College Football Predictions & Odds Today: Expert Picks for Every Game on Aug. 28

Our college football predictions and odds today analyze today's 16-game NCAA slate and help navigate every matchup with the latest picks. Our deep dive of the day's top games includes college football picks for showdowns like Boise State vs. South Florida and Nebraska vs. Cincinnati.

Our college football predictions for Week 1 highlight the entire weekend's top NCAA football action, covering contests from tonight through Monday night, when TCU meets North Carolina.

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📆 College football schedule today

• No. 25 Boise State at South Florida, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Ohio at Rutgers, 6 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
• Lafayette at Bowling Green, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• East Carolina at NC State, 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
• Delaware State at Delaware, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Jacksonville State at UCF, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• St. Francis (PA) at ULM, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Wyoming at Akron, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Central Arkansas at Missouri, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
• Elon at Duke, 7:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network Extra, ESPN+)
• UT-Martin at Oklahoma State, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Buffalo at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Stephen F. Austin at Houston, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Nebraska vs. Cincinnati, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Miami (OH) at Wisconsin, 9 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
• Stony Brook at San Diego State, 10 p.m. ET (MWC Digital)

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🏈 Best college football predictions today

We've compiled the best bets from our college football experts from throughout the week; odds subject to change.

• South Florida +5.5 (-108 via FanDuel) vs. Boise State ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• NC State -13.5 (-120 via FanDuel) vs. East Carolina ⭐⭐⭐
• Wyoming-Akron Over 47.5 points (-110 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Buffalo-Minnesota Under 43.5 points (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
• Nebraska -6.5 (-115 via bet365) vs. Cincinnati ⭐⭐⭐

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💰 College football odds & expert picks for Week 1

College football odds update live in real time.

📊 Boise State vs. South Florida odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.)
• How to watch: ESPN

🔮 Boise State vs. South Florida prediction: South Florida +5.5

Here's an excerpt from our Boise State vs. South Florida prediction on why Phil Wood predicts South Florida will cover the spread against Boise State on Thursday:

"The Broncos’ fitness will be tested right away, as they travel across the country to play in temperatures expected to be in the 80s ... Byrum Brown returns under center [for South Florida] after an injury-shortened season. Though he threw only two touchdowns in five games, he rushed for 269 yards and three scores. Look for the dual-threat to keep his team in this game, as they cover the spread and possibly win."

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📊 East Carolina vs. NC State odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Carter–Finley Stadium (Raleigh, N.C.)
• How to watch: ACC Network

🔮 East Carolina vs. NC State prediction: NC State -13.5

Here's why I am predicting NC State will cover the spread against East Carolina on Thursday:

This one will get testy after East Carolina's win over NC State in the 2024 Military Bowl sparked a brawl at the buzzer. While the Pirates have fared well against their rivals in recent seasons, I cannot see a team that lost 10 starters on defense going on the road and keeping pace with a Power Four school.

The Wolfpack are 17-8 SU against ECU in Raleigh, so I expect them to win comfortably behind an experienced offense.

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📊 Wyoming vs. Akron odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: InfoCision Stadium (Akron, Ohio)
• How to watch: ESPN+

🔮 Wyoming vs. Akron prediction: Over 47.5

Here's why I am predicting Wyoming-Akron to finish Over 47.5 on Thursday:

Akron is on a 13-game losing streak in openers against FBS competition. Even though I'm fairly confident Joe Moorhead's sinking ship will take on a bit more water tonight, I'm not going to put my faith in a Wyoming team that finished 3-9 in its first season under Jay Sawvel.

I'm especially not taking the visitors to cover a 6-point spread. The Cowboys and Zips combined to go Over at a 58.33% clip last campaign. Thus, I'll back the experienced offenses to take advantage of question marks on the defensive side of the ball.

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📊 Buffalo vs. Minnesota odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Huntington Bank Stadium (Minneapolis)
• How to watch: FS1

🔮 Buffalo vs. Minnesota prediction: Under 43.5

Here's why I am predicting Buffalo-Minnesota to finish Under 43.5 on Thursday:

What do you get when you mix one of the sport's most experienced defenses with an opposing freshman quarterback and fierce ground game in a season opener? Not a lot of points. Buffalo returns all but one defensive starter from last season to oppose Drake Lindsey and Minnesota's two-headed ground monster.

That's a recipe for a low-scoring affair. P.J. Fleck is 48-47-2 to the Under as head coach of the Golden Gophers in a high-flying Big Ten conference. Let's live a little bit in this midweek season-opening showdown.

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📊 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
• How to watch: ESPN

🔮 Nebraska vs. Cincinnati prediction: Nebraska -6.5

Here's an excerpt from our Nebraska vs. Cincinnati prediction on why Isaiah Sirois predicts Nebraska will cover the spread against Cincinnati on Thursday:

"Last year, head coach Matt Rhule made a late-season switch to offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, and Dylan Raiola’s passing yardage per game improved from 211.2 to 235.7 ... With a full offseason to work with Holgorsen and two transfer wide receivers in Nyziah Hunter (Cal) and Dane Key (Kentucky), I want Nebraska here because Raiola should improve in his sophomore season."

🔢 More college football odds tonight

Track the latest college football scores for line movement and matchup info.

📊 Ohio vs. Rutgers odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
• Location: SHI Stadium (Piscataway, N.J.)
• How to watch: Big Ten Network

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📊 Lafayette vs. Bowling Green odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
• Location: Doyt L. Perry Stadium (Bowling Green, Ohio)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 Delaware State vs. Delaware odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Delaware Stadium (Newark, Del.)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 Jacksonville State vs. UCF odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Acrisure Bounce House (Orlando, Fla.)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 St. Francis (Pa.) vs. ULM odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Malone Stadium (Monroe, La.)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 Central Arkansas vs. Missouri odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium (Columbia, Mo.)
• How to watch: SEC Network

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📊 Elon vs. Duke odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Wallace Wade Stadium (Durham, N.C.)
• How to watch: ACC Network Extra

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📊 UT Martin vs. Oklahoma State odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Boone Pickens Stadium (Stillwater, Okla.)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: TDECU Stadium (Houston)
• How to watch: ESPN+

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📊 Miami (OH) vs. Wisconsin odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, Wis.)
• How to watch: Big Ten Network

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📊 Stony Brook vs. San Diego State odds

• Date: Thursday, Aug. 28
• Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
• Location: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
• How to watch: MWC Digital

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❓ College football betting FAQs

How do college football odds work?

When betting on college football, the point spread shows how many points the favorite needs to win by in order to cash the bet. For example, a favorite of -3 means it must win by more than 3 points to cover the spread, while an underdog at +3 must win outright or lose by fewer than 3 points to cover the spread.

Moneyline odds represent the payout for picking the outright winner (+200 means a $100 bet wins $200, while -200 means a $200 bet wins $100). Over/Unders let you wager on whether the combined total will be higher or lower than the set number.

You can determine the payouts and implied probabilities for any wager - or convert odds to different formats - with our odds converter.

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