College Football ATS Picks for Every Game in Week 0 (TCU Will Cruise Past North Carolina)

Week 0 of the college football season is upon us, and while we don't have a huge slate of games with only 16 teams in action, it serves as a perfect warm-up for the full-fledged slate that waits for us in Week 1.

If you're looking to place some bets on the Week 0 slate, you're in the right spot. In this article, I'm going to give you my spread pick for all eight games. Let's dive into them.

All odds listed in this article are via Caesars Sportsbook

College Football Week 0 Spread Picks

North Carolina vs. TCU Spread Pick

Pick: TCU -7.5 (-114)

I wouldn't be surprised if Bill Belichick doesn't last the year in Chapel Hill. There has been nothing but negativity and controversy coming out of the program since he was hired, and he has the odds stacked against him in 2026.

Keep an eye on TCU's new quarterback, Jaden Craig, who was fantastic in FCS play for Harvard last season, racking up 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The Horned Frogs cruised past the Tar Heels last season, and I expect a similar result this time around.

San Jose State vs. USC Spread Pick

Pick: USC -38.5 (-110)

Peter Dewey made the case for laying the points with USC in his betting preview for the game:

San Jose State opened the 2025 season on the road against Texas, losing that game 38-7.

It has a rather inexperienced quarterback in Weaver (105 career pass attempts at Hawaii) heading into this matchup against a USC team that should have an elite offense with Maiava under center.

This is a tough game to bet on because of the massive spread, but oddsmakers are expecting nearly 60 points to be scored in this game. If that’s the case, I love USC’s chances of covering the number, especially since San Jose State scored less than 20 points in all four of its games to end the 2025 season.

In fact, the Spartans were outside the top-100 in the country in EPA/Play on offense.

Maybe Weaver turns that around, but I don’t expect this team to compete with a USC squad that has College Football Playoff aspirations.

NC State vs. Virginia Spread Pick

Pick: Virginia -5.5 (-112)

Virginia was carried by their defense last year, and they are returning 62% of their production from 2025, so I expect their defense to once again be the highlight of the team. If their defense can carry their momentum from last year into Week 0, they'll be in a great spot to win and cover this spread.

Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State Spread Pick

Pick: North Dakota State -6.5 (-122)

Based on the Bison's historic results against FBS teams, it's hard not to think they'll immediately find success at this level, especially against a team as underwhelming as Jacksonville State. NDSU lost by just five points to Colorado in 2024 and lost by only three points to Arizona in 2022. Prior to that, they had six straight wins against FBS teams, with their most recent being a 23-21 victory against Iowa in 2016. I have faith they can continue that success this season and should be able to take care of business against a team from Conference USA.

Sacramento State vs. Eastern Michigan Spread Pick

Pick: Eastern Michigan +10 (-110)

I'm not ready to lay this many points on Eastern Michigan. Their numbers from a season ago were far worse than their already bad record. They finished the season ranking 123rd in the country in net adjusted EPA per play. They also lost their best playmaker, running back Dontae McMillan, who racked up 1,014 rushing yards while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Hawaii vs. Stanford Spread Pick

Pick: Hawaii +3.5 (-115)

Hawaii's quarterback, Micah Alejandro, is poised for a huge season. The sophomore was beyond impressive as a freshman. He threw for 3,106 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He gets to open his season against a Stanford defense that significantly struggled last year, ranking 96th in opponent EPA. The Rainbow Warriors should be able to keep this game within a field goal.

New Mexico State vs. Florida State Spread Pick

Pick: Florida State -31.5 (-107)

I think Florida State is being relatively underrated this season. Their success is going to come down to how their new quarterback, Ashton Daniels, the Auburn transfer, performs. He'll get plenty of help with Duce Robinson at wide receiver, a player that New Mexico State isn't going to be able to cover in this Week 0 game. It's a big spread to back, but I think the Seminoles will cover it with ease.

Memphis vs. UNLV Spread Pick

Pick: Memphis +4.5 (-112)

These two teams had two of the best rushing attacks in the nation last year, but it was Memphis that was much better at defending the run. They ranked 18th in the country in opponent EPA per rush. Meanwhile, UNLV ranked 127th in that metric. If those numbers carry over to 2026, the Tigers are going to have the advantage on the ground and their defense should be able to keep this game within reach.

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