The Week 0 college football schedule takes place on Saturday, Aug. 29, and it will begin in Ireland before concluding in Las Vegas. Eight games involving FBS teams are on the slate, two of which are outliers when observing the Week 0 college football odds. No. 14 USC is the only ranked team in action, as it is a 38.5-point favorite over San Jose State, while Florida State is favored by 31.5 points over New Mexico State. The other six games all have single-digit college football spreads as you have varying options to make college football bets on. Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:

UNC vs. TCU (-8.5) kicks off the 2026 college football season as Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels will face the Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland. Another intriguing contest has FCS powerhouse, North Dakota State, which won 10 championships at that level, making its FBS debut as the Bison (-7) host the JSU Gamecocks. Before locking in any Week 0 college football picks, be sure to see the latest college football predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 31-19 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks since the 2024 season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns. 

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds for Week 0 and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

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Top college football predictions for Week 0 

One of the top college football picks the model is recommending for Week 0: Virginia (-4, 51.5) covers against NC State in a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. UVA’s nine ATS wins last year were only topped in the ACC by national runner-up Miami. The Cavs should relish this game being relocated from Rio de Janeiro to Virginia, considering NC State’s road woes. The Wolfpack went 0-4 ATS as a road underdog in 2025, making them the only Power 4 team to fail to cover as road dogs over at least four games. Add in that NC State is also on an 0-4 ATS run on season openers, while the Cavs are 6-1 ATS over their last seven season openers versus unranked squads, and the model has UVA covering more than 50% of the time, while the Over 52.5 hits more than 50% of the time as well.

Another Week 0 prediction: New Mexico State (+31.5, 53.5) goes on the road and covers at Florida State. FSU enters this season on a down note, as it went 2-7 over its last nine games of 2025, not only outright but also versus the spread. The team then added QB Ashton Daniels in the offseason, who is hoping the third school’s the charm after struggles at Stanford and Auburn. Daniels is 5-18 as a starter and has the fourth-worst passer efficiency (116.5) in FBS since 2023. Meanwhile, NMST has covered in three straight as an underdog and is 5-2 ATS over its last seven when the other team is favored. The Aggies cover in more than 70% of simulations, and the Under is the slight value on the total since the model is projecting 53 combined points. See which other picks the model likes here.

How to make college football picks for Week 0

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every Week 0 college football game, including an underdog that it says will win outright. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and which underdog pulls off a shocking upset? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that is on a 31-19 run, and find out.

College football odds for Week 0

See full Week 0 college football picks, odds, predictions here

Saturday, Aug. 29
(odds subject to change)

North Carolina vs. TCU (-8.5, 46.5)
San Jose State at USC (-38.5, 61.5)
NC State at Virginia (-4, 51.5)
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State (-6.5, 46.5)
Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan (-9.5, 53.5)
New Mexico State at Florida State (-31.5, 53.5)
Hawaii at Stanford (-4, 48.5)
Memphis at UNLV (-4.5, 56.5)

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca spoke about Jack Grealish after the winger was left out of the squad to face Palace

Jack Grealish appears close to leaving Manchester City again after being left out of the squad to take on Crystal Palace. Having come on as a second-half substitute in the Community Shield against Arsenal and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, Grealish did not travel to Selhurst Park with the City squad amid transfer interest from Everton and Aston Villa.

City have not expected to keep Grealish for the season but he is still under contract and there have been no agreements with other clubs as the deadline closes in. Enzo Maresca has said since he took over that it is his duty to coach Grealish while he remains a City player and it is still a possibility that he stays at the Etihad.

However, Maresca spoke to Grealish on Thursday when it was decided that he would not be part of the matchday squad for the Palace game as the possibility for him to leave – likely to be on loan again – rises again. “We’ll see what happens in the next 48-72 hours,” the manager said when asked about it afterwards.

City did not miss Grealish despite their bench looking inexperienced as Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland both scored twice. Palace started well in front of their own fans but the Blues bossed the game from that point.

“I think the performance overall was good. We struggled for the first five or ten mins because we were pressing in the wrong way and then we adjusted something. We were in control. We scored four and could probably could have scored more and we didn’t concede chances.”

CommBank Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 26 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and
Canterbury Bulldogs. The game kicks off at 8:00 pm with Penrith Panthers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Penrith Panthers vs.
Canterbury Bulldogs
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday August 28, 2026 at 8:00 pm

Where: CommBank Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Penrith Panthers vs Canterbury Bulldogs Odds

Penrith Panthers vs Canterbury Bulldogs Preview

Penrith remains second after a disciplined 22-14 win over Melbourne and can move closer to securing a home qualifying final with another victory. Canterbury revived its season by beating St George Illawarra 44-14, but the Bulldogs still enter the round two points outside the top eight. Jack Cole replaces the suspended Jack Cogger at five-eighth for the Panthers, while Enari Tuala returns on Canterbury’s wing and Jack Underhill comes onto the bench for the injured Kurt Mann. The Bulldogs produced a 32-16 upset in Round 6, so Penrith will not lack motivation. Nathan Cleary’s control, the Panthers’ defensive consistency and an eight-match home winning streak against Canterbury give the hosts the stronger foundation, although the Bulldogs’ desperation should keep the contest physical and competitive.

Texas Tech has reportedly brought in former Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos via the transfer portal and a 5th year of eligibility.

What does this mean for the Red Raiders?

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I talk about ACTUAL GAMES as NC State gets ready to take on Virginia.

Can the Wolfpack overcome an insanely veteran Virginia offensive line?

Week 0 brings a welcome sight of relief for college football fans across the country: real, tangible, and meaningful football games.

I get the season going with my first ‘Best Bets’ segment of the 2026 season. Photo Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images

00:00 Quarterback speculation at Texas Tech
04:07 Backup quarterback dilemma
06:47 Home field advantage for big games
11:09 Scheduling the big ACC game
14:58 Key for NC State: Pressure Bo Pribula
22:15 College football predictions
23:50 New FBS Programs Discussion
26:22 Memphis quarterback decision and UNLV game

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Justin Rose put himself in contention for the Tour Championship after a scintillating 65 in Friday’s second round in Atlanta.

The Englishman fired five birdies in a blemish-free round to move to seven under and give himself a chance of winning 10 million dollar (£7.3 million) FedExCup play-off series finale at the halfway point.

He is three shots off joint leaders Ryan Gerard and Viktor Hovland, who are on 10 under and one clear of Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup on nine under.

Rose hit birdies at the sixth, eighth and 11th hole to make his move up the leaderboard and then added more at the 15th and 18th to card a five-under-par 65.

Rose’s Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick joined him on seven under after going round in 67.

A birdie at the second was quickly followed by bogey at the third, but it was on the back nine where things got better for the Yorkshireman.

He birdied the 10th and then finished strongly with back-to-back gains to finish his round to put himself in contention over the weekend.

Rory McIlroy has work to do if he is to add a fourth title to his collection as he sits way back on tied for 23rd.

The Masters champion is seven shots off the lead after an up-and-down 69 left him on three under.

A birdie on the first gave promise of launching an attack at the top of the leaderboard, but it quickly dissipated as he struck a double bogey on the third and then followed it up with another bogey at the fourth.

A birdie at the sixth did some repair work as he made the turn at one over and a three at the par-four 12th brought him level for the round.

But he bogeyed the next before rescuing his round with birdies at the 16th and 18th to card a one-under 69.

Scottie Scheffler is in better shape as he is on eight under after a round of 67 which contained six birdies and three bogeys.

Cameron Young is also on eight under after firing the round of the day – a sublime 62.

Young peppered his scorecard with six birdies in seven holes and finished with an eagle three on the par-five 18th to put himself in the mix.

Who is going to be punting the ball for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026?

The head-to-head Vikings roster battle sees a pair of players competing for a single spot. Veteran Johnny Hekker is the favorite as somebody who has accomplished a lot in his years. Rookie Brett Thorson is trying to prove capable of holding down the job. Who is going to get the nod?

The P1 Vikings Roster Battle

To begin, consider some the favorite’s basic stats from the 2025 season:

• Johnny Hekker: 46.8 Y/P, 40.3 NY/P, 7 TBs (9%), and 22 IN20 (28.2%)

Put simply, those numbers are quite poor. Gone are the days, perhaps, where Hekker was an annual All Pro at punter. He won the award four times for the first team and two times for the second team, getting all of these distinctions between 2013 and 2018. In the NFL, that’s a lifetime ago.

Meanwhile, Brett Thorson has been a promising punter in recent seasons, albeit at the college level. His great flaw has been his experience as a holder on field goal, or lack thereof.

At Georgia, all Thorson did was launch the ball. Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels has praised Thorson for having soft hands. How much of a difference is there between holding in practice and holding in the clutch moment of a game? Hekker seems supremely unlikely to struggle in this facet of the game and Minnesota doesn’t exactly have a flawless history here.

A clean, automatic field goal operation is to be coveted; ensure the kicker is always working with a crisp snap and clean hold. In theory, the Vikings’ hard-earned wisdom will weigh into the decision making.

Thorson has seen three preseason punts dropped inside the 20-yard line. He’s averaging 44.8 yards per punt within five opportunities. His longest punt of the preseason has gone for 50 yards.

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Meanwhile, Hekker is averaging 46.3 yards per punt across his six opportunities while dropping a trio of his half dozen inside the 20. His longest punt has gone for 65 yards.

Back in the 2022 offseason, the Vikings conducted a punter battle between veteran Jordan Berry and rookie UDFA Ryan Wright. In the end, the young fella won, securing the P1 job for four seasons before landing a nice payday with the Saints earlier in the 2026 offseason.

Opting for a similar path would feature Brett Thorson coming out on top. He can make his case for being that guy with a strong third preseason game, a reality that needs to include punting and holding. Even a small mistake would likely doom his chance of overcoming the favorite.

Kickoff tonight is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.

---

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Cbus Super Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 26 NRL game between Gold Coast Titans and
South Sydney Rabbitohs. The game kicks off at 3:00 pm with South Sydney Rabbitohs heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Gold Coast Titans vs.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday August 29, 2026 at 3:00 pm

Where: Cbus Super Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Odds

Gold Coast Titans vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview

South Sydney needs an immediate response after a 45-26 loss to the Warriors reduced its buffer over ninth-placed Canterbury to two points. Gold Coast led at halftime against Cronulla before falling 30-22, its fourth consecutive defeat, and now faces another major defensive test. Latrell Mitchell has been named among the Rabbitohs’ reserves as he pushes for a return, while Jai Arrow is listed symbolically before Cameron Murray takes over at lock under an approved arrangement. Josh Patston replaces the injured Beau Fermor for the Titans. South Sydney has won 10 successive meetings with Gold Coast and has consistently found space at Cbus Super Stadium. With Cody Walker directing a dangerous left edge and Alex Johnston in strong scoring form, the visitors possess the sharper combinations and greater finals incentive.

Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney are looking towards separate unification bouts, but there is one former world champion that is in hot pursuit of a challenge for both men’s titles, believing that the duo will ultimately have ‘no choice but to fight him’.

Lopez dethroned Rolando Romero to capture the WBA welterweight title this month and ‘The Takeover’ is now eyeing up a unification clash against Ryan Garcia, should he retain his WBC title against Conor Benn in two weeks.

Meanwhile, Haney was set to make a first defence of his WBO welterweight title against Keyshawn Davis until the latter pulled out of the contest. Since then, it has become clear that IBF welterweight ruler Liam Paro is Haney’s new target, but it remains to be seen whether that fight can be made.

In an interview with Ring Magazine, Brian Norman Jr., whom Haney defeated to get his hands on the WBO belt back in November, revealed his plans to secure a shot at Lopez’s belt.

“I have been wanting it [the Teofimo Lopez fight], we have been trying to make it in the past but he said no. So, now that he is a champion at 147, what’s up?

“Hell no, he still don’t [want the fight]. Like I said, they have a reason to avoid me and they will use it.”

Norman then went on to state that he is also targeting a rematch with Haney, which he believes will be mandated in 120 days’ time due to his status as the number one contender in the rankings.

“I’mma box ‘em up, they can’t do anything if I am number one in all rankings and that mandatory time hit. For example, Devin Haney, 120 days Keyshawn Davis didn’t take it but guess what? I will. So, 120 days, once that time is up then Devin Haney has to fight me. 

“It’s the same thing with the other rankings, they will have to fight me. At that point, what can you do except drop the belt? Fight me or drop the belt.”

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Haney should be able to delay an ordered fight with Norman by agreeing to a title unification – which would take priority over a mandatory defence – although it would appear that his solitary option is Paro, with Lopez and Garcia looking poised to collide unless Benn spoils those plans.