We made it. After a long offseason, we finally have real college football games on Saturday.
The Week 0 slate kicks off in Dublin, Ireland, with Iowa State taking on Kansas State in a massive Big 12 clash that could have significant conference implications down the road.
Then, the slate closes out with Stanford traveling to the island to take on Hawaii in an ACC/Mountain West matchup.
I broke down both games and came through with a pick for each, so let's dive into my college football picks and NCAAF predictions for these Week 0 games on Saturday, Aug. 23.
College Football Picks for NCAAF Week 0
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson is targeting from Saturday's Week 0 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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 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. | ||
Iowa State vs Kansas State Pick
The Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kansas State Wildcats in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Kansas State is favored by 3 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 49.5 points.
Here are my Iowa State vs. Kansas State predictions and college football picks for Saturday, August 23, 2025.
Iowa State Cyclones
The loss of two explosive wide receivers is a blow to the Iowa State offense.
However, Matt Campbell should be able to return to his old identity.
The Cyclones used 12 and 13 personnel 49.6% of the time in quarterback Rocco Becht's elite freshman season. That mark dropped to 37.3% last year as they ventured away from multiple-tight-end sets to utilize the outside weapons in the receiving core.
With Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle expected to be on the field, third tight end Cooper Alexander will assist in Iowa State's renewed focus on the rushing attack.
Carson Hansen and Abu Sama bring a wealth of experience to the Iowa State rushing attack.
Hanson hit the end zone 13 times last season, creating 16 explosive runs with an average of 3.2 yards after first contact. The bigger question comes around Sama as the backup, generating a massive 6.6 yards after first contact on 84 rushing attempts in 2023.
The one thing to watch for Iowa State is who starts at center, as three different players were listed in the latest depth chart.
Iowa State will field a new defensive line in the 3-3-5, as the team recorded just 17 sacks a season ago.
Tamatoa McDonough brings 40 pressures and 27 quarterback hurries from the edge, while the linebacker room is crowded with players who were injured in 2024. Caleb Bacon will be back as a starter after posting one of the highest rush defense grades at middle linebacker in 2023.
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State has not covered in the "Farmageddon" series in five years, but mistakes led to a misleading loss in 2024.
Quarterback Avery Johnson opened the game with a crucial fumble, preceding a fumble from a catch made by Keagan Johnson.
With missed field goals and intentional grounding safeties, the Wildcats had a forgettable day against Iowa State in a 29-21 loss.
I suspect that Johnson could create highlights with his legs against Iowa State's new defensive front. The Cyclones finished 120th nationally in PFF's Tackling grades last season and 94th in Rush Explosiveness allowed.
Running backs Dylan Edwards and Joe Jackson round out a ground attack that uses heavy inside zone and power schemes. Slot Jayce Brown returns as the top target from a season ago, generating an explosive 2.3 yards per route run with a 14.3-yard average depth of target.
The nickel defense could field one of the best fronts in the Big 12, with Tobi Osunsanmi and Cody Stufflebean providing pressure. Linebacker Austin Romaine returns after leading the team with 96 tackles and an additional 5.5 tackles for loss last season.
Kansas State ranked 15th nationally in Defensive Line Yards last season, indicating that the Wildcats could dominate the trenches against opposing offensive lines.
The biggest question for Kansas State's defense is in the secondary, where the only proven player is All-Big 12 honorable mention safety VJ Payne.
Iowa State vs Kansas State Prediction
There are avenues for both teams to move the ball.
Kansas State has question marks in the secondary, an area Rocco Becht might be forced to target if the Wildcats' defense shuts down the Cyclones' rush attack.
Meanwhile, Iowa State is sure to use the three-tight-end package with pre-snap motion and misdirection. The Cyclones could beat Kansas State at the second level through the short passing game.
The Wildcats' offensive line should control the line of scrimmage against the Cyclones' new three-man front, meaning Edwards and Johnson should generate plenty of quality drives and scoring attempts.
These two teams have played in barn burners recently, combining for 60-plus points in the past two head-to-head matchups.
Aviva Stadium is also known for higher scoring first halves during College Football Week 0 kickoffs. Dating back to 2022, the Air Lingus College Football Classic has seen at least 28 points scored in the first half.
The combination of fresh defenses with missed tackle assignments against offensive plays that have been scripted all summer has created explosive plays for teams such as Northwestern, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.
Look for scoring to start early, as Mother Nature may have a few rain showers to help in destabilizing defensive players on a slick track.
Kansas State will control the line of scrimmage on offense, while Becht will find multiple ways to attack a subpar Wildcats secondary.
Pick: 1H Over 24.5 or Better
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Stanford vs Hawaii Pick
The Stanford Cardinal take on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in Honolulu, Hawaii in college football Week 0 on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Hawaii is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -135. The Cardinal, meanwhile, come in at +110 to pull off the upset. The total is set at 50.5 points.
Here's my Stanford vs. Hawaii prediction and college football picks for Saturday, August 23.
Stanford Cardinal Betting Preview
Stanford football started the calendar year with a swerve at the coaching level, as head coach Troy Taylor was fired by new general manager Andrew Luck. The former Cardinal quarterback turned to his NFL coach from his final season of his professional career, drawing Frank Reich to run the team for a single season.
The rebuild is gargantuan, bigger than any Year 0 a team could possibly experience after finishing near dead last in every advanced statistical category in 2024.
A number of freshman quarterbacks were beat out by Ben Gulbranson, a fifth-year senior with 360 career passing attempts at Oregon State. The 2022 season was by far the best of his collegiate career, throwing for 1,440 yards and nine touchdowns.
Gulbranson has posted more turnover-worthy plays than big-time throws, but the expectation is that Stanford will move away from Taylor's system to a more pro-style offense under Reich.
Sophomore Micah Ford won the starting running back duties in camp but had a lackluster 2024 with just 2.7 yards after first contact while forcing just 10 missed tackles on 76 attempts.
Freshman center Ziron Brown had one start a season ago but will now be in charge of creating holes for the new rush-heavy offense.
New defensive coordinator Andy Thompson previously held the same position at Sacramento State. The coach preaches high energy and scheme responsibility for a defense that returns six of its top eight tacklers from a year ago.
Experience may be on the side of the Cardinal defense, but plenty of details must improve from a season ago. The Stanford defense finished bottom-10 nationally in both Quality Drives allowed and Finishing Drives allowed.
The run defense inched inside the top half of FBS rankings in Defensive Line Yards and Stuff Rate but failed to finish in the top 100 in terms of creating a contested catch.
Senior cornerback Collin Wright will be a factor in defending Hawaii's wide receivers after generating five pass breakups and three interceptions in 2024.
Hawaii Warriors Betting Preview
Quarterback Brayden Schager — the Schager Bomb — is no more in the world of head coach Timmy Chang's run-and-shoot offense.
New quarterback Micah Alejado burst onto the scene for Hawaii in his first career start against New Mexico in the final week of last season. Then a freshman, Alejado did not disappoint with a five-touchdown performance that included 469 yards passing on 37-of-57 passing.
The southpaw has no hesitation in finding deep targets for the Rainbow Warriors.
The depth chart is full of receivers that can break free, from junior slot Pofele Ashlock's 104 targets to Nick Cenacle's half-dozen touchdowns out of the other slot position.
Alejado has had chemistry all camp with Brandon White, a Kentucky transfer who was clocked at 4.4 seconds in his 40-time.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman may have the best front returning of all Mountain West teams. The Warriors finished top-30 in Defensive Line Yards, dominating the line of scrimmage against teams using man and gap blocking schemes.
The top five tacklers return to the defense, including linebackers Jamih Otis and Logan Taylor. Jackie Johnson III will continue to come off the edge, bringing back a team-leading 26 pressures from a season ago.
Stanford vs Hawaii Prediction
Plenty of respect has hit the market over the summer in favor of the home team. Hawaii has steamed from a 2.5-point 'dog to a 2.5-point favorite.
Chang will have the more experienced team from an offensive continuity and rush defense perspective, but Stanford's new offense may call for a sluggish start.
None of the running backs expected to get touches for Stanford have experience in creating highlight yards, an issue against a pair of Hawaii linebackers that could challenge for All-Mountain West honors.
The opposite could be said about the middle of the Stanford defense, as it could be one of the worst units in the ACC.
Chang has been much better on the island, winning only two games on the road during his tenure at Hawaii.
Look for Alejado to fit like a glove in the run-and-shoot offense, hitting a number of wide receivers who have the ability to take the ball to the house.
Stanford isn't expected to create pressure from the edge or from the interior, but the coaching staff should be excellent in making adjustments on both sides of the ball.
The expectation of Reich's short tenure has been more about keeping the wheels from falling off the program, installing fundamentals in tackling and assignments in the wake of a fired head coach.
Look for Hawaii to take advantage of a Stanford roster and coaching staff that will be looking for answers after the first half-dozen possessions in the game.
With Reich's ability to create halftime adjustments from multiple years as a head coach in the NFL, take Hawaii in the first half as Alejado gets familiar with old faces and a new portal addition from Kentucky at the wide receiver position.
Pick: Hawaii 1H ML -130
