2021 Week 0 College Football Picks Against the Spread

• Week 0 of the 2021 College Football season takes place on Saturday, August 28th
• Nebraska and Illinois faceoff in Champaign, while Hawaii visits UCLA
• Read below for the best ATS picks for College Football’s Week 0

The 2021 College Football season has finally arrived, and there are some solid matchups on opening weekend. There are five games scheduled in Week Zero on Saturday, August 28th, and several offer betting value.

Nebraska visits Illinois in Big Ten action, while Hawaii and UCLA clash at the Rose Bowl. Over in Fresno, the UConn Huskies take on the Bulldogs in their first game since having their 2020 season cancelled.

Here are three ATS picks to consider for Week 0.

Nebraska vs Illinois Odds

All odds as of August 27th at DraftKings

Fighting Illini Cover Against Cornhuskers

Illinois will look to kick off their 2021 season on the right note when they welcome Nebraska to Memorial Stadium in Week 0. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 2-6 season that included a shocking 41-23 victory over the Cornhuskers in Lincoln. Nebraska went 3-6 in 2020 and are entering a pivotal year under head coach Scott Frost.

There’s plenty of turmoil surrounding Nebraska football right now, as the program is being investigated by the NCAA for violations. This is one of the reasons the spread has been moving in favor of Illinois after opening with Nebraska favored by 7.5 points. There’s isn’t much confidence in the Cornhuskers, as the team has gone 12-20 in Frost’s first three years at the helm.

𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙆 pic.twitter.com/WMaJJUNekR

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) August 23, 2021

With the pressure on Frost and Nebraska, the Fighting Illini can steal this one in front of their home crowd. Illinois is beginning a new era under coach Bret Bielema after firing Lovie Smith at the end of last season. Bielema had a great run at Wisconsin, but struggled during a five-year stint at Arkansas. He’s 11-1 in season openers as a college coach and will be determined to make a good first impression.

Five-year quarterback Brandon Peters is a key reason to consider betting Illinois against the spread. He threw for 205 yards and a touchdown while extending plays with his legs in last year’s matchup. With the experienced Chase Brown in the backfield, Illinois has enough talent on offense to keep this one close. Look for them to capitalize on a Nebraska program going through strenuous times.

• Pick: Illinois +7 (-110)

Hawaii vs UCLA Odds

Hawaii’s Defense Shines Against UCLA

The Rainbow Warriors are entering year two under head coach Todd Graham and face a tough early test in the UCLA Bruins. Hawaii went 5-4 in the Mountain West last season, including beating Houston in the New Mexico Bowl. They return all 11 starters on defense and get back quarterback Chevan Cordeiro on offense.

UCLA went 3-4 in the Pac-12 last season, including very close losses to heavyweights Oregon and USC. The defense gave up 40-plus points on two different occasions in 2020, but progressed as the season wore on. On offense, the Bruins are loaded with the return of QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and several experienced receivers.

.@DoriansTweets has been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List 🙌#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/h3wJC5CDZB

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) July 19, 2021

Hawaii’s stingy defense is the reason to bet them against the spread in Week 0. They ranked 54th in the nation in points per game allowed last season and have the chance to be even better in 2021. With enough defensive talent to frustrate an inconsistent UCLA offense, the Rainbow Warriors can rely on Cordeiro and standout running back Calvin Turner to keep this game respectable.

The Bruins are a team to watch in the Pac-12 this season, but they have trouble with slow starts. UCLA is 1-4 in its last five season openers, while Hawaii has won each of its last three openers on the road. The Rainbow Warriors don’t back down from Pac-12 competition, as evidenced by recent victories over Oregon State and Arizona.

• Pick: Hawaii +18 (-115)

UConn vs Fresno State Odds

Fresno State Blows Out UConn

Fresno State is the heaviest CFB favorite in Week 0. They’ll look to kick off the season in commanding fashion against the UConn Huskies at Bulldog Stadium. There’s reason to bet on a Fresno State blowout when you look at who the Bulldogs are returning. Kalen DeBoer’s squad returns explosive RB Ronnie Rivers, talented  WR Jalen Cropper and senior QB Jake Haener.

UConn will be taking the field for the first time in two years after seeing their 2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19. The Huskies are a true wildcard entering this game, but the last few seasons haven’t been kind to them. UConn has had one of college football’s worst defenses between 2017-19, including surrendering over 50 points per game in 2018.

The Huskies simply don’t have the talent on defense to shutdown this explosive Bulldogs’ offense. UConn is particular is inexperienced in the secondary, where they’ll get carved up by the very efficient Haener. When the ball isn’t in the hands of the quarterback, look for the runner Rivers to tear through a defensive front that allowed 224 rushing yards per game in 2019.

UConn having not played since 2019 means they’re gonna be quite rusty in Week 0. Even if the offense manages to put together some sustainable drives, they’ll be slowed down by an elite Bulldogs’ pass rush that racked up 25 sacks in 2020. This is a large spread where the favorite is actually worth a wager. The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five season openers and will go off against this rusty UConn squad.

• Pick: Fresno State -27.5 (-110)