The best Week 1 schedule in college football history kicks off on Thursday night with the Boise State Broncos traveling across the country to face the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
The Broncos are coming off a season in which they went 12-2, won the Mountain West Conference and reached the 12-team College Football Playoff where they lost to Penn State. Boise State enters the 2025 season as the prohibitive favorite in the MWC, but the Broncos need to replace Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty, who is now in the NFL after one of the best seasons by a running back in FBS history: 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are considered one of several contenders in a balanced American Conference. At DraftKings Sportsbook, six teams are listed between +320 and +800 to win the title, including South Florida at +650. The Bulls, who ranked sixth in the conference in total offense last season, have the potential to field one of the best offenses in the American this year. Quarterback Byrum Brown, who missed the second half of last season with a foot injury, is back healthy and will operate behind an experienced offensive line.
Thursday’s game is one of 17 games on the night with at least one FBS team. The matchup also is part of a loaded Week 1 slate that features three games pitting two AP top 10 teams against one another: No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson and, on Sunday, No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami. This will be the first time in college football history that three games will have two AP top 10 teams in Week 1.
While the Boise State-South Florida matchup is the marquee attraction on the sporting landscape on Thursday, there are other options on a loaded college football schedule, an eight-game MLB slate and a three-game WNBA lineup.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, Aug. 28. All times Eastern
College football best bets, where to watch
No. 25 Boise State at South Florida
Time: 5:30 p.m. | Location: Tampa, Fla. | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Boise State -5.5 | Expert: Boise State -5.5 (Mike McClure)
The Broncos begin their quest for a second consecutive College Football Playoff appearance when they face the Bulls at Raymond James Stadium. Though replacing Jeanty’s production will not be easy, Boise State does have 13 starters back from last year, including quarterback Maddux Madsen and four offensive linemen. Madsen, a 5-foot-10 redshirt junior, led the Mountain West last season in passing yards (3,018) and passing touchdowns (23) and ranked second in passing efficiency (142.5). “I make this game -7.5, which is much closer to the opening number of -8.5, and I’m willing to play it now that we’ve crossed the key numbers of 7 and 6,” expert Mike McClure says.
Buffalo at Minnesota
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Minneapolis, Minn. | TV: FS1 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 43.5
A Minnesota Golden Gophers team predicted to finish in the middle of the Big Ten opens its season against the Buffalo Bulls at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Gophers are in their ninth season under coach P.J. Fleck and are coming off an 8-5 year. Drake Lindsey takes over at quarterback for Max Brosmer, who’s now with the Vikings of the NFL. Lindsey has thrown just five passes in his career. Meanwhile, the Bulls are in their second season under Pete Lembo, who directed the team to a six-win improvement in 2024. Kansas State transfer quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson, who’s at his fourth program in his sixth season, has won the starting job for Buffalo. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is projecting 55 points in this game and says Over 43.5 hits 69.0% of the time. The model gives an ‘A’ grade to Over 43.5.
Nebraska vs. Cincinnati
Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Kansas City, Mo. | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Under 51.5 | Expert: Nebraska -6.5 (Mike Tierney)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers open their third season under coach Matt Rhule with a neutral site matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Arrowhead Stadium. The Huskers went from 4-8 to 5-7 in Rhule’s first season and then 7-6 last year. There is even more excitement around in program this season with former five-star recruit Dylan Raiola in his second season as the starting quarterback. Like Nebraska, the Bearcats are also in their third season under head coach Scott Satterfield. They have gone 3-9 and 5-7 in his first two seasons. Expert Mike Tierney notes that Cincinnati has lost its last five games, including their last three on the road by a combined 54 points. “[Raiola] works behind a seasoned O-line that should offer sufficient protection against what was a weak pash rush last year and with little improvement in store,” he says.
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MLB best bets, where to watch
Braves at Phillies
Time: 6:45 p.m. | Location: Philadelphia | TV: MLB Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Braves money line +156 | Expert: Braves money line +165 (Bruce Marshall)
The Philadelphia Phillies will look to end their three-game skid when they host the Atlanta Braves in the first game of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are reeling after being swept by the Mets in a three-game series. Despite the sweep, Philadelphia (76-57) still leads the National League East over New York (72-61) by four games. Meanwhile, the Braves (61-72) are in fourth place in the division, 15 games behind the Phillies, but they have won 13 of their last 18. “Atlanta enters scoring 23 runs across the past two days against the Marlins,” Marshall says. “That’s five times in 14 games scoring double-digit runs, and Brian Snitker will probably get starter Cal Quantrill out of the game before the Phils inflict heavy damage.”
Marlins at Mets
Time: 7:10 p.m. | Location: New York | TV: MLB Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 9 | Expert: Mets run line -1.5 (Bruce Marshall)
Don’t look now, but the New York Mets are back in the NL East race after sweeping the Phillies in a three-game series. New York has won five of its last six games and eight of its last 11. On Thursday, the team begins a four-game series against the Marlins (62-71), who have dropped six of their last nine games. Marshall notes that Miami starter Adam Mazur was hit hard in his lone appearance earlier this season (four runs and five hits in 5.2 innings against the Phillies on June 18. “The Mets have found some offense, pounding Phils pitchers for 25 runs in the three-game sweep,” Marshall says. “Across the past six games, it’s 49 runs scored.”
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WNBA best bets, where to watch
Mystics at Liberty
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Brooklyn, N.Y. | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine expert pick: Liberty -12.5 (Max Meyer)
The New York Liberty play their second game with two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart back in the lineup when they host the Washington Mystics at the Barclays Center. On Monday, in her first game since leaving a July 26 game with a bone bruise in her right knee, Stewart scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in 21 minutes against the Sun. The Liberty won, 81-79. Meanwhile the Mystics enter the matchup on a four-game losing streak. “The Mystics are a team that doesn’t shoot many 3-pointers (last in WNBA with 16.7 3-pointers attempted per game) and turns the ball over frequently (second in WNBA in turnover percentage at 19.5%),” Meyer says.
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