If you are aware "Farmageddon" is taking place in Ireland this week, Week 0 was designed for you.
College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 0 matchups originally appeared on The Sporting News
If you are aware "Farmageddon" is taking place in Ireland this week, Week 0 was designed for you.
Yeah, college football is back. No. 17 Kansas State takes on No. 22 Iowa State in the season opener at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. on ESPN. It's a high-stakes opener for the Wildcats – coming off a 9-4 season – and the Cyclones – who made the Big 12 championship game last season and finished 11-3.
It's a battle between experienced quarterbacks in Avery Johnson and Rocco Becht. There are Big 12 and College Football Playoff implications as a result, and the coaching matchup between Chris Klieman and Matt Campbell should not disappoint.
SN QB RANKINGS: Top 25 | Big Ten | SEC | Big 12 | ACC
Kansas – another Big 12 hopeful – faces Fresno State in Week 0, and UNLV coach Dan Mullen will make his debut against Idaho State. Sam Houston faces Western Kentucky and Stanford takes on Hawaii.
Each week, we pick every game against the spread for Top 25 teams, but we'll throw in those other games involving FBS teams as a bonus for Week 0. We finished 144-146 (.497) against the spread and 216-74 (.745) straight up last season. That was down from 2023, when we finished 151-136 (52.6%) against the spread and 224-66 (77.2%) straight up.
Let's start this season off in style. Here are our Week 0 predictions against the spread.
MORE: CFP projections | Bowl projections | Composite preseason Top 25
Week 0 picks against the spread
No. 17 Kansas State (-3) vs. No. 22 Iowa State (12 p.m., ESPN)
Iowa State has won four of the last five meetings, including one-score games each of the last two seasons. The Cyclones also were 2-0 ATS as an underdog last season. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel – a pair of 1,000-yard receivers – are gone for the NFL, so Becht will have to figure out the connection with UCF transfer Xavier Townsend and East Carolina transfer Chase Sowell. The Cyclones will hammer at the Wildcats with running backs Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III early while Becht gets comfortable. Those running backs combined for 139 yards on 4.9 yards per carry in last year's game. Will Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine – who had 12 tackles in last year's game – be able to disrupt that?
Johnson had three TDs and no interceptions in last year's matchup – a 29-21 loss – and Jayce Brown had 106 yards and two TDs. Dylan Edwards gets his shot at lead-back duties, and the Wildcats are even with Iowa State from the talent perspective. The difference last year was a pair of fumbles, and the turnover battle is unpredictable in an overseas matchup. The pressure is on Kansas State, but Johnson will extend a few plays with his scrambling, and if the Wildcats can avoid those costly turnovers, they will take the early lead in the Big 12 race. Kansas State was 9-3 S/U as a favorite last year, but they were 3-9 ATS. If this line bumps up more, then there will be value in the Cyclones.
Pick: Kansas State wins 24-20 and COVERS the spread
MORE: Sporting News 2025 Preseason All-America Team
Fresno State at Kansas (-12.5) (6:30 p.m., Fox)
This is a big year for Kansas under Lance Leipold. Jalon Daniels is back (again) and healthy. Running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. could be a breakout candidate at running back and the Jayhawks will show off a renovated Memorial Stadium in the opener. Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner – the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner – has 58 TDs and 37 interceptions through stops at Temple and Rice. If the Jayhawks win the turnover battle by two or more, then the Bulldogs will be in trouble here. Kansas was 1-3 ATS as a home favorite last season. Fresno State can get a back-door cover here.
Pick: Kansas wins 31-21 but FAILS TO COVER the spread
MORE: Ranking 2025 CFB head coaches, from 1-136
Sam Houston at Western Kentucky (-10) (7 p.m., CBSSN)
Sam Houston welcomes new coach Phil Longo, who is making the switch to an Air Raid offense. That transition – and a rebuilt defense with at least eight transfers – will try to win the Conference-USA opener at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers also have several transfers in their starting lineup, including quarterback Maverick McIver, who had 3,828 passing yards and 30 TDs with Abilene Christian at the FCS level last season. This feels like a shootout – and Western Kentucky is 4-5 ATS as a home favorite the last two seasons.
Pick: Western Kentucky wins 38-27 and COVERS the spread
Stanford at Hawaii (-2) (7:30 p.m., CBS)
The Warriors were 4-3 at home last season, and Timmy Chang has a new quarterback in Micah Alejado. Stanford features first-year coach Frank Reich and sixth-year quarterback Ben Gulbranson, who is working with a group that includes four transfer receivers. Hawaii is a little further ahead in its rebuild, and Stanford ranked 116th in scoring defense last year. Is there room for an upset on the road? Hawaii is 0-6 S/U against Power 4 opponents under Chang.
Pick: Stanford wins 29-24 in an UPSET
Category: General Sports
