The Furman Paladins and Tennessee Volunteers play on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, in a game on the college football Week 1 schedule.
Which team will win the college
football Week 1 game?
Check out these college football Week 1 picks and college football Week 1 predictions for the game, which can be seen at 12:30 p.m. MST on SEC Network (stream with FUBO).
Tennessee is a 48.5-point favorite over Furman in college football Week 1 odds for the game, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The over/under (point total) for the game is set at 66.5 points.
Watch Tennessee vs Furman on FUBO (free trial)
Sportsnaut: Bet Tennessee to beat Furman in Week 1
Matt Johnson writes: "It should be a beatdown at Neyland Stadium. Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop can go off for 100-plus yards in less than three quarters of action, with Faizon Brandon also throwing the first two touchdown passes of his collegiate career. A four-touchdown lead early allows the Volunteers coaching staff to put in George MacIntyre and he’ll hit Keys for the freshman wideout’s first touchdown."
On3.com: Take Tennessee to defeat Furman on Saturday
It writes: "For Tennessee, this game will be all about breaking in the new quarterback. Furman probably won’t put up a huge fight, though the program has become respectable enough in challenging the occasional Power Four team. Still, this should be a relatively safe win for a team with as much talent as the Volunteers. The goal should be to get out of this one healthy and with some offensive momentum, knowing there’s a very tricky test coming up in Week 2."
Big 12 football Week 1 picks: Colorado vs Georgia Tech | Idaho vs Utah | Oregon State vs Houston | Coastal Carolina vs West Virginia | Baylor vs Auburn | Boston College vs Cincinnati | Oklahoma State vs Tulsa | Abilene Christian vs Texas Tech | Utah Tech vs BYU | NAU vs Arizona | Morgan State vs Arizona State | Score predictions | TV channels | Betting
Dimers.com: Tennessee 56, Furman 10
It writes: "After extensive simulations, our model gives Furman a win probability of 1%, while Tennessee has a win probability of 99%."
ESPN: Tennessee has a 99% chance to defeat Furman on Sept. 5
The site gives the Paladins a 1% shot at winning the college football Week 1 game.
Sports Betting Dime: Tennessee 34.3, Furman 24.7
The site's formula predicts that the Volunteers will beat the Paladins in the Week 1 college football game.
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tennessee vs Furman picks, predictions, odds for Week 1 game
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