Week 1 is finally upon us.
This week gives us college football games from Thursday through Monday, with plenty of top-tier action like No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU vs. No. 4 Clemson and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami.
In fact, I have a pick for all three of those games.
I broke down both Saturday games and will add picks for Notre Dame vs. Miami on Sunday and TCU vs. North Carolina on Monday as the week progresses.
With that said, let's dive into my college football picks and NCAAF predictions for these Week 1 games.
College Football Picks, Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson is targeting from Week 1's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | Saturday, 12 p.m. | |
  | Saturday, 7:30 p.m. | |
  | Sunday, 7:30 p.m. | |
  | Monday, 8 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. | ||
Texas vs Ohio State Pick
The Texas Longhorns take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on FOX.
Ohio State is favored by 0.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -110, with Texas also sitting at -110. The over/under, meanwhile, comes in at 47.5 points.
Here’s my Texas vs. Ohio State prediction and college football picks for Saturday, August 30.
Texas Longhorns
Arch Manning's 2025 debut as a starting quarterback couldn't come in a game with higher stakes. The junior will enter the Horseshoe with 95 career passing attempts, racking up nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has tried to contain his excitement about the new starter under center, commenting that the playbook has expanded to "what Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen do."
Expect Manning to lead running backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter in a heavy RPO attack aimed at the Ohio State interior.
The Longhorns' defense will field one of the most efficient groups in the nation, bringing back edge rushers Colin Simmons and Trey Moore.
But the most important angle of this game comes in the secondary, as they attempt to shut down a Buckeyes wide receiver who will get Heisman consideration in Jeremiah Smith.
Cornerback Malik Muhammad is expected to be one of the best in the nation, as the junior returns a whopping nine pass breakups.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Fall camp ended with head coach Ryan Day landing on Julian Sayin as the new Buckeyes quarterback. The sophomore had a limited freshman season (14 dropbacks), and rumors swirled that the former blue-chip recruit hadn't done enough to win the job for the 2025 season.
Sayin will inherit one of the best wide receivers in college football in Smith. The sophomore had an incredible run in the College Football Playoff, amassing five touchdowns on more than 370 yards receiving through four games.
The Ohio State defensive line had a complete overhaul after the run to the National Championship. All four positions were lost to the NFL, leaving a couple of transfers and reserves, such as nose tackle Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston.
The good news is a linebacker unit — anchored by linebacker Sonny Styles — returns 19 pressures and 68 tackles.
The biggest question on defense is where Caleb Downs will line up on the field. After playing most of the 2024 season as the single-high safety, Downs was allowed to roam and shut down outside zone read rush attempts in the College Football Playoff.
Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's decision on the positioning of Downs is critical to the Buckeyes' success against the Texas offense.
Texas vs Ohio State Prediction
Texas touched +3 in the summer betting market, a number that's been hammered to a pick'em at some shops.
The Buckeyes have more unanswered questions than the Longhorns, as Ohio State will roll out two new coordinators. Both teams have new quarterbacks under center, but the experience of Manning trumps that of Sayin.
The game will more than likely be won in the trenches, where Texas has the advantage on offense against an inexperienced defensive line of Ohio State. The Buckeyes used the portal to look for depth on the defensive line, signaling that this group may struggle to hold the line of scrimmage.
While the positioning of Downs on the Buckeyes' defense is critical, the Longhorns' Finishing Drives mark will be massively important in 2025.
Sarkisian has struggled to finish in the top half of FBS in points per drives that cross the 40-yard line, with the exception of 2021 when Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson ran the wildcat.
If Manning is able to get the same results, Texas is at the front of the line of national title contenders.
Pick: Texas ML -110 or Better
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LSU vs Clemson Pick
The LSU Tigers take on the Clemson Tigers in Clemson, SC, on Saturday, Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Clemson is favored by 4 points on the spread with a moneyline of -185. LSU, meanwhile, comes in at +154 to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 57.5 points.
Here’s my LSU vs. Clemson prediction and college football picks for Saturday, August 30.
LSU Tigers
The LSU defense continues to give up explosive plays under head coach Brian Kelly's watch.
Coordinator Blake Baker was poached from Missouri for the 2024 season and helped produce great pass-rushing results, but defending at the second level continues to elude the Tigers. LSU finished 81st in coverage grading, per PFF, and a lower 88th in contested catch rate.
Thanks to a heavy transfer portal class, the collective talent in the secondary has improved.
Mansoor Delane brings 16 pass breakups and six interceptions from Virginia Tech, giving him one of the best resumes in the revamped secondary.
The biggest question with LSU should come on the offensive side of the ball, where eight players may rotate on the offensive line.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier saw 153 pressures on 553 dropbacks last season, increasing his chance of mistakes. The fifth-year senior saw a spike in turnover worth play rate from 1.9 to 6% when dealing with a crowded pocket.
The good news for the quarterback is the depth at wide receiver, as Barion Brown (Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) were added.
Clemson Tigers
Head coach Dabo Swinney did two unthinkable things over the offseason.
The portal was an afterthought for Clemson football until this offseason, when Swinney pulled a number of targets.
The Tigers' depth should benefit from the portal, while an outside hire at defensive coordinator should shore up their numbers stopping the run.
Tom Allen joins after a successful stint as Penn State's defensive coordinator following his time as the head coach at Indiana. Allen will have everything needed to generate Havoc, from T.J. Parker's 11 sacks off the edge to interior Peter Woods generating 20 pressures.
Another season with the combination of offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and quarterback Cade Klubnik should produce highlights. The quarterback has lowered his turnover-worthy play rate season-over-season and now returns with a potent set of wideouts.
Antonio Williams received 100 targets primarily from the slot, while Bryant Wesco Jr. lived up to his freshman hype at the end of last season.
With 135 starts returning to the offensive line, this will be one of the best offenses in the nation.
LSU vs Clemson Prediction
On paper, LSU did an outstanding job of piecing together players with high-level experience in the secondary. The big question in hostile territory is its ability to communicate on the field.
The Tigers have been fantastic in creating a pass rush and stiffening in the red zone, but in terms of tackling, they reside outside the top 50 in FBS.
If Klubnik can get traction with wide receiver-turned-running back Adam Randall, LSU will need Harold Perkins Jr. to return to his freshman form.
The handicap in this game comes down to the efficiency of the LSU offensive line, as none of the new starters have sustained experience.
While a rotation may be used to identify the best starting five combination, Clemson will send out a number of defensive All-American candidates who will look to force Nussmeier into a pressured pocket.
Pick: Clemson -4 or Better
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Notre Dame vs Miami Pick
Pick: Coming Soon
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TCU vs North Carolina Pick
Pick: Coming Soon
