College football Week 0 betting picks for all eight games
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The 2026 college football season starts Saturday, August 29, with eight games. Don’t love that we’re calling it “Week 0,” but we might get this straightened out if the powers that be start the season a bit earlier.
The fun starts with a noon ET kickoff in Dublin, Ireland and ends with a 10:00 p.m. ET finish in Las Vegas.
Every Week 0 game gets a straight-up (SU) prediction, an against the spread (ATS) pick and an over/under (O/U) call, with lines from DraftKings.
North Carolina vs TCU predictions (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
TCU is a 7-point favorite in the Week 0 Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium. The Horned Frogs beat North Carolina 48-14 last September, and the Tar Heels finished 4-8 in head coach Bill Belichick’s first season.
Both teams have new quarterbacks. TCU turns to Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, who threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, while head coach Sonny Dykes says Craig is ahead of schedule in camp. North Carolina added offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and rebuilt its roster again.
The Fort Worth program has the steadier quarterback situation and the better recent track record, but two new signal callers and a long trip for both teams should keep scoring modest.
Picks: TCU SU, TCU -7 ATS, Under 48.5
San Jose State vs USC picks (3 p.m. ET, NBC)
USC is a 38.5-point favorite at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans are 6-0 all-time against San Jose State. They return quarterback Jayden Maiava, who led the Big Ten in passing yards last season, along with all five starting offensive linemen.
The Spartans went 3-9 in 2025 under head coach Ken Niumatalolo. USC wins this comfortably, but 38.5 points is a lot to ask in a season opener, which makes the Spartans one of the better spread picks on the board. The Trojans beat this same program 56-28 in their last meeting, a 28-point margin. Expect plenty of points from the home side and some garbage-time production for the visitors.
Picks: USC SU, San Jose State +38.5 ATS, Over 59.5
NC State vs Virginia predictions (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Virginia is a 5.5-point home favorite at Scott Stadium after an 11-3 season and an ACC championship game appearance. History says the Wolfpack are one of the safer picks of the day. NC State has won four straight in this series and has not lost in Charlottesville since 2006.
Quarterback CJ Bailey returns after turning down transfer offers, and running back Duke Scott is back behind an experienced offensive line. The Cavaliers will start Missouri transfer Beau Pribula, whom head coach Tony Elliott named the starter before camp.
A new quarterback against a team that has owned this matchup makes 5.5 points too many. Two offenses still sorting out new pieces should keep the total in check.
Picks: NC State SU, NC State +5.5 ATS, Under 54.5
Jacksonville State vs North Dakota State picks (5:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
North Dakota State is a 7.5-point favorite at the Fargodome in its first game as an FBS program, a Week 0 matchup of former FCS rivals.
The Bison went 12-1 in 2025 and have beaten Kansas, Minnesota, Kansas State, Iowa State and Iowa over the years. Quarterback Cole Payton left for the NFL, so senior Nathan Hayes takes over behind an offensive line that returns three starters.
Jacksonville State went 9-5 and won the Veterans Bowl under head coach Charles Kelly, but the Gamecocks face a hostile dome and a program that rarely loses at home. These teams met in the 2015 FCS national championship, a 37-10 North Dakota State win. The Bison’s ball-control style points to a lower-scoring game.
Picks: NDSU SU, NDSU -7.5 ATS, Under 48.5
Sacramento State vs Eastern Michigan picks (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan is an 8.5-point home favorite at Rynearson Stadium in the first MAC game for both the conference and its new California member. Sacramento State is making its FBS debut under first-year head coach Alonzo Carter with quarterback Carson Conklin leading the offense.
The Hornets went 7-5 in the Big Sky last season and lost their head coach, Brennan Marion, to Colorado. Eastern Michigan brings back veteran quarterback Noah Kim, who threw for 2,817 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025.
The Eagles allowed 232.1 rushing yards per game last season, worst in the MAC, which gives the visitors a path to keep it close. Still, a program playing its first FBS game away from home is tough backing.
Picks: Eastern Michigan SU, Eastern Michigan -8.5 ATS, Under 53.5
Hawaii vs Stanford predictions (7 p.m. ET, ACCN)
Stanford is a 4-point home favorite in this Week 0 game under new head coach Tavita Pritchard. He spent the last three seasons with the Washington Commanders. Michigan transfer Davis Warren tops the depth chart at quarterback after throwing seven touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024.
Hawaii is the more settled team. Quarterback Micah Alejado returns to run the pass-heavy attack. Head coach Timmy Chang’s club went 9-4 last season with a win over Stanford. They closed the year with a 53-31 Hawaii Bowl win over the Golden Bears. The Rainbow Warriors beat this same opponent in Honolulu last year and travel to the mainland with more returning production.
Take the road team outright, one of two underdog picks on this card. Plus, you can expect Alejado’s group to push the scoring past the number.
Picks: Hawaii SU, Hawaii +4 ATS, Over 50.5
New Mexico State vs Florida State prediction (7 p.m. ET, CW)
Florida State is a 31.5-point home favorite at Doak Campbell Stadium. Head coach Mike Norvell enters his seventh season under heavy pressure after back-to-back losing years, including a 5-7 finish in 2025.
The Seminoles hand the offense to fifth-year transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels, who will throw to Duce Robinson coming off a 1,000-yard season. New Mexico State went 2-10 last season and the Aggies project to be among the bottom teams in the country.
Tallahassee needs a fast start in Week 0 before SMU arrives on Labor Day, and this roster has the talent to name its score. The line is big, but the gap between these teams is bigger.
Picks: Florida State SU, Florida State -31.5 ATS, Over 52.5
Memphis vs UNLV prediction (10 p.m. ET, FOX)
UNLV is a 5.5-point home favorite at Allegiant Stadium after the line opened at 4.5 and quickly shifted.
In his first year leading the Rebels, head coach Dan Mullen won 10 games. That gives UNLV 30 wins over the past three seasons, and they enter 2026 with College Football Playoff hopes. It’s easy to forget this team was slotted at No. 20 in the CFP rankings released before Selection Sunday.
The Rebels have a quarterback battle between Auburn transfer Jackson Arnold and returner Alex Orji, with 1,000-yard rusher Jai’Den Thomas anchoring the ground game either way. Memphis went through a near-total roster turnover under new head coach Charles Huff, who arrived from Southern Miss, and must settle its own quarterback race between Marcus Stokes and Air Noland in the Week 0 opener.
Two productive offenses in a dome on national television favor points, and the more stable roster wins.
Picks: UNLV SU, UNLV -5.5 ATS, Over 58.5
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