College Football Predictions for Week 0: Picks and Best Bets for Saturday (Aug. 29)

College Football Picks in Summary

• Eastern Michigan -9.5 (-118)
• Hawai'i +3.5 (-105)
• UNLV -4.5 (-105)

The Week 0 slate is almost here, with games kicking off tomorrow at noon.

How should you bet the opening weekend of college football?

Using the latest college football odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are my favorite betting picks for today’s games.

All college football odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

College Football Picks and Predictions Today: Week 0

Sacramento State vs. Eastern Michigan (6:30 p.m. ET)

Eastern Michigan -9.5 (-118)

The Sacramento State Hornets‘ first game as an FBS program comes with an enormous amount of uncertainty.

The Hornets return only six starters from last year's team and brought in 73 newcomers during the offseason. They're also breaking in first-year head coach Alonzo Carter while immediately jumping into conference play on the road against the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

Eastern Michigan has much more stability at quarterback. Noah Kim returns after leading the MAC with 2,817 passing yards last season while throwing 18 touchdowns. The Eagles also bring back 1,000-yard rusher Dontae McMillan, who produced 1,014 rushing yards while averaging 5.73 yards per carry.

EMU's offensive line was excellent in pass protection last year, allowing only 0.92 sacks per game, which ranked seventh nationally.

With an experienced quarterback, a proven running back, homefield advantage and a significant continuity advantage against a Sacramento State team undergoing a massive overhaul, the Eagles look like the side to be on.

Hawai'i vs. Stanford (7 p.m. ET)

Hawai'i +3.5 (-105)

The Hawaii Warriors enter 2026 with significantly more certainty at quarterback than the Stanford Cardinal, and getting more than a field goal makes the Warriors my favorite underdog on Saturday's slate.

Micah Alejado is back after throwing for 3,106 yards and a Mountain West-leading 24 touchdowns last season. He averaged 282.4 passing yards per game, ranked eighth nationally in that category, and helped Hawai'i finish 9-4 with a Hawai'i Bowl victory. Wide receiver Pofele Ashlock is also back as one of four returning starters who earned All-Mountain West recognition last season.

Stanford went just 4-8 last campaign and will turn its offense over to Davis Warren. Warren has starting experience from his time at Michigan, but he missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL.

There are reasons to expect Stanford to improve, especially after going 4-2 at Stanford Stadium last year. But Hawai'i likely has the better quarterback in this matchup and is getting 3.5 points, which is enough for me to side with the Warriors.

Memphis vs. UNLV (10 p.m. ET)

UNLV -4.5 (-105)

The UNLV Rebels have quietly become one of the most consistent Group of Six programs in the country, and I like the Rebels to start 2026 with another home victory.

UNLV went 10-4 last season, averaged 34.07 points per game, and finished 5-1 at Allegiant Stadium. The Rebels have now reached the Mountain West Championship Game and a bowl game in three consecutive seasons, and Year 2 under Dan Mullen should offer considerably more continuity than his debut campaign did.

Quarterback Jackson Arnold transfers in after starting eight games at Auburn last season. He threw for 1,309 yards and also rushed for 311 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns, giving Mullen another quarterback with legitimate mobility to build the offense around.

The Memphis Tigers, meanwhile, are entering Year 1 under Charles Huff and replacing quarterback Brendon Lewis, who accounted for 3,338 total yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Leading receiver Cortez Braham Jr. is gone, as well.

Memphis brought in plenty of talent and could become dangerous as the season progresses, but facing an established UNLV program in Las Vegas is a difficult opening assignment.

Give me UNLV to cover as 4.5-point favorites.

Playing NFL fantasy football this season? Check out our fantasy football RB rankings as well as our fantasy football cheat sheet.

College Football Betting FAQ

What is a point spread in college football betting? The point spread is designed to account for the expected difference between two teams. The favorite must win by more than the listed spread for a bet on that team to cover while the underdog can cover by winning outright or losing by fewer points than the spread.

What is a college football moneyline bet? A moneyline wager is simply a bet on which team will win the game. Favorites typically have shorter odds and smaller potential payouts while underdogs generally offer larger potential returns.

What does over/under mean in college football? An over/under, also known as the game total, is a wager on the combined number of points scored by both teams. Bettors can choose whether the final combined score will finish over or under the set total.

What are college football player props? College football player props are wagers based on an individual player's performance rather than the final outcome of the game. Depending on availability, common markets can include passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, touchdowns, and other statistical categories.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.