College football returns Thursday, August 27, with a 13-game slate that opens the 2026 season before the larger Saturday Week 0 card. Most of the board comes from the FCS level, with large spreads, unfamiliar opponents, and conference games arriving before teams have played a snap.
The NCAA Week Zero schedule confirms all 13 Thursday matchups. Mercyhurst visits Youngstown State at 6:00 PM ET, Maine travels to Towson at the same time, and LIU closes the night at North Dakota. The season begins after Indiana captured the 2025-26 national championship, a result covered in our Indiana title recap.
Thursday College Football Schedule And Odds
The table below combines the complete Thursday schedule with market prices. Lines can move before kickoff, so bettors should prioritize line shopping and compare the final board with the latest college football odds.
| Matchup | Time ET | TV | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercyhurst at Youngstown State | 6:00 PM | ESPN+ | YSU -27.5 (-120) | YSU -7000 / MER +1500 | 53.5 |
| Maine at Towson | 6:00 PM | FloSports | TOW -3.5 (-110) | TOW -170 / ME +150 | 45.5 |
| Stony Brook at Delaware State | 6:00 PM | ESPN+ | STBK -6.5 (-110) | STBK -230 / DSU +200 | 51.5 |
| Eastern Illinois at Murray State | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | MUR -1.5 (-106) | MUR -118 / EIU -108 | 51.5 |
| Houston Christian at Southeastern Louisiana | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | SELA -27.5 (-110) | SELA -1900 / HCU +1567 | 50.5 |
| Lafayette at Georgetown | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | LAF -12.5 (-106) | LAF -500 / GTWN +340 | 51.5 |
| Gardner-Webb at Austin Peay | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | APSU -14.5 (-120) | APSU -800 / GW +480 | 57.5 |
| Charleston Southern at Lindenwood | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | LIN -11.5 (-120) | LIN -530 / CSU +360 | 45.5 |
| Chattanooga at West Georgia | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | CHAT -1.5 (-106) | CHAT -115 / UWG -111 | 52.5 |
| Mississippi Valley State at Nicholls | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | NICH -30.5 (-113) | NICH -10000 / MVSU +1700 | 52.5 |
| Southern Illinois at West Florida | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ | SIU -20.5 (-120) | SIU -950 / UWF +540 | 54.5 |
| Central Arkansas at UT Martin | 7:30 PM | ESPN+ | UTM -1.5 (-106) | UTM -115 / UCA -111 | 51.5 |
| LIU at North Dakota | 8:00 PM | ESPN+ | UND -27.5 (-113) | UND -7000 / LIU +1500 | 49.5 |
Maine vs Towson Offers The Best Favorite Price
Towson -3.5 is the strongest early favorite on the board. The Tigers finished 6-6 last season and 4-4 in CAA play, then returned quarterback Andrew Indorf after he threw for 2,344 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Thursday is Towson’s home opener and the first meeting with Maine since 2019.
Maine starts its season with a conference road game, which removes the usual opening-week cushion. Towson has continuity at quarterback, home field, and a price far shorter than the huge spreads attached to Youngstown State, Nicholls, and North Dakota. Laying 3.5 points asks the Tigers to win by less than a touchdown rather than justify a four-score expectation.
NCAAF Best Bet: Towson -3.5 (-110)
Chattanooga vs West Georgia Could Stay Tight
Chattanooga and West Georgia carry the most balanced spread of the night. The Mocs are short road favorites, yet West Georgia went 4-1 at home last season and is 3-0 against Southern Conference opponents since moving to Division I.
Chattanooga owns useful opener history. The Mocs are 16-8 when opening against FCS opposition since 1982 and 6-1 when starting at an FCS venue. Those numbers support Chattanooga, but West Georgia’s home record makes laying points less comfortable.
The cleaner position is West Georgia +1.5 if the market holds. A one-point game fits a matchup priced almost as a pick’em.
NCAAF Best Bet: West Georgia +1.5
North Dakota Has The Strongest Late Edge
North Dakota hosts LIU with one of Thursday’s largest spreads. Quarterback Jerry Kaminski returns after setting a school regular-season record with 25 touchdown passes in 2025 and finishing with 2,570 passing yards plus 607 rushing yards.
The Fighting Hawks pair that offense with preseason All-American defensive lineman Elijah Rucker, who set a school record with 11.5 sacks last season. The talent gap supports North Dakota, but -27.5 leaves little room for a slow opener.
The better angle is under 49.5. North Dakota can control the game without needing LIU to contribute much scoring.
NCAAF Best Bet: LIU-North Dakota Under 49.5
