As is customary, the new NCAAF season begins with Week 0. It’s built into the schedule each year for a variety of reasons that go beyond the scope of this article. That said, we kick off the 2025-26 college football season on Saturday, August 23, with four games in Week 0. All 136 teams with the same hopes of making the College Football Playoffs.

Starting with Week 0 all the way through the College Football Championship, ScoresandStats experts will provide weekly previews, predictions, picks, and more. We’ll highlight the best games on the schedule each and every week. Be sure to bookmark the ScoresandStats website and visit frequently during the season.

College Football Week 0 Schedule

College Football Week 0 Odds

Keep an eye on the latest College Football odds and monitor how the lines change throughout the week.

There are only five games on the schedule, but one of those is a crucial Big 12 conference game between Iowa State and Kansas State. The Wildcats are a short favorite unlike their in-state rival Kansas. The Jayhawks are the weekend’s second-largest favorite at -580.

The biggest favorite in Week 0 is UNLV, which is coming off an 11-3 season a year ago. The Rebels have a new head coach which we will talk about later. UNLV is a -4000 favorite over FCS Idaho State. The Bengals have just two winning seasons since 2004.

It’s interesting to note that Hawaii opened as a short home underdog, but that line has now flipped in favor of the Rainbow Warriors. Hawaii is a 2-point favorite against Stanford, which also has a new head coach in former Super Bowl winner, Frank Reich.

You can find all the moneyline, point spread, and totals information at these top sports betting sites.

As you plan your college football betting season, remember you have access to the best handicappers in the industry right here at ScoresandStats. They will be here all season long to provide you with expert analysis, previews, predictions, and college football picks.

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College Football Week 0 Predictions

Let’s take a look at the featured College Football Week 0 games and make our spread, total, and moneyline NCAAF picks for each game.

Iowa State Cyclones @ Kansas State Wildcats Odds

The Kansas State Wildcats have been picked by several so-called college football experts to win the Big 12 title in 2025. Head coach Chris Kliemann’s squad finished last season 9-4, 5-4 in conference play.

On the other side, Iowa State played for last year’s Big 12 conference championship but lost to Arizona State, 45-19. The Cyclones are once again expected to contend for a conference title. Over the past five seasons under head coach Matt Campbell, the Cyclones have played for two Big 12 championships and have gone 27-18 in Big 12 games.

“Farmageddon,” as it is known because of the agricultural ties to these land-grant universities, has been dominated by Iowa State recently. The Cyclones have won four of the past five games. Kansas State won 10 straight between 2008 and 2017. Iowa State has won five of the seven games since.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas State Wildcats Predictions

This game was selected for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic held in Dublin, Ireland, to start the college football season. These are two solid programs led by great head coaches. Both teams play great defense and focus on running the football. Kansas State actually finished last season ranked 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game (215.5).

Iowa State returns starting QB Rocco Becht under center. Becht has 6,690 yards and 48 touchdowns passing in two years as the Cyclones starter. ISU returns three starters to the offensive line and RB Carson Hansen.

Kansas State also returns their quarterback – Avery Johnson. He is a dual-threat who can beat you with his arm (2,712 yards, 25 TDs) or his legs (605 yards, 7 TDs).  He’s a preseason All-Big 12 pick and KSU will certainly promote him for the Heisman Trophy that goes to the top player in college football at the end of the season. Johnson also gets WR Jayce Brown, another player with All-Big 12 potential.

This game will likely come down to defense. Iowa State returns six starters plus LB Caleb Bacon, the Cyclones best player, who was hurt in the first game last year and never returned. With the game overseas and early in the season, the defenses should have the advantage. Look for a close one that stays Under the total.

Bet: Iowa State +135, Iowa State +3 (-105), Under 49.5 (-110)

Idaho State Bengals @ UNLV Rebels Odds

After a trip to the Mountain West Conference championship game, UNLV watched as head coach Barry Odom left to take the head job at Purdue. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the author of the Go-Go offense, is also gone.

The Rebels dipped into the broadcasting booth to lure former Florida and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen back into the fray. With Odom’s departure came the departure of a number of players in the transfer portal. Mullen returned just one starter on each side of the ball. Still, the Rebels are expected to return to the Big 12 title game.

This date with the Bengals is nothing more than a warmup. Idaho State went 5-7 last season in FCS. It was the most wins at Idaho State since 2018. The Bengals are coached by Cody Hawkins, who played for his father Dan at Colorado. The elder Hawkins was also the head coach at Boise State.

These two schools have played each other nine times. The home team has won every game. UNLV leads the series 7-2. The most recent game was played in Las Vegas in 2022. The Rebels recorded a 52-21 victory.

Idaho State Bengals vs. UNLV Rebels Predictions

The Rebels got former Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea in the transfer portal. He will lead an offense that does return RB Jai’Den Thomas. Thomas ran for 918 yards last season and he will help take some pressure off Colandrea. Troy Omeire returns at wide receiver and the Rebels brought in JoJo Earle and Daejon Reynolds in the portal.

The defense returns LB Marsel McDuffie and will be rebuilt with transfers like S Jake Pope who spent two years at Alabama and a season at Georgia. The UNLV defense will have to contend with the 8th-ranked passing offense in FCS last season. Plus, they get QB Jordan Cooke, who missed last season, back in 2025. Still, this is a mediocre FCS team playing an FBS team that now is playing with expectations.

UNLV has won each of its last seven games against a non-ranked opponent. The Rebels have also covered the spread in 14 of its last 16 games against a non-conference opponent. Look for Mullen to open up the offense and make an early statement in preparation for a Week 1 trip to Sam Houston.

Bet: ML pass, UNLV -26.5 (-110), Over 65.5 (-110)

Fresno State Bulldogs @ Kansas Jayhawks Odds

If you don’t know Fresno State head coach Matt Entz, you are going to very shortly. Entz comes to Fresno from perennial FCS power North Dakota State. Entz actually took over as the head coach of the Bison when Chris Kliemann left to become the head coach at Kansas State.

The Bulldogs went 6-7 last year and they are forecasted to finish fourth in the Mountain West in 2025. It will be difficult as they return just seven total starters. Replacing QB Mikey Keene will be the biggest chore, but Entz did nab transfer E.J. Warner, son of Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner.

These two schools have never played each other before. Kansas of the Big 12 won three of its last four games in 2024 to finish 5-7. QB Jalon Daniels started to look like himself over the final weeks of the season. The senior returns to run the Jayhawks run-heavy spread offense.

Kansas went 5-1 ATS down the stretch over its last six games. The Jayhawks offense averaged 30.8 points per game in those six. Fresno State covered in two of its last three games last year, depending heavily on its defense. The Bulldogs faced a number of low totals, especially toward the end of the season and three of their last four games ended up going Over.

Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Kansas Jayhawks Predictions

The game of football typically comes down to a couple things. One is quarterback play and the Jayhawks have a huge advantage. Daniels has been around for some time. If he can stay healthy, he is one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the nation.

The Jayhawks will have to replace all of their receivers and three starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Kansas must replace the entire back seven. They will have a much newer roster and head into 2025 with lower expectations than year’s past.

Fresno State will play its first game with its new head coach. Warner takes over the offense and the Bulldogs only have three returning defensive starters. Both these teams will need some time to find their identities in 2025. The Jayhawks roster is deeper and they get the benefit of playing at home in a brand new stadium.

The Jayhawks win it behind a healthy Daniels and a defense rebuilt through the transfer portal. This line adjusted and now that it is under the key number of 14, we’ll take the Jayhawks to cover. They should surprise some teams in the Big 12 this season.

Bet: ML pass, Kansas -12.5 (-110), Over 50.5 (-110)

Sam Houston Bearkats @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Odds

Sam Houston went 10-3 last year, its second in Conference USA. The Bearkats will have a new head coach, who is actually a familiar face. Phil Longo, a former offensive coordinator at Sam Houston, returns as the head coach. KC Keeler left in the offseason to take the head coaching job at Temple.

Longo gets QB Hunter Watson back plus four other offensive starters. The Bearkats were outstanding on defense last season. Sam Houston gave up 20.6 points per game. Over their final five games of the season, they allowed just 15.3 points per game and went 5-1 SU.

Western Kentucky lost in the C-USA championship game last year and then went on to lose their bowl game. That gave the Hilltoppers four losses in the final five games. WKU was also just 1-7 ATS in its final 8 games of the season.

The Hilltoppers are 2-1 against Sam Houston after last year’s 31-14 victory in Texas last year. That gives Western Kentucky two straight victories over the Bearkats.

Sam Houston Bearkats @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Predictions

Western Kentucky is picked to finish second in Conference USA behind Liberty. Once again, head coach Tyson Helton dipped into the FCS ranks to find a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback. He’s done it before.

A few years back he got a WKU record-setting quarterback in Bailey Zappe along with OC Zach Kittley from Houston Baptist. This time around, Helton lured OC Rick Bowie and his QB Maverick McIvor from Abilene Christian. McIvor threw for 3,828 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. He’ll have what is essentially an entire new offense as only one starter returns.

The WKU defense only returns two starters. That could be trouble for the Hilltoppers. Sam Houston returns five offensive starters, including dual-threat QB Hunter Watson. The offense will still feature the run, but Longo, of course, is known for his explosive Air Raid passing game.

Sam Houston has to rebuild its entire defense. Both these teams could struggle early in the season as they try to find their respective identities. With the defenses all new and two offensive-minded coaches, the scoreboard could be in trouble too. The books think so as this game total has adjusted upward.

Bet: ML pass, Sam Houston +10 (-110), Over 60.5 (-110)

Stanford Cardinal @ Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Odds

In case you missed it, Stanford football experienced a bit of turmoil in the offseason. Head coach Troy Taylor was fired and general manager (yes, college teams are now hiring GMs) Andrew Luck, former star quarterback for the Cardinal, hired former Super Bowl-winning head coach Frank Reich on an interim basis. Reich will guide the program in 2025.

Stanford suffered through back-to-back 3-9 seasons under Taylor. Last year was the Cardinal’s first in the ACC. This season, Stanford starts at Hawaii, a team the Cardinal has played four times. Stanford has won all four meetings, including the most recent in 2023. The Cardinal won that game 37-24, covering the spread in the process.

Hawaii went 5-7 last year, the third with former star QB Timmy Chang as the head coach. The Rainbow Warriors have yet to play in a bowl game under Chang. Hawaii did improve down the stretch and won three of their last five games. They went 4-1 ATS in their final five games of the season.

Stanford Cardinal @ Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Predictions

When you play in Hawaii, it all comes down to managing time and expectations. Reich is the perfect guy to do that. He’s navigated several teams through more difficult situations than this. Playing in Hawaii won’t be a distraction for the Cardinal. The question is whether or not he has enough horses to get this done.

Stanford is picked to finish dead last in the ACC this season. Reich would love nothing more than to start the season on solid ground with a win before taking on BYU at home in Week 1. Three starters return to the offensive line, which should help redshirt freshman Elijah Brown as he takes over at quarterback.

The Rainbow Warriors run-and-shoot offense returns some skill and could give the Cardinal some headaches. Two of four wide receivers and RB Landon Sims return, though Chang will start a new quarterback in Micah Alejado, a 5-10 freshman who started the season finale last year and threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns.

Stanford opened as the favorite in this game, but the books have moved on this one and the Rainbow Warriors are now a 2-point favorite. That’s significant because playing Hawaii at home is difficult. The Rainbow Warriors have won the last 13 games in a row in which they were favored at home. They’ve also won seven of the last eight at home against an unranked opponent.

Bet: Hawaii -130, Hawaii -2 (-110), Over 50.5 (-115)

Best College Football Week 0 Bets

After taking a long look at the Week 0 college football card, here are the week’s Best Bets:

• Sam Houston +10 (-110)
• Hawaii -130
• Sam Houston-Western Kentucky Over 62 (-110)

Sam Houston returns five starters on offense including QB Hunter Watson. The Bearkats have a new head coach in Phil Longo and their offense should be very good, even at the beginning of the season.

It’s a little deja vu for the Bearkats, who were 9.5-point underdogs to Rice in last year’s season opener. Sam Houston won the game 34-14. Western Kentucky has failed to cover in six of their last seven games against unranked teams. It’s hard to trust their defense to cover a double-digit spread against what should be a very good Sam Houston offense.

Hawaii was the underdog when betting opened on their game with Stanford. The line flipped in favor of the Rainbow Warriors, who are now favored by two points. That is a significant shift because Hawaii is a difficult team to play on the road. The last 13 times Hawaii has played at home as a favorite, they’ve won all 13 times.

Expect a ton of points in Sam Houston-Western Kentucky. Longo is known for his high-scoring Air Raid offenses. Helton is known for the same. The Bearkats will revamp their defense too, so it may take some time before they start to play well. WKU struggled on defense last year and they return just two starters.

Generally, a total in the 60s predicts a higher-scoring game and that should be the case here. Plus, this total has continued to tick upward from 60.5. Their previous two games had totals of 52.5 and 54.5 and both went Under. The books are telling you to expect a high-scoring game with the total at 62.

If you take all of our NCAAF Week 0 picks and put them into a three-leg parlay, a $100 wager would earn you $544 dollars in winnings and a total payout of $644.