The wait for college football won’t last much longer, as a four-pack of Week 0 games is coming soon.
The latest: On Saturday, August 23, the NCAA Division I season officially kicks off with a notable Big 12 matchup in Ireland. There are three games on U.S. soil, too, including a matchup between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Check out our 2025 college football Week 0 odds and betting lines as of July 17.
College football Week 0 odds
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Kansas State (-163) vs. Iowa State (+135)
Date: Aug. 23 at 12 p.m. ET
Spread: Kansas State -3.5 (-110)
The Big 12 was the most congested conference in the FBS last year. It’s shaping up to be that way again in 2025.
K-State is the frontrunner at +400, which is just a 20.0% implied probability. That’s the lowest implied probability for any preseason conference favourite.
Quarterback Avery Johnson is a strong dual-threat presence for the Wildcats, and he’ll have some intriguing weapons to work with.
K-State now has three receivers (two of whom transferred in) who averaged 15-plus yards per catch or more in 2024.
Iowa State was tied for the best Big 12 record last year (7-2). But with key losses that include two NFL-bound receivers, the Cyclones are expected to take a small step back. Still, in a conference as wide open as this one, this is about as weighty as a Week 0 matchup gets.
Keep in mind that there’s no true home team for this intraconference clash. The Wildcats and Cyclones will play at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
Fresno State (+425) vs. Kansas (-600)
Date: Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Spread: Kansas -14 (-110)
Some sizeable what-ifs surrounded the Jayhawks last year as a result of their 1-5 record in one-score games.
This matchup isn’t supposed to be a one-score game, so maybe Kansas can get off on the right foot.
After a 6-7 season, Fresno State was ravaged by transfers and graduations.
- The Bulldogs’ starting quarterback is gone, as are their top three receivers, 60% of the offensive line and 11 of 16 defensive players with 300-plus snaps (per ESPN).
- It’s Year 6 in Kansas for QB Jalon Daniels, who once competed against Chuba Hubbard (now entering his fifth NFL season).
- Daniels is erratic but exciting, evidenced by his Big 12-highs in interceptions (12) and yards per completion (14.4) a season ago.
College football Week 0 odds: Sam Houston (+280) vs. Western Kentucky (-350)
Date: Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. ET
Spread: Western Kentucky -9.5 (-110)
Just as the Kansas State/Iowa State matchup is key for the power balance of the Big 12, this game has plenty of meaning for the state of Conference USA.
The Hilltoppers have the second-shortest odds to win the conference (+350), which has little to do with last year’s 6-2 conference record. WKU only has two returning starters in 2025, and practically half of its roster has turned over.
That’s nothing new for Western Kentucky, though, as the team will deploy its fourth offensive coordinator in five seasons.
Transfer QB Maverick McIvor takes over after finishing fourth in FCS in passing yards last year. He’ll have three fellow transfers to throw to who averaged 18-plus yards per catch in 2024.
As for Sam Houston, last year’s 10-3 season was a seismic shift from its 3-9 campaign in 2023. But with a 6-0 record in one-score games, a supremely inexperienced defence and a new head coach, we could see plenty of regression for the Bearkats here.
Stanford (-120) vs. Hawaii (+100)
Date: Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Spread: Stanford -1.5 (-110)
Hawaii is a mainstay on the Week 0 schedule. Last year, the Warriors earned a comfortable 35-14 win over FCS Delaware State.
This game is close to pick’em territory, as neither Hawaii nor Stanford is all that imposing.
Stanford went 3-9 (2-6 ACC) in its maiden voyage outside of the Pac-12. The Cardinal have 73% of last year’s defensive production back, per ESPN, but is that even a good thing? The team allowed 33.7 points per game in 2024 (116th of 134 schools).
Honolulu-born Micah Alejado will be the most exciting player on the field in this game.
- He’s only 5-foot-10, but he threw for 125 touchdowns and just four interceptions at the heralded Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.
- Alejado finally got a look in Hawaii’s last two games of 2024. In those matchups, he completed 48 of 69 passes (69.6%) for 580 yards and six TDs.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.