The long wait is soon over for college football fans! August 23rd is the official first day, and week 1 has a ton of great matchups to kick off the season! Call it week 0 or week 1, most websites just lump it together and call it week 1, so I am sticking to that!
We have 5 games set to kick off our college football season on the 23rd, with the rest of Week 1 to follow Thursday, August 28th, through Monday, September 1st. Below are some of my favorite bets for Week 1. Let’s have another great season!
Minnesota opens the season in a tricky spot against a Buffalo team that quietly returns a solid core of offensive production, including 1,000-yard rusher Al-Jay Henderson, and brings in transfer QB Ta’Quan Roberson from Kansas State. On the other side, the Gophers are also breaking in a new quarterback and still searching for a consistent offensive identity after struggling down the stretch last season. In their past 6 matchups vs MAC schools, they have an average winning margin of 12.5.
Current ELO rankings have Minnesota 46 and Buffalo 61, while both teams were very similar in statistical comparison, even though the strength of schedule may have been in favor of Minnesota. They both averaged around the same yards per play on offense last year, while Buffalo averaged more points per play. If Buffalo leans on a 58% rush play game plan, they could control enough time of possession to keep this a closer game. These two have faced off twice, and this line is 1-1.
Matt Rhule and second-year quarterback Dylan Raiola are set to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in a neutral-site matchup at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Cornhuskers bring back a strong core on defense that ranked top 20 in 2024 and projects to be top 15 this season. With more continuity and stability in this offensive system with quarterback Dylan Raiola under center, I expect Nebraska to be better offensively this season.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, is still rebuilding under Scott Satterfield after finishing 5-7 last year in 2024, and if they don’t improve on 6.0 opponents’ yards/play, it will be tough to find 6 wins in 2025. They also allowed 92% red zone conversions, so if Nebraska can find the red zone, it could be a long day. The neutral site throws a wrench in this game; if it were at Nebraska, they win by 10; 7 is a good number here!
I am high on this Tulane team this season, and I will take them out of the gate to cover the spread at home vs Northwestern! In 2024, Tulane was the better team in almost every offensive and defensive category you could name. I trust Pat Sumral to keep this team rolling after consecutive 9-win seasons. Tulane averaged 6.1 yards/play in 2024 while Northwestern only mustered 4.2 yards/play. The more glaring stat is that Tulane doubled Northwestern in Points/Play at 0.512 to 0.261.
The Green Wave still boasts a strong run game and a defense that is well-balanced. I don’t expect Northwestern to take a big leap in 2025, and losing seven of their last nine games last season didn’t show much fight. I believe Tulane has the more talented squad, and they could also be a good parlay piece!
In one of the marquee matchups of the first week, Clemson welcomes in LSU! A top 10 matchup, Clemson’s entire season could be at stake as this will be their biggest and toughest game of the entire season. Clemson looks to build off of last year’s playoff run, while Brian Kelly will try to avoid not only another missed playoff, but also losing the first week of the season.
Clemson returns several future NFL players on defense, and Cade Klubnik should benefit from another year in Garrett Riley’s system. This will be a fantastic matchup with two of the top quarterbacks in the country! LSU, while talented, faces questions in the secondary, and I believe Clemson’s physicality could expose LSU early. This is a coin-flip game on paper, but Clemson’s continuity and defensive ceiling give them a slight edge, especially at home.
Jonathan Smith may be gone, but Trent Bray is slowly getting Oregon State turned around. I may not be high on Oregon State for the season, but this is a pure fade on California, which was decimated in the transfer portal. I also like what Oregon State did, bringing in Maalik Murphy from Duke while returning 1,000-yard rusher Anthony Hankerson and their top receiver Trent Walker.
The Beavers were one of the worst teams on defense last season, generating little pressure on the quarterback and couldn’t stop the run to save their lives. I expect Bray and his staff to get that in a better position this season. This may be a close game, but Beavers at home should have the advantage on both sides of the ball.
I am going to ride Notre Dame all season. Outside of their first two games, they have one of the easiest schedules in football. If they can get through the first two weeks, they could have an undefeated season. Is 2025 the year Marcus Freeman’s Irish avoid a disaster loss at home early in the season? Their first test won’t be an easy one, on the road in a tough environment heading into Miami, Florida.
Outside of the quarterback questions for Notre Dame, they still return one of the top all-around rosters with both talent and depth. Miami has recruited well but remains inconsistent under Mario Cristobal, especially when it comes to offensive efficiency and in-game adjustments. I’ve never been a big Beck fan. It was a nice transfer for Miami, but I don’t think he will be able to solve Notre Dame’s defense.
The Irish finished top 15 in opponent yards per play in 2024 and should control the tempo against a Hurricanes team that has struggled against physical fronts. This is a manageable price to back a completer and more disciplined Notre Dame team.
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