I don't particularly love anything on the small eight-game slate, but I did find a few bets worth making on the final Week 0 we may ever see in college football.
Below, I detailed a pair of sides I played in addition to a pair of prop targets in each respective game.
With that said, let's take a look at my Week 0 college football predictions and NCAAF picks for Saturday, August 29.
UNC +9.5 vs. TCU
| UNC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -112 | 46.5 -109o / -114u | +260 |
| TCU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -112 | 46.5 -109o / -114u | -360 |
I took a small bite of UNC at +9.5 even if I do have major concerns about the Tar Heels' offensive line and the defensive structure without coordinator Steve Belichick, who's on medical leave.
I just feel like this is a bit too much respect for a TCU team that will break in a brand-new offensive scheme with a quarterback making his first-ever FBS start, with three new offensive linemen and a brand-new wide receiver room that could be down two of its top options due to injury after already losing alpha Eric McAlister to graduation.
The defense also had to replace major production at both linebacker and defensive back. Plus, TCU hoped to replace do-it-all safety Bud Clark with Louisiana Tech transfer Jacob Fields, who got kicked off the team recently for a locker room fight.
This total also keeps coming down (possibly some impactful weather), which makes the 'dog even more intriguing.
I'm going to trust the more experienced quarterback under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, in addition to one of the greatest defensive minds in football history, to stay within this number.
Let's just hope a brand-spanking-new offensive line isn't an utter disaster.
Admittedly, I could look very foolish by halftime with this one, but that will happen frequently early in the season in the new era of college football. You just have to accept it as reality.
Prop Target: UNC TE Jelani Thurman
The Tar Heels revamped their tight end room in the offseason by bringing in a trio of transfers in Jaxxon Warren (Colorado State), Jordan Washington (Texas) and Jelani Thurman (Ohio State).
Well, Warren and Washington aren't expected to play.
That should lead to a lot of work for the talented Thurman, who will face a very vulnerable linebacker corps that must replace a trio of starters lost to the NFL if you include Devean Deal, who played the hybrid STUD position for TCU in 2025.
Additionally, Zach Chapman, who was expected to slide over to that important STUD position this season, may not suit up due to injury. That could leave the Horned Frogs without three of their top four pressure guys from last season, all of whom had at least 25 pressures while nobody else on the team surpassed 10.
And I already mentioned TCU lost its presumed starting safety late in camp.
I bet Thurman to score a touchdown and to go over 22.5 receiving yards.
North Dakota State -6.5 vs. Jacksonville State
| Jacksonville State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -102 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | +215 |
| North Dakota State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -120 | 46.5 -110o / -110u | -265 |
Jacksonville State has taken money all summer, but I had to jump in on the home Bison once this line fell below 7.
This is a spot where the home-field advantage is juiced up to an extreme, with North Dakota State making its FBS debut in front of what should be a raucous Fargo Dome.
The Bison do have some major questions heading into the season after losing their starting quarterback and top wideout to the NFL, in addition to a pair of outstanding offensive linemen to P4 squads in the portal.
We'll also see if some of the defensive depth pieces who played many snaps in blowouts of inferior FCS teams can step up and produce at a higher level of football.
With that said, this is still an experienced bunch with a known identity on both sides of the ball. I also fully expect the Bison to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
And while Jacksonville State does return starting quarterback Caden Creel, I'm selling everything else about this offense outside of wide receiver Deondre Johnson.
The Gamecocks lost their offensive coordinator to West Virginia, along with a pair of starting offensive linemen.
Most importantly, stud running back Cam Cook (who led the country in rushing yards last year) also departed for Morgantown, which leaves a massive hole in the backfield for a team that wants to lean on its ground game.
The offensive line is also relying on a handful of lower-level transfers to replace a trio of starters who dashed for P4 programs. That unit looks like a severe downgrade and may have some real growing pains early in the season.
If the Bison can get out to a lead in front of this crowd, Creel may struggle mightily if forced to throw in more known passing situations.
In 2025, he completed nearly 70% of his passes when kept clean, but that number fell off a cliff to 39% under pressure.
Prop Target: Jacksonville State WR Deondre Johnson
The running game won't be as effective without Cook, so I expect Jacksonville State will be playing from behind, which will lead to a higher pass rate.
That means potentially more looks for Johnson — a matchup nightmare on the outside at 6-foot-8 for a rather inexperienced cornerback group that must replace a trio of multi-year starters in Jailen Duffie (transferred to UCF), Jaquise Alexander (transferred to Delaware) and Anthony Chideme-Alfaro (graduated).
Johnson really flashed at the end of last year, averaging 93 receiving yards over the final seven games with six touchdowns. He could easily break a long one and/or get a jump ball or two in the red zone.
I personally bet him to score a touchdown at better than 2-1 odds and don't mind looking at his receiving yards over.
