The 2026 college football season begins next week for most programs, but there are eight games on the Week 0 college football schedule to give everybody a taste of what's to come, allowing college football bettors to check out some of the top promo codes from some of the best betting apps . There are thousands of college football betting options available every week, so having a Week 0 college football betting guide that provides the Week 0 college football odds, illuminates the latest college football betting trends, and gives you other useful information can be a huge help. In this Week 0 college football primer, we'll also highlight some of the best college football promos and online sportsbook sign-up offers. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $200 in bonus bets after making a $5 wager :
The season begins in Dublin, Ireland, with the TCU Horned Frogs hosting the North Carolina Tar Heels at noon ET on Saturday. The latest Week 0 college football odds list TCU as the 7.5-point favorite in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, and the Over/Under is 47.5 points. Other notable Week 0 college football matchups include Virginia (-5.5, 54.5) vs. NC State at 3:30 p.m. ET and Florida State (-31.5, 52.5) vs. New Mexico State at 7 p.m. ET. There's also North Dakota State (-6.5, 47.5) vs. Jacksonville State, which will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network at 5:30 p.m. ET. Use the FanDuel promo code to get $350 in bonus bets for college football:
If you're wondering how to bet on college football, or where to bet on college football Week 0, our 2026 CFB Week 0 betting guide highlights some of the best college football promo codes, including the FanDuel promo code , DraftKings promo code and bet365 bonus code . You can use these sign-up bonuses to significantly boost your bankroll, and we'll also offer an intro to college football wagering that gives you everything you need to know before you begin college football betting. Bet on college football with the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS for up to $1,500 in bonus bets:
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North Carolina vs. TCU (-8.5, 46.5), noon ET from Dublin, Ireland
San Jose State vs. USC (-38.5, 60.5), 3 p.m. ET
NC State vs. Virginia (-4, 51.5), 3:30 p.m. ET
Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State (-6.5, 46.5), 5:30 p.m. ET
Sacramento State vs. Eastern Michigan (-8.5, 52.5), 6:30 p.m. ET
New Mexico State vs. Florida State (-31.5, 53.5), 7 p.m. ET
Hawaii vs. Stanford (-4, 48.5), 7 p.m. ET
Memphis vs. UNLV (-5.5, 56.5), 10 p.m. ET
Year 2 of the Bill Belichick era begins internationally, as the Tar Heels take on the Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland. Belichick's first year as a college head coach resulted in a 4-8 season, including North Carolina dropping its final three games. North Carolina and TCU opened last season against one another in Chapel Hill, with TCU dominating in a 48-14 final. However, TCU quarterback Josh Hoover transferred to Indiana. Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, who threw for 2,869 yards last season, takes over as QB1 for a program that's won nine games in back-to-back seasons. Belichick is considered one of the best NFL coaches of all time, especially on the defensive side, but North Carolina ranked 70th in scoring defense, allowing 26.2 points per game last season.
USC returns nine starters on offense, led by quarterback Jayden Maiava, who threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 65.8% of his passes. It also returns its entire offensive line. The Trojans lost leading receiver Makai Lemon (No. 20 overall pick to the Eagles), but the running back duo of King Miller and Waymond Jordan are back, and they combined to rush for more than 1,600 yards last season. USC went 9-4 last season, and Lincoln Riley enters his fifth year as head coach at 35-18 at the school. San Jose State went 3-9 last season and returns only two starters.
NC State is coming off an 8-5 season, making a bowl game for the fourth straight year, while Virginia is coming off an 11-3 season, equaling its win total from the prior three years combined. Virginia reached as high as No. 12 in the nation last year. Beau Pribula, a transfer from Missouri, will start at quarterback for Virginia. Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey returns after throwing for 3,105 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions, including 340 yards in leading NC State to a 48-36 win over No. 8 Georgia Tech.
North Dakota State has joined the FBS after winning 10 national championships in the FCS and winning eight in smaller divisions prior to that. Their first opponent will be Jacksonville State, which joined the FBS in 2023 and has already played in three consecutive bowl games. The Bison will represent the Mountain West in this matchup and the Gamecocks are members of Conference USA. NDSU only welcomes back eight starters from a 12-1 team a season ago and it wasn't a major player in the transfer portal immediately with the program dedicating a lot of resources to the move into the FBS. Meanwhile, Jacksonville State welcomes nine starters back and head coach Charles Kelly proved he can quickly turn over a program after replacing the entire roster the season prior.
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