FSU Football: Noles open as betting favorites for several big games in 2017

Jason Parker

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 08: Levonta Taylor #1 of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates after a blocked extra point during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on October 8, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

FSU football still has almost two months to go until the 2017 season begins, but Las Vegas thinks they will be the favorite in several big games this year.

In just over 65 days, FSU football will take to the field in Atlanta to open the 2017 campaign with an epic showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide. While those in garnet and gold believe the Seminoles will come out on top, Las Vegas doesn’t feel the same way and has had the Noles as underdogs the entire offseason.

While those out in the desert don’t seem to have a lot of confidence that Florida State will start the season with a win, they do have a lot of confidence that the Seminoles will come out on top in several other big games this season.

The Golden Nugget Las Vegas sports book released several odds late last week for some of the bigger games in college football this season. While FSU football’s opener with Alabama wasn’t on the list (since most books have already done so), games against ACC foes Clemson, Louisville and Miami – along with the season finale at Florida – were listed:

"Saturday, Sept. 16 – Miami at Florida State (-12)Saturday, Oct. 21 – Louisville at Florida State (-8)Saturday, Nov. 11 – Florida State at Clemson (-2)Saturday, Nov. 25 – Florida State (-4) at Florida"

From a purely entertainment side of the issue, all four of those odds are GREAT if you are a FSU football fan. Traditionally, the home team gets three points just for playing at home – so being an underdog by two points against Clemson isn’t really saying the Tigers are a clear favorite.

If some coin was going to be placed on these games with these odds, I would safely say you’re good to go for the Seminoles in games against Louisville (a massive revenge game), Clemson (who the Noles are projected to take back the ACC crown from) and Florida (who has lost the last four games to the Noles by a combined 78 points – or an average of 19.5 points each game.

The only one that I would have slight hesitation on is the Miami game. It’s not because I don’t think the Seminoles will win their eight in a row against the Hurricanes – spoiler alert, I do think they win No. 8 – but 12 is a lot of points. FSU football has only won the last three meetings by a combined 10 points, so Las Vegas really has NO faith in the ‘Canes at this point.

Jason Parker

Jason Parker joined ChopChat in March 2016 as co-expert while also writing for a year with FanSided, focusing on college football and the NFL. He has spent 15 years in the sports media business - including over a decade working for TV stations in both Tallahassee and Miami. There, he has covered events that include everything from the Super Bowl to the NBA Finals to countless bowl games and National Championships. Jason added writing sports on the web to his resume in 2014, serving as a staff writer and college football insider for another site before becoming editor-in-chief. He graduated from FSU with a B.A. in Communication and may be the biggest 'Noles fan there is. Jason resides in South Florida surrounded by way too many fans of the 'Canes, but at least they aren't as many Gators.