Today’s top games to watch, best bets, odds: College football season kicks off, Dodgers-Padres and more

After several months of waiting, the college football season is finally here. While we still have another week to go before a legendary Week 1 slate, there are still five games on tap for Week 0. 

The first matchup of the season is a ranked duel taking place in Dublin, as No. 22 Iowa State and No. 17 Kansas State will battle in Ireland at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. This will be the fourth season in a row that a Week 0 game is kicking off from Aviva Stadium in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. 

The previous three losing teams in this contest ended up having rocking campaigns. Nebraska (lost 31-28 to Northwestern in 2022) finished 4-8 and fired Scott Frost after three games. Navy (lost 42-3 to Notre Dame in 2023) went 5-7 and didn’t get to play in a bowl game in Brian Newberry’s first season at the helm. Then there was Florida State, who entered the 2024 season ranked No. 10 overall before the Seminoles were upset 24-21 by Georgia Tech in Ireland, which started an unfathomable 2-10 campaign.

Besides Iowa State-Kansas State, other notable Week 0 games include Fresno State at Kansas (6:30 p.m. ET on FOX) and Stanford at Hawaii (7:30 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+). 

In addition to Week 0, the Saturday sports calendar also includes a strong 14-game MLB slate, 10 NFL preseason battles and three WNBA contests. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet at the top sportsbooks on Saturday, Aug. 23. All times Eastern. 

If you’re looking for an NFL promo, new users can take advantage of the latest DraftKings promo code, good for over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket and $200 in bonus bets instantly.

CFB best bets today, where to watch

Iowa State vs. Kansas State

Time: 12 p.m. | Location: Ireland | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)

SportsLine pick — | Expert: Kansas State -3 (Josh Nagel)

It’s a tight spread between ranked Big 12 foes, but SportsLine college football expert Josh Nagel sees value in backing the favored Wildcats. Nagel, who has hit eight straight Kansas State picks, thinks the Wildcats’ offense is the key in this matchup. He explains that “Kansas State’s Avery Johnson has emerged as one of the better dual-threat QBs in the country. The offense should roll downhill again behind a solid offensive line that was bolstered by high-profile transfers.”

More CFB best bets:

NFL best bets today, where to watch

Rams at Browns

Time: 1 p.m. | Location: Cleveland | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)

SportsLine pick — | Expert: Browns -7.5 (Larry Hartstein)

The Browns have already named Joe Flacco their Week 1 starter, and he will also start their preseason finale against the Rams. But Cleveland rookie signal-callers Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are expected to get snaps under center on Saturday as well. SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein expects Cleveland’s starters to get plenty of action in, and he likes the Browns to cover this sizable preseason spread. “The Browns have outscored their first two preseason opponents 52-23. Look for a double-digit win at home Saturday,” Hartstein says.

More NFL best bets:

MLB best bets today, where to watch

Dodgers at Padres

Time: 8:40 p.m. | Location: San Diego | TV: FS1 | Stream: Fubo (watch now, save $20!)

SportsLine pick — Model pick: Padres money line +112

The stakes can’t get much higher between these two heated rivals, as the Dodgers and Padres are tied atop the NL West standings heading into Saturday’s matchup with identical 73-56 records. Los Angeles will be sending out Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.12 ERA), while San Diego will counter with Nestor Cortes (1-2, 5.87 ERA). After the Padres beat the Dodgers 2-1 on Friday, the SportsLine Projection Model is strongly backing the home team again. San Diego wins in 54% of simulations, making that +112 money-line price an A-graded selection.

More MLB best bets

WNBA best bets today, where to watch

Liberty at Dream

Time: 2 p.m. | Location: Atlanta | TV: CBS | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)

SportsLine pick — | Experts: Dream -2 (Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai)

The Dream are currently in second place in the WNBA standings, but the Aces, Mercury and Liberty are all within a game of Atlanta. The Dream and Liberty have played each other three times this season, and all three meetings have been decided by single digits, with New York taking two of them. SportsLine WNBA experts Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai are backing Atlanta to even up the season series by covering the 2-point spread. “After a 9-0 start, they’ve played under .500 basketball for over two months, and it’s clear that they aren’t the same team without both Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart healthy,” Wetzel says. 

More WNBA best bets