2024 college football Week 0 picks against the spread, odds, lines, trends: Top Vegas expert reveals picks

Although it brings just a four-game slate, college football has arrived with its Week 0 schedule on Saturday, Aug. 24. For the third straight season, Ireland will host one of the big early matchups. This year it is an ACC clash as No. 10 Florida State takes on Georgia Tech in a noon ET kickoff. The latest Week 0 college football odds list the Seminoles as 12.5-point favorites.

Stateside, the SMU Mustangs are set to play their first game as a member of the ACC. They are 25.5-point road favorites against Nevada in an 8 p.m. ET start on CBS Sports Network. Before locking in any college football picks for Week 0 of the 2024 season, be sure to see the college football betting guide from legendary Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall .

For years Vegas-based Marshall was synonymous with The Gold Sheet, the famed sports betting newsletter. With a background in play-by-play work and sports information while in college, Marshall joined TGS in 1981 when hired by the legendary Mort Olshan and served as executive editor for many years.

An in-demand guest on numerous sports talk radio and TV shows across the country, Bruce's vast array of editorial work has been featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the New York Post and many other outlets. He has won various handicapping titles and also is working on several book projects.

Now, using his Tech Corner technique that evaluates all the trends, Marshall has turned his attention to the latest college football odds for Week 0 and evaluated each matchup. Head here to see every pick .

Top college football predictions for Week 0

One of the top college football picks Marshall is recommending for Week 0: He says the trends point to SMU covering against Nevada in that 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Mackey Stadium.

Though SMU is in a new conference, the Mustangs return seven starters on offense and two capable quarterbacks in Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings . They are hovering just outside the Top 25 in preseason polls and they should be motivated to make a big statement in their ACC debut in this standalone matchup.

Nevada won just four games in all of 2022 and 2023 and is in rebuilding mode with former Texas defensive coordinator Jeff Choate now at the helm. Nevada has covered in just three its last 12 home games, while SMU has been trending to the Under (10-5 in last 15), so those are the plays Marshall is targeting in this matchup. See which other picks to make here .

How to make college football picks for Saturday, Aug. 24

Marshall has evaluated every other matchup and he's found a critical 12-3 betting trend in the big FSU vs. Georgia Tech matchup. Get betting analysis for each matchup at SportsLine .

So what college football picks can you make with confidence, and what alarming trend do you need to know about in the week's biggest game? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams to back, all from the legendary Vegas expert who has won multiple handicapping titles , and find out.

College football odds for Saturday, Aug. 24

See full Week 0 college football picks, odds, predictions here

Saturday, Aug. 24

Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (+12.5, 56.5)

Montana State at New Mexico (+8.5, 53.5)

SMU at Nevada (+25.5, 57)

Delaware State at Hawaii (-37.5, 55.5)