College Football Week 0 Best Bets: One Upset on Deck

Dylan Wilkerson Sports Betting Expert

3 minute read

College football is here! Week 0 is upon us, and the NCAA has blessed us with some decent matchups. Whether you want to watch a Power-4 showdown between TCU and UNC or two G-6 powerhouses face off in UNLV and Memphis, then this slate has something for you.

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TCU vs. North Carolina Best Bet

Get ready to learn Jaden Craig, college football fans. Craig boasted a 91.3 PFF rating at Harvard, tallying 2,869 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns in 2025. Craig will be able to run TCU’s offense successfully, while TCU's defense should have their way with UNC's OL and make life rough for Billy Edwards Jr.

TCU has more talent on both sides of the ball, and I expect them to take care of the Tar Heels in this game that kicks off the college football season.

Here is our complete TCU vs. North Carolina preview.

TCU vs. North Carolina Prediction: TCU -7.5 (-115)

Virginia vs. NC State Best Bet

This NC State defense was atrocious last season. They ranked 103rd in EPA/pass allowed and 75th in EPA/rush allowed. These stats are confirmed when you look at their defensive roster and see that no one on their defensive line has a PFF grade higher than 65. They are serviceable in the secondary, but I expect Virginia to run the ball early and often, given the ground capabilities Jekail Middlebrook and Beau Pribula both have. Virginia should run the ball often and have success, exposing a weak NC State defense.

Virginia vs. NC State Prediction: Virginia -4 (-115)

Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State Best Bet

North Dakota State has dominated at the FCS level, but the game is about to change for them. Jacksonville State is one of my favorite teams in Conference USA, and I anticipate them having a very strong defense by Group of 6 standards. NDSU's debut in the FBS full-time will feature a slugfest with Jacksonville State. I think the final score will be within a touchdown.

North Dakota State vs. Jacksonville State Prediction: JSU +7 (-115)

UNLV vs. Memphis Best Bet

I am a sucker for a good Dan Mullen quarterback project. Last season's subject was Anthony Colandrea, who threw for nearly 3,500 yards and 23 touchdowns and had 10 rushing touchdowns. This season's subject is Jackson Arnold, who will share snaps with Alex Orji.

There is no question that UNLV's offense is going to be strong. Mullen knows how to score points, and I expect nothing less in this matchup. The defense may struggle, but you can expect UNLV to score 35+ points every game. In a lot of cases, that will be enough to win. UNLV should take down Memphis to start the season.

UNLV vs. Memphis Prediction: UNLV -4.5 (-105)

Hawai'i vs. Stanford Best Bet

The Stanford Cardinal's starting QB will be Davis Warren (of Michigan fame), who missed last season with a torn ACL. In 2024, as Michigan's starting QB (kind of), he totaled 1,200 passing yards with 7 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He is not very mobile and does not raise the ceiling of the Cardinal offense.

On the other hand, Hawaii returns Micah Alejado at quarterback, who threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. There is a massive mismatch at the quarterback position, and Hawaii is poised to take advantage of this lack of congruency.

Hawai'i vs. Stanford Best Bet: Hawai'i +4.5 & ML (+164)

Dylan Wilkerson

Dylan Wilkerson has over 5 years of experience reporting and analyzing the sports betting industry for various sites. His portfolio includes work for SportsHandle and Action Network, in addition to VegasInsider. His favorite sports are the NFL, College Football, The PGA Tour, the LIV Tour, and Cricket. Dylan has a broad and deep understanding of various sports-related topics. More from Dylan Wilkerson