The 2026 college football season is still more than six months away, and spring practice hasn’t even started. Still, betting lines are already available for eight early-season matchups.
With position battles unresolved, depth charts incomplete and inevitable injuries still to come, it’s impossible to get a firm read on any team. That hasn’t stopped oddsmakers from posting marquee lines — or bettors from hunting early edges on numbers that could shift dramatically before kickoff.
Even for fans who (probably wisely) aren’t interested in wagering in February on games scheduled for August and September, the lines offer a snapshot of how oddsmakers currently value each team. There’s the straightforward head-to-head comparison — someone has to be the favorite and someone the underdog.
Several of the early matchups are also rematches from last season. Comparing those opening lines to how the 2025 editions played out can reveal whether oddsmakers believe a team improved or regressed during the offseason amid roster turnover.
As of now there are eight games with look-ahead lines available at FanDuel Sportsbook, and we wanted to take a quick look at each and what the lines say about those 16 teams.
Week 0
NC State vs. Virginia
Line: Virgnia -3.5
Over/under: 54.5
The first college football game played in Brazil will feature a classic ACC rivalry. Last season, NC State won a wild matchup after Virginia jumped out early, only to watch the Wolfpack surge ahead with a 21-point third quarter.
This year, the Cavaliers are 3.5-point favorites on a neutral field — a nod to the belief in what Beau Pribula could bring to the offense as he replaces Chandler Morris at quarterback, and perhaps a sign of greater confidence in Virginia’s defense than NC State’s.
The Wolfpack will again be led by talented quarterback C.J. Bailey, but the central question is whether they can take a step defensively after finishing 82nd nationally in scoring defense last season.
North Carolina at TCU
Line: TCU -7.5
Over/under: 50.5
Oddsmakers don’t seem too bullish on Year 2 of the Chapel Bill experiment. After the Tar Heels got boatraced at home by the Horned Frogs in the opener last year, TCU opens as more than a touchdown favorite in Fort Worth for the 2026 matchup.
Both teams will be breaking in new quarterbacks. TCU brought in Harvard’s Jaden Craig, while UNC nabbed former Wisconsin and Maryland QB Billy Edwards. UNC showed some signs of improvement towards the end of last year after their disastrous start, but it seems oddsmakers are going to need to see some proof before they buy in on a major turnaround in 2026 under Bill Belichick.
Week 1
Baylor vs. Auburn
Line: Auburn -7.5
Over/under: 58.5
Auburn earned a 38-24 road win in this matchup last season — a result that foreshadowed Baylor’s struggles but proved something of a mirage for a Tigers team that had trouble scoring for much of the year.
Both teams will look different when they meet in Atlanta to open the 2026 season, but oddsmakers are clearly bullish on Auburn’s trajectory in Year 1 under Alex Golesh on the Plains. Golesh brought several players with him from a strong USF squad, most notably quarterback Byrum Brown, and the expectation is that Auburn’s offense will be far more explosive.
Baylor counters with a high-profile transfer of its own in former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, hoping he can help reverse course after a dismal 2025 campaign. If nothing else, oddsmakers anticipate points with new quarterbacks on both sides. Still, the Tigers being a sizable favorite on a neutral field stands out.
Clemson at LSU (-11.5, 51.5)
Line: LSU -11.5
Over/under: 51.5
This was billed as one of the games of the year in 2025, but LSU’s 17-10 win at Clemson became the high point of the Tigers’ season — and the beginning of a disastrous campaign for Clemson.
Now the spotlight shifts to Baton Rouge, where Lane Kiffin has retooled LSU’s roster with the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal class, headlined by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. Oddsmakers appear to be buying into the idea that Kiffin will open up the offense and quickly turn the Tigers into a contender.
Dabo Swinney, meanwhile, enters 2026 on the hot seat. If this matchup follows the script set by the early line, the pressure surrounding the longtime Clemson coach is only likely to intensify.
11/5: UCLA at Cal (-5.5, 53.5)
Line: 5.5
Over/under: 53.5
Both UCLA and Cal have the rare combination of new head coaches for 2026 and returning starting quarterbacks. Cal is an early 5.5-point home favorite, which suggests slightly more belief in the Golden Bears’ roster in Tosh Lupoi’s first season back in Berkeley compared to UCLA under Bob Chesney in Los Angeles.
The biggest reason for optimism at Cal is Lupoi’s ability to keep quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele on the roster after a freshman year that showed considerable upside. UCLA, meanwhile, will have Nico Iamaleava back following an up-and-down season and hopes a new staff can unlock his full potential.
Both programs are looking for a jolt, and this game in Berkeley offers an early opportunity to generate some much-needed excitement.
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Sunday)
Line: Notre Dame -16.5
Over/under: 46.5
This game will be played at Lambeau Field and while Wisconsin has hopes of building off a solid close to 2025, they are massive underdogs against a Notre Dame team projected to be a national title contender. C.J. Carr has a year of experience under his belt at quarterback and the Irish are expected to have a stout defense once again under Marcus Freeman. Notre Dame will also spend all year hammering home the message of starting fast after they put themselves in a hole early last year that kept them out of the Playoff. The Badgers hope to climb out of the Big Ten’s cellar in 2026 after pledging a big investment into Luke Fickell’s program, and they put that to use in the transfer portal with 33 signings, highlighted by Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph. No one expects them to win this game, but if they’re competitive and keep this solidly inside this early number, it would breed some optimism in Madison.
Week 2
Ohio State at Texas
Line: Texas -2.5
Over/under: 47.5
A year ago in the Horseshoe, Ohio State won 14-7 as a 1.5-point favorite. This time, oddsmakers give Arch Manning and Texas a slight edge with the game in Austin, but the line again suggests what amounts to a coin flip.
Both teams are expected to contend for a national title, though fans will hope for more fireworks after last season’s defensive struggle. It should help that Manning and his counterpart, Julian Sayin, will have a full season as starters, potentially allowing both staffs to open up the playbook.
Despite the marquee quarterbacks, oddsmakers are not projecting a full-blown shootout with two strong defensive programs involved. Ohio State loses significant defensive talent to the NFL this offseason, making this an early test of how quickly a new unit can come together. History — and recent recruiting and transfer rankings — suggest the Buckeyes won’t take long to reload.
Oklahoma at Michigan
Line: Michigan -1.5
Over/under: 45.5
A year ago, the Sooners were 4.5-point home favorites against the Wolverines and validated that line with a 24-13 win that helped propel Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff.
Michigan enters this matchup with a new coach in Kyle Whittingham — who arrives from Utah. With Bryce Underwood back for his sophomore season, the Wolverines carry lofty expectations as a potential CFP contender in 2026.
The total of 45.5 is no surprise given the defensive pedigrees of both coaches and could dip even lower as kickoff approaches. For Oklahoma, the question is whether a healthy John Mateer can make the offense more dynamic than it was late in 2025, or if the Sooners will again need to lean on a dominant defense.
Oddsmakers appear to trust Whittingham’s ability to elevate Michigan, and lingering concerns about Oklahoma’s offense have made the Wolverines a slight favorite in the Big House.
