College football's most-backed teams failed bettors on Saturday

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The first full Saturday of the 2025 college football season saw exciting upsets, faltering Heisman favorites and fading trends in places like Columbus, Tallahassee and Bloomington.

The sportsbooks in Las Vegas were among the day's victors, as the most heavily bet teams struggled to deliver for their backers.

The contest featuring No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State saw heavy betting action, but the majority of bettors were behind the Longhorns as underdogs on the road in Columbus. Texas' Arch Manning-led offense struggled to put points on the board Saturday, however, with Ohio State -1 and the under both collecting following the Buckeyes' 14-7 win.

Five most-bet Week 1 college football sides by total 💵 at @BetMGM:

1. Texas +1 ❌
2. Alabama -14❌
3. Notre Dame -3 ❓
4. Clemson -4❌
5. Indiana -24❌

Tough start to the season for the betting public

— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) August 31, 2025

The loss was particularly devastating for one Texas bettor who put down $1 million on the moneyline at the Caesar's Sportsbook in Las Vegas. The payout would have netted over $950,000 if the Longhorns had defeated Ohio State.

A bettor in Nevada wagered $1M on the Texas ML (-105) today vs. Ohio State 🤘

Potential Payout: $1,952,380.95 pic.twitter.com/eaWcbmKPxR

— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) August 30, 2025

The only other Top 10 matchup outside of Texas-Ohio State on Saturday was between No. 4 Clemson and No. 9 LSU. Since winning the National Championship in 2019, LSU had lost its last five season openers, including all three under current head coach Brian Kelly. Expecting that trend to continue, Clemson was heavily supported as a favorite at home, but dropped a 17-10 contest to their SEC foe.

Alabama was a two-touchdown favorite going down to Tallahassee to face a Florida State team that went just 2-10 last season. The Seminoles stunned the Crimson Tide and Vegas on Saturday, however, winning 31-17 behind a strong effort from transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos and a stout defense that held Alabama offensive stars, Ryan Williams and Ty Simpson, in check.

Aug 30, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks along the sideline during the first half against the Old Dominion Monarchs at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Bettors who backed Indiana during their surprising 11-2 campaign in 2024 cleaned up, as the Hoosiers covered nearly 70% of their games last season. Expecting that trend to continue in Curt Cignetti's second season in Bloomington, bettors were once again heavily backing Indiana at home against Old Dominion. While the Hoosiers began the season with a win, their inability to convert in the red zone contributed to their failure to cover the 24-point spread.

Another heavily bet game takes place Sunday evening at 7:30 ET when No. 6 Notre Dame travels to take on No. 10 Miami in South Florida. The Fighting Irish are a 2.5-point favorite and have plenty of supporters willing to lay the points. We will see if that betting trend changes in the final hours before the game, after what took place around the college football world on Saturday.

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