Week 1 College Football Schedule Features Key Matchups and Betting Predictions

While the 2026 college football season got a hearty appetizer with Week 0, the main course will be served with the Week 1 college football schedule. There are 90 games involving FBS teams on the slate, with several intriguing non-conference matchups. Lane Kiffin makes his LSU debut versus Clemson on Saturday, which has the Tigers of Baton Rouge as 10-point home favorites per the latest Week 1 college football odds. Then on Sunday, the only ranked contest of the weekend occurs with Kiffin's former squad in No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 24 Louisville (+6.5). Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:

Other top non-conference games on Saturday include UCLA vs. Cal (+2.5), which used to be a Pac-12 rivalry, as well as Baylor vs. Auburn (-7.5) at a neutral site in Atlanta. Notre Dame (-20.5) vs. Wisconsin is on Sunday at Lambeau Field, while SMU at Florida State (+3) concludes the weekend on Monday. Before locking in any Week 1 college football picks, be sure to see the latest college football predictions from SportsLine's proven model.

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 32-19 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks on betting sites since the 2024 season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its college football betting picks could have seen strong returns.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds for Week 1 and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

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Top college football predictions for Week 1

One of the top Week 1 college football picks the model is recommending for best betting apps: Auburn (-7.5, 59.5) covers against Baylor in a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff in the debut for coach Alex Golesh at Auburn. No team performed worse versus the line than the Bears last year, going 2-10 ATS. One of those defeats came to Auburn in Week 1, at home, and now Baylor has to travel, where it has lost its last three with a 17-point average margin of defeat. This Auburn team appears to be better than last year's squad, courtesy of the addition of QB Byrum Brown. Last year at USF, he was the only quarterback in the nation with 3,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards. He's projected to rush for more yards than Baylor's entire team, while also throwing for nearly 250 yards as Auburn covers well over 60% of the time.

Another Week 1 prediction: Cincinnati (-7.5, 50.5) covers at home versus Boston College in well over 50% of simulations. BC is coming off a 2-10 season overall, as just one other Power 4 team had a worse record. Even with those struggles, the Eagles didn't dip heavily into the transfer portal as most of their projected starters are returnees from last year's squad. Meanwhile, Cincy plays to the level of its competition as it went 7-6 last year, including 5-2 at home, and all of its defeats came to teams with winning records. That certainly doesn't describe Boston College, which is 1-9 over its last 10 games away from home. In addition to the Bearcats covering, the Over is also a value play as the teams combine for 52 points. See which other picks the model likes here.

How to make college football picks for Week 1

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every Week 1 college football game, including a Big Ten squad suffering a shocking upset. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and which underdog pulls off a shocking upset? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that is on a 32-19 run, and find out.

College football odds for Week 1 notable games

See full Week 1 college football picks, odds, predictions here

(odds subject to change)

Saturday, Sep. 5

North Texas at Indiana (-40.5, 56.5)

Ball State at Ohio State (-50.5, 56.5)

Boise State at Oregon (-24.5, 51.5)

Marshall at Penn State (-23.5, 52.5)

Texas State at Texas (-29.5, 60.5)

Baylor vs. Auburn (-7.5, 59.5)

Clemson at LSU (-10, 50.5)

UCLA at California (+2.5, 53.5)

Sunday, Sep. 6

Washington vs. Washington State (+23.5, 50.5)

Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (-20.5, 46.5)

Louisville vs. Ole Miss (-6.5, 54.5)