay healthy throughout his college career. He has the tools, just not the durability.
If Shough can stay healthy, his wide receiving unit is stacked with studs like Myles Price and Jerand Bradly. This is an offense that could be quite good in 2023 but is the team as a whole good enough to beat 15th-ranked Oregon?
This game could be a shootout, but the green jerseys from the Pacific Northwest are a notch above Texas Tech coming into the season. The Red Raiders could improve on last season’s 8-5 record, but we don’t think they’re quite at the level of Bo Nix and the high-flying Ducks.
And that’s just the problem with this game. Oregon has the stronger offense with a proven, big-time QB, whereas Texas Tech is relying on a guy who’s always injured. Even if Tech’s Shough is at his best, he’s not as good as Nix at his best.
With that in mind, we like Oregon winning by more than a field goal, even if they’re playing in Lubbock, Texas, in front of the Red Raiders’ crowd. That shouldn’t faze the Ducks, who should win this game by at least a touchdown or more.
Oregon -3
Over/Under N/A
>> Start betting on Oregon vs. Texas Tech at Lucky99
All Your College Football Week 2 Betting Odds Questions Answered
Which Bet Types Are Available For College Football Week 2’s Games?
The most popular bet types for this matchup include moneyline, spread, total, parlay, and prop bets. Be sure to check out the list of available bets before making your pick.
Moneyline bets are the simplest type of wagers. You simply choose the winner of the game, and if your selection wins, you win your bet!
Spread bets are a bit different as they involve picking not only the outright winner but also how many points will be scored by each team.
For example, if the Alabama Crimson Tide is favored to beat the Texas Longhorns by 6.5 points, then you could pick either team. However, if you think Alabama will win by more than five points, or Texas will stay within 6.5 points of victory, then that’s when a spread bet type comes into play. Keep these in mind before you start college football betting online.
Parlay bets involve selecting multiple selections in one single wager. Each selection must win for you to receive a payout on the bet. For instance, you might choose Bama at -6.5 points and Oregon at -3 points for a two-team parlay. Both Bama and Oregon would have to cover the spread in order for the parlay to win.
Prop bets typically focus on individual players or teams and the performance that they will have in a certain game.
For example, you could bet on college football and how many passing yards a quarterback will throw for in the Alabama versus Texas matchup. If your prediction is correct, then you win your wager!
>> Find the latest college football odds at XBet
Can I Use Crypto To Place A Bet On A Week 2 College Football Game?
Of course! Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie all accept crypto.
Most of the online betting sites we recommend support cryptocurrency betting. Our top recommendation in this department is SportsBetting.ag because it includes a generous 100% match welcome bonus exclusively for crypto sports bettors. The promo goes up to $1,000.
Bovada is also an interesting choice because it grants new customers a 75% match first deposit bonus of up to $750 as long as they use crypto to fund their accounts.
Check out some of our previous predictions:
How Can I Deposit Money To Bet On Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals?
Depositing money to bet on any of the big Week 2 College Football games is a simple process. At Bovada, payment methods include credit/debit cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash.
Make sure that you read through all the information related to deposits at your chosen sportsbook before making any decisions. This should give you an idea of what payment options are available and if there are any fees associated with certain methods.
Can I Bet On College Football’s Week 2 On Mobile?
You sure can. Every sports betting site we recommend supports instant betting from any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.
Some sites offer dedicated betting apps, but we mainly looked for platforms that allow you to access all of their betting markets without having to download any software.
Best Sportsbooks for College Football Betting Odds Week 2
Bovada
As we mentioned before, Bovada has one of the best reputations in the industry. It’s safe, secure, and has excellent customer service. Even better, they’ve got some kick-ass college football odds every week that you can’t pass up.
Sometimes their lines are a full point better than their competitor, so make sure to check in to Bovada each week of the 2023 season. Their signup bonus worth up to $750 for crypto is a great deal considering the small 5x rollover. Use code BTCSWB750 for crypto deposits.
>> Get a $750 welcome package [Bovada]
MyBookie
Similar to BetOnline’s signup bonus, MyBookie also matches your first deposit 50% up to $100 with promo code MYB50. The difference between the two bonuses is that MyBookie has a 10x rollover versus BetOnline’s 6x. MyBookie has a 25% reload bonus for continuing customers too.
That being said, MyBookie is another that can have some pretty awesome lines for the big games.
>> Enjoy a $1,000 welcome bonus [MyBookie]
BetOnline
BetOnline is on the same level of professionalism as Bovada. With promo code BOL1000, they’ll match your first deposit 50% all the way up to $1000. They also have 25% reload bonuses for all of their users as long as they deposit a minimum of $50.
>> Get up to $1,000 first deposit bonus [BetOnline]
BUSR
BUSR has an awesome signup bonus if you’re willing to drop $100 or more on your first deposit. If so, use promo code SPORTS100FP and BUSR will match your first deposit 100% up to $1500. There is, however, a hefty 20x rollover for this bonus.
>> Activate up to $1,500 welcome offer [BUSR]
SportsBetting.ag
SportsBetting.ag has been a player in the industry for just over 20 years now. Their signup bonus gives new users a 50% match on their first deposit up to $1000 with promo code SB1000. If you like crypto, with promo code 100CRYPTO you’ll get a 100% first-deposit match.
>> Score $1,000 welcome offer [SportsBetting.ag]
Why Should I Use Bovada To Bet On College Football’s Week 2 Games?
Why not go with one of the most solid reputations in the business? You’ll know your money is safe and you’re playing with a top-notch book. Do you need more reasons?
Best Reputation: We’re very careful to give the title of “best” to any sports book but if there are any online, Bovada is definitely in the discussion. If you’re looking for a stress-free sports book online, Bovada is your best bet during the 2023 College Football season.
Odds, odds, odds: Are you looking for a bunch of different odds to look at for each game? Bovada is often one of the books that other books look to first for opening lines because they have enough odds to make your head spin. There are quarter odds, halftime odds, full-game odds, plus several prop bets, all for each college football game. It’s hard to beat that.
Solid Platform: Bovada rarely has any glitches. This isn’t a playing experience that will leave you deflated and frustrated like some of the other books. We’ve never had any issues regarding speed either as Bovada’s live betting does a great job updating its data.
>> College Football Predictions Week 1
Are You Ready To Wager The On College Football Week 2 Betting Odds?
You have all the information you need at your disposal now to lay down the smartest bets on Week 2’s biggest games.
Don’t forget, we love Alabama (-6.5), Oregon (-3), and Iowa (-3.5), and believe Tulane (+7.5), Texas A&M (-7.5), and Colorado (+8.5) will cover the spread as well.
Good luck on the games in College Football’s big Week 2, but make sure to gamble responsibly.
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