College football is in full swing, and with matchups like Colorado at Georgia Tech and Illinois hosting UAB on tap, it's a perfect time to increase your volume with player props.
With that said, let's dive into my top three college football player props for Week 1 on Thursday, Sept. 3.
College Football Player Props for Thursday, Sept. 3
- Julian Lewis Under 220.5 Passing Yards (-115, bet365)
- DeKalon Taylor Anytime Touchdown (+220, Hard Rock)
- Hudson Clement Under 64.5 Receiving Yards (-115, bet365)
Julian Lewis Under 220.5 Passing Yards (-115)
This is Julian Lewis's first true test as Colorado's full-time starter, and the sample size we do have is pretty limited (albeit by design).
He only saw the field in four games last season as a redshirt freshman behind Kaidon Salter, throwing for 589 yards total, an average that comes in well shy of 220.5 on a per-game basis even accounting for garbage-time snaps. He hasn't operated as the No. 1 guy for a full season at this level yet.
The bigger factor in this handicap is scheme.
Colorado brought in Brennan Marion and his "Go-Go" offense this offseason, and it's built around quick, run-based misdirection rather than asking the quarterback to sling it 30-plus times. Marion's offenses at Sac State and UNLV were defined by heavy rushing volume — 262 yards per game on the ground at Sac State last year, the most in the Big Sky — which keeps passing volume in check.
And with DeKalon Taylor healthy and fully built into that run-first scheme, the whole offensive identity is shifting away from the pass-first look Colorado has leaned on in prior seasons.
A true road opener at Georgia Tech, with a redshirt freshman making just his fifth career appearance in an offense specifically designed to protect him with the run, points to a likely limited showing from Lewis.
Pick: Julian Lewis Under 220.5 Passing Yards (-115)
DeKalon Taylor Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+220)
DeKalon Taylor's track record when healthy tells the story here.
In his three full games at the Power 4 level last season before a season-ending injury, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry, scoring in his first two games as a Buff — that included the fastest touchdown to open a Colorado season since 2018, which came on a reception in Week 1 against this very same Georgia Tech opponent.
He's fully healthy entering 2026 and is the likely backfield starter.
What really makes Taylor a prime candidate to find the end zone is his fit in Marion's offense. Colorado's new offensive coordinator has a track record of funneling touchdowns to running backs through misdirection and space creation — his rushing attacks led the Big Sky and set school records at UNLV.
Additionally, running backs coach Johnnie Mack has been explicit that the scheme is "built for running backs to have success" and calls Taylor's fit in it "perfect."
Taylor is also a receiving threat out of the backfield (106 yards through the air versus just 83 rushing in his limited 2025 action), which gives him two distinct paths to the end zone.
Between the proven early-down role, the goal-line usage already shown against this exact opponent, and a new offense purpose-built to get him the ball in space, +220 is a tremendous value on a player with legitimate touchdown equity from multiple angles.
Pick: DeKalon Taylor Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+220)
Hudson Clement Under 64.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Clement's 2025 per-game numbers at Illinois don't support a number this high.
Across 13 games as a full-time starter, he caught 36 passes for 454 yards, a 34.9 yards-per-game average.
His season-high outing all year was just 84 yards, and he went scoreless and largely quiet for long stretches, including a run of eight games early in the season with only 197 yards total before a late-season uptick.
Illinois is replacing quarterback Luke Altmyer, who's now with the Detroit Lions, with senior transfer Katin Houser, who is making his Illini debut and still building chemistry with his receivers.
Clement is also no longer the clear top target. With Hank Beatty off to the NFL, Illinois brought in FAU transfer Jayshon Platt, who's reportedly turned heads in fall camp. While Platt is out tonight, Clement is still set to compete for targets alongside returning starter Collin Dixon.
On top of that, Illinois is a heavy favorite at home against a UAB team that went 4-8 last season — a game script that could see the offense pull back on passing volume in the second half once the lead is established, capping any single receiver's yardage ceiling in what's a very new-look passing attack.
Pick: Hudson Clement Under 64.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
