Week 1 is officially here. Each of Texas' 12 FBS programs are in action.

Every week, Dave Campbell's Texas Fooball will provide viewing information and gambling advice for FBS games with Texas ties.

Week 1 is headlined by in-state matchups at the G5 level with UTSA hosting Houston and SMU traveling to North Texas. TCU is the only Power Five program in the state to play another Power FIve program in Week 1 when the new-look Horned Frogs travel to Colorado. Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor start the season against FCS programs. Texas is the biggest favorite of the weekend with a home game scheduled against UL-Monroe. 

GAMES OF THE WEEK 

Houston at UTSA

Viewing info: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on CBSSN 

Gambling info: Houston -4; O/U 62

The two best G5 teams in the Lone Star State (sorry SMU) battle to start the season in what’s supposed to be a packed Alamodome of around 40,000 people. Both teams enter 2022 with plenty to play for. Houston finished the 2021 regular season on an 11-game winning streak, while UTSA is the defending Conference USA champions. The two teams were a combined 22-2 in the 2021 regular season, and plenty of their top performers return. 

Dana Holgorsen vs. Jeff Traylor. Frank Harris vs. Clayton Tune. Nathaniel Dell vs. Zakhari Franklin. The list goes on. The big matchup might be the Roadrunners retooled secondary vs. a dangerous Cougars passing attack. The size and overall depth in Houston should be enough to pull away in the second half. Both teams lost more defensively than offensively, so the over is a bet worth examining.  

Craven's bet: Houston -4, Over 62

SMU at North Texas 

Viewing info: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on CBSSN 

Gambling info: SMU -11; O/U 68.5

North Texas began 2022 with a bang during a 31-13 win over UTEP in El Paso in front of a sold-out Sun Bowl. The Mean Green defense blanked UTEP in the second half, while quarterback Austin Aune threw three touchdowns and zero interceptions en route to C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors. Business picks up on Saturday when future American Athletic Conference rival SMU travels to Denton. 

Will playing in Week 0 be an advantage for North Texas? In theory, it allowed Seth Littrell’s team to knock off some cobwebs and iron out kinks. On the other hand, it gave SMU’s new coaching staff film. The SMU offense orchestrated by new head coach Rhett Lashlee vs. Phil Bennett’s North Texas defense is worth the price of admission. Aune has played 24 games of college football. He’s thrown for nine touchdowns and no interceptions in three games versus UTEP. He’s thrown for 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in the other 23 games. I trust SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai much more. If I was to be the over/under, I’d lean towards the under. 

Craven's bet: SMU -11

TCU at Colorado 

Viewing info: Friday at 9 p.m. on ESPN 

Gambling info: TCU -14; O/U 55

The Sonny Dykes era at TCU begins Friday night with a late game against a struggling Colorado program in its third season under head coach Karl Dorrel. The Buffaloes were 4-8 in 2021, and many of those losses were blowouts. Colorado’s offense was second worst in the nation last year with an averaged of 257 yards a game. That’s good news for a new-look TCU defense transitioning to an odd-man front after 20-plus years running Gary Patterson’s 4-2-5. 

The Horned Frogs still won’t tip their hand at the quarterback position. The infamous “Or” popped up between Max Duggan and Chandler Morris on the first depth chart released by the Dykes regime. My guess is that both quarterbacks play, and the offensive staff rides the hot hand after the first or second quarter. TCU should do enough to win, but there are so many question marks that I find it hard to put money on the Horned Frogs to win by more than two touchdowns. I’ll probably stay away from the game line. 

Craven's bet: Under 55

Texas State at Nevada 

Viewing info: Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on Mountain West Network

Gambling info: Nevada -1; O/U 51

The line early in the week was a pick’em between Texas State and Nevada. People who follow G5 football closely probably needed a double take when the line was released because the Wolfpack have outperformed Jake Spavital’s Bobcats over the last decade. Nevada struggled to pass the ball consistently in a lackluster win over New Mexico State in Week 0. Clearly, Las Vegas believes something is wrong at Nevada and believes that Texas State is poised to take advantage. 

That’s optimistic thinking for Texas State. The Bobcats haven’t won more than four games in Spavital’s reign. Texas State needs to reach a bowl game in 2022 and a win over Nevada in Week 1 would feel like theft because this wasn’t a game considered winnable when it was put on the schedule. New quarterback Layne Hatcher debuts for Texas State, but I’m as interested to see if the Bobcats are improved at all defensively. I’ll believe it when I see it. 

Craven’s bet: Nevada -1

QUICK BETS 

Texas vs. UL-Monroe 

Viewing info: Saturday at 7 p.m. on Longhorn Network 

Gambling info: Texas -37, O/U 64 

Craven’s bet: Texas -37 

UTEP at Oklahoma 

Viewing info: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on FOX

Gambling info: UTEP +31; O/U 57

Craven’s bet: Over 57

Rice at USC 

Viewing info: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on PAC 12 Network

Gambling info: Rice +32.5, O/U 62

Craven’s bet: USC -32.5

HOW TO WATCH 

Texas A&M vs. Sam Houston 

Viewing info: Saturday at 11 a.m. on SEC Network 

Texas Tech vs. Murray State 

Viewing info: Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Baylor vs. Albany

Viewing info: Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+