There are Week 1 college football games with betting lines on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
What a treat.
Our staff of college football experts has produced an incredible amount of content, and we've put together a collection of our favorite betting angles for Thursday's slate of games.
Read on for our college football picks, predictions and best bets for Thursday, August 28.
College Football Picks, Predictions
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
 | 5:30 p.m. | |
| 5:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
BBOC Group of 5 Deep Dive's Best Bet
I think Buffalo is catching too many points.
I’m actually a fan of Minnesota’s offense, especially running back Darius Taylor. And P.J. Fleck-led teams are 7-3 ATS when laying 10 or more points.
That said, I think the Golden Gopher defense will really miss former defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who took the DC job at Miami in the offseason. He did a fantastic job last season, and I want to fade Minnesota early this season as it adjusts to life without its top lieutenant.
On the other sideline, I adore Buffalo’s defense. The Bulls boast a borderline-elite Group of 5 defense, led by linebacker Red Murdock, edge rusher Kobe Stewart, and boatloads of returning production at all three levels. They should be able to create some negative plays and force Minnesota into clear passing situations.
Meanwhile, I like the pieces on the Buffalo offense. If new quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson hits, the Bulls could become an upper-echelon Group of 5 attack. Top running back Al-Jay Henderson is an elite workhorse, and top wide receiver Victor Snow is an All-MAC talent.
I project the Bulls as only 13-point underdogs.
Listen to the entire BBOC Group of 5 Deep Dive Episode here:
Pick: Buffalo +17.5 (-110, BetMGM)
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Doug Ziefel's Top Player Prop
By Doug Ziefel
The NC State Wolfpack are two-touchdown favorites over the East Carolina Pirates.
The separation between these teams will be on full display when NC State has the ball, as the Pirates’ defense was horrid last season and is not expected to improve this year.
The Pirates' defensive line provided little push last season, ranking 70th nationally in yards per rush allowed and 119th in sack rate.
A clean pocket is not something you want to give NC State quarterback CJ Bailey, as he's shown he can hurt opposing defenses through the air and on the ground.
Last season, Bailey averaged 8.3 rushing attempts per game. While he only averaged 23 yards per game, we must remember that sacks count against quarterback rushing yards in college.
However, with pressure not being an issue, we should see Bailey pick up yards consistently on the ground, as East Carolina’s defense is likely to be overwhelmed in the season opener.
Check out the rest of Ziefel's Week 1 player prop picks in his daily column:
Pick: CJ Bailey Over 27.5 Rush Yards (-115, bet365)
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RoadToCFB's Betting Primer for Cornhuskers-Bearcats
By RoadToCFB
Every week, new Action Network analyst RoadToCFB will provide a deep dive betting primer and "cheat sheet" for all the big games, offering his notes on the matchup, coaching trends, and any other notable information.
It's a highly informational piece of content that provides an excellent 30,000-foot view of that week's college football action.
Here are some of his notes from this week's column on the Nebraska-Cincinnati game:
- Game played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO.
- Nebraska won the only historical matchup between these two teams back in 1906.
- The Huskers are technically the road team here, but expect Arrowhead to serve as a de facto ninth home game.
- Nebraska is 1-7 outright in its first Power Conference game of the season and has not beaten a Power Conference foe in Week 1 since at least 2008.
- Under Matt Rhule, Nebraska covered each of its two opening weekend games.
Check out the rest of RoadToCFB's Week 1 Betting Primer here:
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Our Featured Bet Labs Betting System
Powered by our guy Evan Abrams, the Home Dog Early system focuses on teams opening their season at home as underdogs.
These teams often enter Week 1 overlooked by the market, yet they enjoy the advantage of a familiar environment, crowd energy, and months of preparation aimed at this single game.
With the spread favoring the opponent modestly, the home side can play with added urgency, aiming to make a statement.
The unique dynamic of a first game, where rust and execution issues can affect both sides, often narrows the gap, creating value in backing the underdog before market expectations fully adjust.
This system has been particularly effective lately, generating 24 units of profit on straight one-unit bets over the past five years.
Two games on Thursday fit this system: South Florida hosting Boise State, and Akron hosting Wyoming.
Many of our fellow Action Network experts have already hopped on the Bulls, including all four of our BBOC hosts — Mike Calabrese thinks USF pulls off the outright upset.
It’s tougher to believe in Akron. Aside from head coach Joe Moorhead and quarterback Ben Finley, there’s zero returning production for the Zips.
Wyoming returns nine starters from last year’s offense, but only three starters on the other side of the ball. For what it’s worth, the Cowboys are only 2-4 ATS across the past six openers, and I always downgrade them when they’re playing away from Laramie.
Consider purchasing Action PRO if you're interested in more of these long-term profitable betting systems:
Picks:
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Collin Wilson's Full Action App Card for Week 1
Need more CFB Action for Thursday? It's always wise to see what our guy Collin Wilson is betting on.
I’m very interested in that Ohio-Rutgers matchup. Wilson broke down that game (and many more) in the most recent BBOC podcast episode.
Here’s a little Scarlet Knights-related tidbit from the show:
I can’t get over the fact that there’s one returner on the offensive line for Ohio. That’s really bad against a Rutgers pass rush that ranked in the top 35 nationally last season.
On the other side of the ball, Rutgers consistently ranks among the top-five college football teams in Havoc allowed. The Scarlet Knights are always buttoned up from the start, and their experienced offensive line should roll over Ohio’s undersized defensive line.
If you haven't already, make sure you download the free award-winning Action Network App to track all your bets and tail all of your favorite experts:
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