The new college football season is just days away, and there has never been a better time to make your week 1 college football predictions.
The NCAAF odds have been released on your favorite free sportsbook for what promises to be an action-packed week of football. There will be no easy games for the defending champions Ohio State, as they kick off their season against the Texas Longhorns.
College Football Week 1 Odds
There has never been a better time to make your free college football predictions using the NCAAF odds. The season is days away from getting underway, and here are the college football odds for the major week 1 matchups.
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| Iowa State at Kansas State | Kansas State -2.5 (-143) | IOW +120/KS -175 | 49.5 |
| Western Illinois at Illinois | Illinois -46.5 (-120) | Western Illinois +1000 | 63.5 |
| Auburn at Baylor | Auburn -1.5 (-134) | AUB -145/BAY +100 | 58.5 |
| Georgia Tech at Colorado | Georgia Tech -3.5 (-134) | GT -200/COL +135 | 54.5 |
| Texas at Ohio State | Ohio State -2.5 (-120) | TEX +100/OS -145 | 48.5 |
| Syracuse at Tennessee | Tennessee -13.5 (-125) | SYR +375/TEN -750 | 51.5 |
| Alabama at Florida State | Alabama -13.5 (-120) | ALA -600/FS +325 | 50.5 |
| Marshall at Georgia | Georgia -39.5 (-120) | N/A | 55.5 |
| Montana State at Oregon | Oregon -27.5 (-120) | Montana State +900 | 56.5 |
| Illinois State at Oklahoma | Oklahoma -35.5 (-118) | Illinois State +900 | 60.5 |
| UTSA at Texas A&M | Texas A&M -21.5 (-120) | UTSA +575/A&M -1700 | 56.5 |
| LSU at Clemson | Clemson -3.5 (-134) | LSU +130/CLE -190 | 57.5 |
| Georgia State at Ole Miss | Ole Miss -38.5 (-134) | N/A | 61.5 |
| Northern Arizona at Arizona State | Arizona State -28.5 (-120) | Northern Arizona +1000 | 52.5 |
| Virginia Tech at South Carolina | South Carolina -8.5 (-112) | VT +205/SC -320 | 48.5 |
| Notre Dame at Miami | Notre Dame -2.5 (-120) | ND -145/MIA +100 | 49.5 |
College Football Week 1 Odds Analysis
(#9) LSU at (#4) Clemson
- Spread: Clemson -3.5, LSU +3.5
- Moneyline: Clemson -190, LSU +130
- Over/Under: 57.5 Points
- Time: Saturday, August 30th, 6:30 PM EST
The first game for your college football week 1 predictions is between two teams entering the season inside the top 10. LSU slipped just outside the top 25 to close out last season, while Clemson finished ranked 14th in the country.
Both of these teams enter the 2025 season with far more optimism and will expect to take a step towards the playoffs with a Week 1 victory. The American football odds give the Clemson Tigers a slight edge, but the NCAAF odds should be nearly 50/50 between these two teams.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is a contender to go first overall in the NFL draft next season and will be eager to start his fifth year in school with a victory.
His accuracy still needs work, but his ability to bulldoze through defenders to keep plays alive will give LSU a serious advantage in this matchup. He isn’t yet fully grown and will be hoping to put on a few more pounds, but there is no denying the importance of Nussmeier for this franchise.
It is a bit surprising to see LSU getting more than a field goal on the NCAAF odds, and we will scoop them up against the spread for the first week 1 college football prediction.
Pick: LSU (+3.5) -112
(#1) Texas at (#3) Ohio State
- Spread: Ohio State (-2.5), Texas (+2.5)
- Moneyline: Ohio State -145, Texas +100
- Over/Under: 48.5 Points
- Time: Saturday, August 30th, 11:00 AM EST
This is a big one for your college football predictions, week 1. Texas will have revenge on its mind as it heads to Ohio to take on the Buckeyes. These two teams clashed in the college football semifinals last season, with Ohio State eventually going on to win the National Championship.
For Texas, Arch Manning will undoubtedly be the starting quarterback as he prepares for the upcoming NFL draft. Kicking off the season on the right foot will help Texas expel its nightmares from last season, while the Buckeyes will look to pick up right where they left off.
Ohio State made the surprise decision to start Julian Sayin in this matchup, as the second-year quarterback is still very unproven. Sayin has the potential to be great for Ohio State, and a big debut could see him win over the fan base from the first snap. However, that will not be the case.
Texas is too big, strong, and experienced to lose this one. Manning will follow in his family’s footsteps and get a massive week 1 win for the Longhorns.
Pick: Texas Moneyline +100
Curious how the season started? Take a look back at our College Football Picks Week 2 to see how those early predictions set the stage for today’s matchups.
College Football Week 1 Odds FAQ
When do College Football Week 1 games begin?
College football week 1 games begin on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025, at 12 PM EST. The opening week of college football is always special, and the committee has treated fans to a ranked matchup between #22 Iowa State and #17 Kansas State to kick off the college football week 1 predictions.
What is the Best Game this Week?
There are a few candidates for the best game of Week 1, including #4 Clemson taking on #9 LSU.
However, there is a clear best game of Week 1, and that is #1 Texas and #3 Ohio State. This is a rematch of the Cotton Bowl Classic from last season, where Ohio State prevailed 28-14 before winning the College Football championship the following week.
An early loss will dent the aspirations of one of these two title contenders, and it is all to play for as the season kicks off with several opportunities to make college football week 1 predictions in 2025.
