College Football Player Props Week 0: Odds, Best Bets & Expert Picks This Week

While the first full slate of the college football season won't begin until next week, Week 0 is the perfect warmup with five games featuring FBS teams. While it may not include any of the Heisman Trophy odds favorites, there are still several talented QBs to focus on with your college football player prop bets for Week 0.

The biggest game of the day takes place in Dublin, Ireland, with two College Football Playoff odds hopefuls in Iowa State and Kansas State meeting in Farmageddon, and there may be no player who draws more bets this Saturday than Wildcats QB Avery Johnson.

Although the rest of the slate lacks college football national championship odds contenders, there are more than a few players to target for your college football Week 0 predictions.

🏈 College football player props: Week 0

College football picks made Thursday; odds subject to change. Follow the latest college football scores for line history and matchup info.

✅ Avery Johnson Over 54.5 rushing yards vs. Iowa State (-115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Jalon Daniels Under 205.5 passing yards vs. Fresno State (-115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐ 
✅ Maverick McIvor Over 280.5 passing yards vs. Sam Houston (-114 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅ Nick Cenacle Over 68.5 receiving yards vs. Stanford (-114 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

💰 Best Week 0 player prop bets

🔎 Our college football player prop odds tool can help you find the best college football odds across legal sportsbooks in your area!

🟣 Avery Johnson Over 54.5 rushing yards (-115) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Johnson comes into the season viewed as a popular player in Heisman Trophy long shot predictions due to his dual-threat ability. The junior was one of the most dynamic running QBs down the stretch last season, popping off for at least 57 yards on the ground in each of his last three games.

He finished last season 17th in the country in rushing yards among QBs (605) and top 30 in missed tackles forced (22) and 10-plus-yard runs (31) among QBs. With Iowa State's defense outside the top 50 in returning production after finishing 73rd in EPA per rush on defense last season, Johnson's legs should make a huge difference in Farmageddon.

This line is set as high as 57.5 at some of our best sportsbooks, which is why I'm all over this prop at BetMGM, where a $10 bet pays an $8.70 profit. Johnson went Over 54.5 rushing yards in seven of his last 11 games last season.

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🔵 Jalon Daniels Under 205.5 passing yards (-115) ⭐⭐⭐

Taking the Under on Daniels' passing yards has more to do with the success I expect Kansas to have than with any questions about the senior QB. The Jayhawks are a double-digit favorite, and I'm taking them to cover in my college football Week 0 against the spread picks, so I don't think Daniels will need to go to the air often enough to hit this Over. 

Last season, Daniels averaged 204.5 passing yards per game, and he fell short of this mark in seven of 12 games. With the Jayhawks still having a run-first approach under Lance Leipold, even with Devin Neal off to the NFL, I'm expecting Daniels and running backs Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams to carry the load on the ground.

With Matt Entz taking over as head coach, Fresno State has a lot of new faces and ranks just No. 104 in returning production, with most of last year's front seven gone. This same prop is set as low as 198.5 elsewhere with the same odds as this wager at BetMGM, which pay an $8.70 profit on a $10 winning bet.

🎈 Maverick McIvor Over 280.5 passing yards (-114) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tyson Helton loves to bring in transfer QBs, and Maverick McIvor is the latest. He comes over from Abilene Christian with Rick Bowie, the Hilltoppers' new offensive coordinator, after throwing for the fourth-most yards in the FCS last season (3,814) - that included going for 502 in the Wildcats' lone game against an FBS team (Texas Tech).

Although Sam Houston had a top Group of Five team last season, this is a completely different-looking program with bench boss K.C. Keeler now at Temple and Phil Longo taking over as head coach. Longo's Bearkats sit just No. 109 in returning production, and SP+ has them ranked No. 135 on defense heading into the season.

Given Longo's offensive approach, don't expect Sam Houston's defense to get much rest in what could be a high-scoring game in The Houch. McIvor has plenty of weapons to expose the Bearkats, too, with FCS All-American Matthew Henry poised to shine. If McIvor hits the Over, a $10 bet at FanDuel pays an $8.77 profit.

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🌺 Nick Cenacle Over 68.5 receiving yards (-114) ⭐⭐⭐

This might be the year Hawaii finally gets back on track, and if it does, it will be because of the Rainbow Warriors' run-and-shoot passing attack being led by freshman Micah Alejado. If Alejado takes the leap, one of the biggest beneficiaries will be Nick Cenacle. 

The Montreal native was recently ranked the No. 4 prospect in the CFL draft by the CFL Scouting Bureau after a breakout campaign last year that saw him go Over 68.5 receiving yards in each of his final four games. With Stanford in chaos heading into the season with Frank Reich as interim head coach, the Cardinal could be in trouble against this passing game when they visit Honolulu.

Stanford ranks No. 92 in SP+ on defense and was No. 120 in EPA per pass on defense last season, and it lost its most impactful defender, David Bailey, to Texas Tech in the transfer portal. Expect Cenacle to have plenty of opportunities to hit this Over, and if he does, a $10 bet at FanDuel pays an $8.77 profit.

❓College football betting FAQs

How do college football player props work?

Player props are wagers on individual performances rather than the outcome of the game. Common props include a quarterback’s passing yards, a running back’s rushing yards, or a receiver's receiving yards. For example, if a QB’s passing yards line is set at 250.5, you can bet the Over (251-plus yards) or Under (250 or fewer yards). You can also bet on if a specific player will score a touchdown.

How do college football spread odds work?

When betting on college football, the favorite needs to win by a certain number of points to cover the "point spread" - also known as the betting line. Conversely, the underdog needs to lose by fewer than the points displayed in the spread or win outright to cash. For example, a 3-point favorite would need to win by more than a field goal to reward bettors.

How do college football moneyline odds work?

When betting on college football, the underdog will have the "longer" odds and is typically priced at "plus-money" odds that indicate the profit on a $100 bet. For example, a team with +150 odds would turn a $100 bet into a $150 profit - or a $10 bet into a $15 profit - according to our odds converter.

Where can I find the best college football betting odds?

Shop around our best college football betting sites to find the best odds for your college football picks. Our best sports betting sites for all sports include BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings.

🏆 College football betting odds

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