College Football Picks & Predictions: Week 1 (Saturday)
The 2026 college football regular season gave us a soft open last weekend, with several “Week 0” games. This is the first full weekend of college football, and it’s wonderful. You should be conservative until some trends develop, and we get a good grasp on depth charts, consistency and how portal additions will be plugged in. In this new era of college football, a team that was trash last year might not necessarily be so this season, and vice versa. So, be a little patient. Let’s build our bankroll with our best college football picks & predictions for Week 1.
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Best College Football Picks & Predictions (Week 1)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
Ohio Bobcats (+1400) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-4000) | O/U 46.5 (-106/-114)
The Bobcats turn to their third head coach in the past three seasons, as coaches have had a measure of success in Athens, using Ohio as a springboard to big things. But they’ve had success, and things should be no different for new head honcho John Hauser.
Ohio has some key personnel in place despite the changes, especially running back Victor Rosa in the backfield. Quarterbacks Nick Poulos and Matt Vezza are battling for the primary job under center, and that might not be settled yet. The offensive line is a bit shaky. However, Ohio always seems to overproduce, especially in these spotlight games against larger programs who routinely take it lightly.
Head coach Matt Rhule has helped Nebraska make inroads back to respectability, but the team has huge shoes to fill with running back Emmett Johnson now in the NFL. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea comes over from UNLV to run the offense. Ohio just saw him in the Frisco Bowl, topping Colandrea’s UNLV team 17-10, although Colandrea did have a rushing score in that game. He also recorded zero touchdown passes and an interception against Hauser’s defense. Let’s take the big points with Ohio, and we’ll go low on the total, expecting a 31-10 kind of game.
Picks: Ohio +23.5 (-106) & Under 46.5 Points (-114)
Tarleton State Texans (+110) at Bowling Green Falcons (-132) | O/U 48.5 (-110/-110)
Many people might see this game and think there should be a wider gulf between an FCS program and an FBS team, even a mid-tier Mid-American Conference (MAC) team. However, Tarleton State enters No. 5 in the FCS rankings, and it has a game under its belt, topping Prairie View A&M 49-30 last week, piling up 232 net rushing yards and 274 net passing yards. Of course, the Texans also allowed 188 net rushing yards and 336 net passing yards, so the defense is susceptible to big plays.
Eddie George enters his second season as the head coach in Bowling Green. He has some solid pieces, including Oregon quarterback transfer Austin Novosad and running back Austyn Dendy. The defense is a work in progress, though, and linebacker Daron Pringle’s health should be huge in the middle of the defense. This game could make or break Bowling Green’s season, as it could be a bowl game team, but six wins is going to be a stretch, too. They need this one.
This will be a high-scoring game, and that’s our best bet. Side with Bowling Green, too, as long as it says at a flat three or lower. Remember, Tarleton State topped Army in overtime in West Point last season, so it won’t be fazed by an FBS team.
Picks: Bowling Green -2.5 (-112) & Over 48.5 Points (-110)
Liberty Flames (+198) at James Madison Dukes (-245) | O/U 50.5 (-110/-110)
One program’s trash is another’s treasure, and Billy Napier tries to resurrect his career at James Madison after failing to meet expectations at Florida. Remember, it wasn’t that long ago he was lighting it on fire in the Sun Belt Conference at Louisiana, becoming one of college football’s hottest mid-tier coaches.
Liberty was predicted to be atop Conference USA in 2025, but it “flamed” out, going just 4-8 in a rare disastrous season. These Virginia programs meet each other at Bridgeforth Stadium in one of the more underrated games of the weekend.
James Madison has to replace quarterback Alonza Barnett III from a playoff team. A trio of quarterbacks battles for that job, and it remains to be seen whether it will be Cam Coleman, JC Evans or Arrington Maiden under center. James Madison’s defense has just two players returning, so it could be a rockier start than expected.
Meanwhile, Liberty has two power-conference transfer options at quarterback - Jaylen Henderson and Deshawn Purdie - who are likely to see reps before a clear option emerges. There are also three power conference transfers in the backfield, led by Kanye Udoh, formerly of Arizona State. The defense was bad last season, though, and that needs to be fixed before the Flames can be taken seriously. Still, we’ll take Liberty and the points, and more heavily if this moves to a flat seven or seven and a hook. With all of the new pieces on offense, let’s go low on the total.
Picks: Liberty +6.5 (-106) & Under 50.5 Points (-110)
UNLV Rebels (-150) at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (+125) | O/U 56.5 (-106/-114)
The Rebels (0-1) and Rainbow Warriors (0-1) each try to avoid an 0-2 hole to start the season. Somebody is going to need a shovel to get out of that hole after Saturday.
I like the Rainbow Warriors at home as short underdogs, but how much I like them depends on the health of wide receiver Pofele Ashlock (knee). He missed the opener at Stanford last week, and the leading receiver from 2025 remains a question mark. Still, quarterback Micah Alejado looked great under center last week. A late scoop-and-score helped the Cardinal to a miracle cover in the final moments. Hawaii sits 1-0 against the spread (ATS) in a tough trip to the mainland.
UNLV lost 27-21 at home against a retooled Memphis team returning just one single starter. A trip to the islands is a tough assignment when you’re trying to regain your focus after a disappointing loss, especially when trying to corral Alejado and a stable of capable receivers. I like Hawaii to make noise at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu. This should be a higher-scoring game, although I’d feel much more confident at 55.5 or 56.0.
Picks: Hawaii Moneyline (+125) & Over 56.5 Points (-106)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @winwithjoe