After a long wait, college football is back. While the opening slate is just a taste of what's to come, there are some intriguing matchups this weekend, including Bill Belichick heading to Ireland to kick off his second season at North Carolina.
Let's get to our picks and favorite bets against the spread, which we'll be providing all season.
👉 Check out all college football opening week lines on theScore Bet
Our trio of betting writers - Brenden Deeg, Dane Belbeck, and Eric Patterson - will make picks against the spread all season.
Brenden Deeg breaks down this week's marquee games, adding his own analysis and insights. He also identifies two hidden gems that may be going overlooked by the public.
🏈 Bet: TCU (-8.5)
These two teams met in the Week 1 finale last season, and it didn't go well for North Carolina. The Tar Heels scored on their opening drive, but then the Horned Frogs went on a 48-7 run to spoil Belichick's college coaching debut.
After posting a 4-8 record, North Carolina underwent a ton of turnover this offseason. Notably, the program made a major move by hiring Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator - a coach known for building some high-powered offenses and helping Lamar Jackson become a star at Louisville. However, the Tar Heels are rolling with Billy Edwards Jr. as their starting quarterback. Though he brings experience, he hasn't exactly panned out. Among 89 signal-callers with at least 400 pass attempts over the last two seasons, Edwards ranks 81st in EPA/dropback and last in offensive touchdowns, according to TruMedia.
TCU is coming off a 9-4 season and will have a new starter under center in Harvard transfer Jaden Craig. The Power 4 is obviously a massive step up in competition for Craig, but he was lights out over the last two years for the Crimson, passing for over 6,000 yards with 52 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. He also has more to work with around him than Edwards, as wide receiver Jordan Dwyer and running back Jeremy Payne returned to the Horned Frogs and are legitimate weapons.
It's tough to trust Belichick and the Tar Heels in this spot. They lost by 34 points to TCU last season, and Sonny Dykes is bringing back a good chunk of his roster. I'll take the Horned Frogs to cover this spread in Dublin. 👉 Add TCU to your betslip on theScore Bet.
🏈 Bet: NC State (+4)
Led by junior quarterback CJ Bailey, NC State will be a fun team to watch this year. Considered a legitimate prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, Bailey produced an up-and-down freshman season before taking off in Year 2, throwing for 3,105 yards and 29 touchdowns and ranking 13th in QBR among all college quarterbacks. The 6-foot-6 signal-caller is also a threat on the move, posting 494 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground over his NCAA career.
Although Virginia is bringing back a good chunk of its defense, it has serious question marks on offense. The team is rolling with Missouri transfer Beau Pribula at quarterback after he recorded just 2,238 yards last season with 17 touchdowns and 11 turnovers. Additionally, the Cavaliers lost two of their top rushers and three of their leading wide receivers from 2025.
With all the uncertainty surrounding Virginia's offense, I'll trust Bailey and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper to devise a good game plan and come out firing in the opener. NC State also bolstered its wide receiver room by adding former five-star recruit Joshisa Trader through the portal - an intriguing move. Give me the Wolfpack and the points in a game it can win outright. 👉 Add NC State to your betslip on theScore Bet
🏈 Bet: UNLV (-4)
This contest has the biggest implications for the College Football Playoff of any game in the first weekend, as it pits two of the top-ranked Group of 6 teams in 2026.
Memphis is entering its first season under new head coach Charles Huff after Ryan Silverfield took the Arkansas job. Huff is bringing a ton of his players from Southern Mississippi, with the Tigers returning only two starters from last season. We also still don't know who will start at quarterback on Saturday between Air Noland and Marcus Stokes.
UNLV is coming off a great season on offense under Dan Mullen, ranking 11th in the country in yards per play and 20th in EPA/play. The Rebels are replacing quarterback Anthony Colandrea with Jackson Arnold and Olex Orji this year, and both are projected to play Saturday. The program's new duo can slash defenses on the ground, which should make for a smooth transition given Mullen's preference for utilizing signal-callers in the run game.
I'll ride with the more proven side and take the Rebels to cover. There are too many question marks with Memphis, and UNLV's rushing attack should be able to gash a Tigers defense featuring 11 new starters. UNLV is the favorite to win the Mountain West, and I think it starts the season strong. 👉 Add UNLV to your betslip on theScore Bet.
🏈 Bet: Stanford (-4)
The Tavita Pritchard era at Stanford begins. After serving as Andrew Luck's backup for two seasons with the Cardinal, Pritchard spent 12 years on the program's coaching staff from 2011 to 2022.
These two teams faced off in Week 0 last season, with Hawaii winning 23-20 at home. However, Stanford ran for 177 yards in the contest and held a 10-0 lead before blowing it in the second half. The Rainbow Warriors' run defense was poor in 2025, finishing 84th in success rate and 91st in total EPA surrendered. And they didn't do much this offseason to add talent to the front six.
Hawaii is always a completely different team on the road than at home on the island. This feels like a must-win game for Pritchard, who comes back to his alma mater after a three-year run as the Washington Commanders' quarterbacks coach. This Stanford program desperately needs to get back on track, and I think it'll rely heavily on junior running back Micah Ford to carry the team to a comfortable victory. 👉 Add Stanford to your betslip on theScore Bet.
🏈 Bet: North Dakota State (-7)
History will be made at the Fargodome on Saturday night, as North Dakota State makes its FBS debut after dominating the FCS level. The Bison, the most successful program in FCS history, won 10 national titles from 2011 to 2025.
Jacksonville State went 9-5 last season, powered by a strong rushing attack led by Cam Cook, who topped the nation in rushing yards with 1,659. With Cook transferring to West Virginia, the Gamecocks are left with inexperienced rushers Jalen Likely and freshman Cedric Kouemi.
Caden Creel is returning as Jacksonville State's starting quarterback after running for 1,100 yards last season, but North Dakota State is well-positioned to hold Jacksonville State's ground attack. The Bison brought back a big chunk of a defense that finished seventh in the FCS in yards per carry allowed (3.2).
The Fargodome was a tough place to play even before the FBS move, so the atmosphere Saturday will be electric. This is a tough spot for Jacksonville State, and North Dakota State is the better team on both sides of the ball. I'll take the Bison to start hot this season and win by at least a touchdown in front of their home crowd. 👉 Add North Dakota State to your betslip on theScore Bet
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