The college football season kicks off on Saturday with five games scheduled in Week 0. The first match showcases Big 12 rivals Iowa State against Kansas State, taking place at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, starting at noon ET. Kansas State, ranked 17th, is favored by 3 points over the 22nd-ranked Cyclones, with an over/under at 49.5 points.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, suggests some strong bets for this opening weekend. Historically, this model has generated profits exceeding $2,000 for $100 players on its top college spread predictions. In 2024, it had a successful track record of 27 wins against 16 losses on money-line and over/under bets.

For Week 0, the model focuses on a parlay of underdog bets with a potential +383 return.

Top College Football Parlay for Week 0

Iowa State +131

The Cyclones achieved a school record with 11 wins last season, previously never exceeding nine. They had one of their victories against the Wildcats, winning 29-21 at home. Iowa State’s quarterback Rocco Becht performed strongly during that match, recording two touchdown passes and a rushing score. He holds a record of having at least one touchdown pass in 18 consecutive games, the longest active streak in FBS. The model predicts Iowa State will cover the spread in 57% of simulations and win outright 50% of the time.

Stanford +109

Stanford has struggled in recent seasons, achieving only three wins in each of the last four years. With the departure of head coach Troy Taylor and the appointment of interim Frank Reich, hopes are pinned on leveraging Reich’s NFL experience to reverse the team’s fortunes. Stanford has historically dominated the series against Hawaii, boasting a perfect 4-0 record. They last faced the Rainbow Warriors in 2023, winning 37-24. The model anticipates a strong performance from Stanford, forecasting a 59% win probability in its simulations.