2026 College Football Week 1 Odds, Promos, Previews — SkimNews
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- DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365 are running new-user promos including $200 in bonus bets after a $5 DraftKings wager, $350 from FanDuel, and up to $1,500 from BetMGM with code CBSSPORTS, available in 30+ states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.
- Indiana begins its 16-0 championship defense against North Texas ranked No. 6, replacing Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza with TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who threw for more than 3,400 yards in back-to-back seasons.
- Alabama opens at No. 13 — its worst preseason ranking since 2008 — with sophomore Keelon Russell taking over at quarterback after Ty Simpson went in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft; Kalen DeBoer is 20-8 entering Year 3.
- Oregon sits as a 24.5-point home favorite over Boise State (over/under 51.5) and LSU is favored by 10.5 at home against Clemson (over/under 50.5), both on Saturday, Sept. 5.
- Duke lost star QB Darian Mensah to Miami and replaced him with Walker Eget from San Jose State (3,051 passing yards), while Houston returns dual-threat QB Conner Weigman (2,705 passing yards, 25 TDs, 700 rushing, 11 scores) and receiver Amari Thomas (966 yards, 12 TDs).
- Marquee non-Saturday matchups include No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss (-6.5) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (-20.5) at Lambeau Field on Sunday, plus No. 19 SMU vs. Florida State (+3.5) on Monday night.
Why it matters: Week 1 carries outsized stakes for the defending champion and blue-blood programs: Indiana must replace a Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick, Alabama opens at its lowest preseason rank since 2008 with a new QB, and top sportsbooks are dangling up to $1,500 in bonus bets to capture new accounts during the year's biggest betting window.
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