Thursday College Football Player Props: Best Bets for Aug. 28

• Week 1 of the college football season kicks off tonight with 15 games
• Brendan Sorsby rushed for 352 yards over his final five starts in 2024
• See below for my favorite Thursday College Football player props and best bets for Aug. 28

Week 1 of the college football season is officially upon us, with 15 games kicking off tonight around the country. #25 Boise State is the lone ranked team in action, and while the Broncos’ contest will find its way into my Thursday college football player props, the first wager on my betting card comes from the Nebraska-Cincinnati matchup.

Thursday College Football Player Props

Cornhuskers QB Dylan Raiola carries the second-highest passing prop of the slate at 243.5 yards, 9 yards shy of NC State’s CJ Bailey’s 252.5-yard projection.

I’m going to avoid Raiola’s props in our Thursday best CFB bets, and focus on his counterpart, Brendan Sorsby, who should have plenty of opportunities to make plays with his legs.

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Thursday CFB Player Prop Pick: Brendan Sorsby Rushing Yards

Online sportsbooks expect Nebraska to take care of business as a big road favorite, and the coaching matchup and talent discrepancy between them and the Bearcats backs that up. The Cornhuskers were incredibly stout against running backs last season, and their defensive front is expected to be a strength again in 2025.

Nebraska yielded just 3.4 yards per carry and were top-35 in sack rate. They added the best available pass rusher in the portal in Missouri’s Williams Nwaneri, and Nebraska should have no issue generating pressure in this game.

Brendan Sorsby Rushing Stats – Final 3 Games of 2025

That pressure force Sorsby out of the pocket and into scramble mode even more than usual. The junior averaged nine carries last season, and ended the season on an extremely positive rushing note. He racked up 352 rushing yards in his final five starts, clearing 90+ yards twice, and 48+ yards four times.

• Best Bet #1: Brendan Sorsby Over 23.5 Rushing Yards (-114 at FanDuel)

Thursday CFB Player Prop Pick: Maddux Madsen Passing Yards

Back to Boise State, who some experts expect to take a step back after the departure of Heisman Trophy odds finalist Ashton Jeanty. I’m not buying that narrative, as I’m higher than most on Broncos QB Maddux Madsen.

If Boise State is going to remain a contender in the National Championship odds, they’ll need exceptional quarterback play, and I think Madsen is up for the challenge.

The junior QB averaged nearly 8 yards per attempt last season, while posting a 23-to-6 TD-to-INT rate. Without Jeanty, Boise State’s explosive run rate is bound to decline slightly, putting more of the offensive burden on Madsen. That’s not a bad thing in my opinion, as he flashed a sky-high ceiling when called upon in 2024.

Madsen threw for over 300 yards against a very good Penn State defense in the CFP, and posted a handful of 250+ passing yard games. Tonight’s opponent, South Florida, plays the run well, but projects to struggle against the pass like last year. The Bulls finished 98th in passing yards allowed and 95th in passing TD’s surrendered in 2024.

Also working in Madsen’s favor is the fact that the Broncos are returning most of their starting offensive line, which is the best in the Mountain West, and leading pass catcher, Matt Lauter. It doesn’t hurt that the total for this contest is 62.5, meaning oddsmakers expect plenty of yards and points from both programs.

• Best Bet #2: Madsen Maddux Over 230.5 Passing Yards (-114 at FanDuel)