Latest College Football Odds and Picks Factoring in New Weather Forecasts for Week 0 Schedule

It may seem difficult to believe, but college football is back. Week 0 will officially kick off on Saturday when North Carolina and TCU do battle in Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. A handful of other intriguing games will follow as the NCAA provides its proverbial appetizer to next week's main course.

Week 1 is set to begin on Thursday, September 3.

In addition to the opener in Ireland, fans will see No. 14 USC in Week 0 action, plus an underrated matchup between Jacksonville State and North Dakota State.

Here, you'll find a look at what's ahead, including scheduling information, odds, predictions, and the latest forecast information from The Weather Channel .

Schedule: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN and Disney+

Jacksonville State (+7.5) at North Dakota State

Prediction: North Dakota State 30, Jacksonville State 20

Sacramento State (+9.5) at Eastern Michigan

Prediction: Eastern Michigan 28, Sacramento State 23

Forecast: Clear to Partly Cloudy, Low of 57°F

New Mexico State (+30.5) at Florida State

Forecast: Scattered Thunderstorms, Low of 71°F

Prediction: Florida State 48, New Mexico State 17

While Week 0 isn't loaded with marquee matchups or top-25 teams, fans will be treated to some meaningful action.

The day's opener might not feature title contenders, but it will likely serve as a talking point in the following week. After a 4-8 debut season, Bill Belichick is desperately trying to turn around his heavily hyped North Carolina program.

The Tarheels have generated far more drama off the field than on it during Belichick's tenure—the latest development seeing GM Michael Lombardi being placed on administrative leave —but winning can cure plenty. The question is whether North Carolina can win against a quality TCU team that thumped the Tarheels 48-14 in last year's opener.

The Horned Frogs are rightfully favored here, though an improved North Carolina roster (on paper) and possible rainfall should keep this one closer than last year's matchup.

USC enters Week 0 as a top-25 team and a potential College Football Playoff (CFP) contender. Head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Jayden Maiava are back and looking to improve upon last year's 9-4 record. The Trojans were 7-2 in Big Ten play last year but went 2-3 against ranked opponents and missed the CFP.

San Jose State will largely serve as a tune-up opponent for USC, but the game should give fans an early glimpse at a Trojans squad looking to make noise in the playoff race.

After a soft early schedule, USC will face potential title contenders in Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana.

The midday matchup between Jacksonville State and North Dakota State might not be on the radar of many casual fans, but it should be a fun one for those who tune in.

This game will mark North Dakota State's FBS debut as the program officially joins the Mountain West. The Bison won a whopping 10 championships at the FCS level and will now test their ability against FBS competition—Jacksonville State made the leap in 2023—in quarterback Nathan Hayes's first career start.

"It's super exciting, but we just put our heads down and work," Hayes told James McCarthy of Flag Family Media.

The Bison will be worth tracking in 2026 because it is immediately eligible for the CFP. This offseason, the Division I Cabinet voted to eliminate the two-year transition penalty for teams making the FCS-to-FBS jump. North Dakota State and Sacramento State are making that jump in 2026 and will be playoff-eligible if they meet all other CFP requirements.

Saturday's nightcap will bring another potentially CFP-relevant matchup between Memphis and UNLV. Both programs head into 2026 with a chance to represent the Group of Six in the playoff.

With the Pac-12 rebranded as a non-power conference, the Group of Five has been upgraded to a six-conference field. At the end of the regular season, the highest-ranked G6 team will earn a playoff bid.

Memphis is among the preseason ACC favorites, while UNLV is a slight favorite (+260) in the Mountain West over North Dakota State (+320). The ACC, Mountain West, Pac-12, MAC, Sun Belt, and C-USA now comprise the Group of Six.

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