The Jacksonville State Gamecocks and North Dakota State Bison play on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, in a game on the college football Week 0 schedule.
Which team will win the college football Week 0 game?
Check out these college football Week 0 picks and college football Week 0 predictions for the game, which can be seen at 2:30 p.m. MST on CBSSN (stream with FUBO
).North Dakota State is a 6.5-point favorite over Jacksonville State in college football Week 0 odds for the game, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The Bison are -275 on the moneyline. The Gamecocks are +220. The over/under (point total) for the game is set at 46.5 points.
Watch Jacksonville State vs North Dakota State on FUBO (free trial)
The Big Lead: Take North Dakota State to cover vs Jacksonville State
Matt De Lima
writes: "Jacksonville State went 9-5 and won the Veterans Bowl under head coach Charles Kelly, but the Gamecocks face a hostile dome and a program that rarely loses at home. These teams met in the 2015 FCS national championship, a 37-10 North Dakota State win. The Bison’s ball-control style points to a lower-scoring game."
Picks Wise: Bet Jacksonville State with the points vs North Dakota State
Chad Hartsock writes: "It is Week 0, and that means we are betting everything! Yep, the entire card, so let’s get to work and figure it out. What shall we do as the Jacksonville State Gamecocks travel to face the North Dakota State Bison? One of the fun stories in the early part of the season is North Dakota State as they make the move to the Mountain West after dominating the FCS for most of the last 15 years. They will be better than your typical transitional team for sure, and they bring an older roster with them, ready to compete. But the Gamecocks won’t be an easy first opponent, as Jax St is expected to be in the thick of the CUSA hunt this season. It is tempting to go with the Bison in their first home game and all the energy that will bring, but that is probably where Vegas wants us to go. Let’s fade that and go contrarian here, backing the Gamecocks at +6.5."
Dimers.com: North Dakota State 27, Jacksonville State 23
It writes: "After extensive simulations, our model gives Jacksonville State a win probability of 39%, while North Dakota State has a win probability of 61%."
ESPN: North Dakota State has a 59.5% chance to defeat Jacksonville State on Saturday
The site gives the Gamecocks a 40.5% shot at winning the college football Week 0 game.
Sports Betting Dime: North Dakota State 31.5, Jacksonville State 19.1
The site predicts that the Bison will defeat the Gamecocks in the college football Week 0 game on Aug. 29.
Picks and Parlays: North Dakota State 24, Jacksonville State 20
Kyle Kargel writes: "North Dakota State's program pedigree points toward a home win in its FBS debut, but questions at quarterback should keep this one closer than the current number suggests."
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Sign up for azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jacksonville State vs North Dakota State picks, predictions, odds
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
Prediction Markets: Certain prediction markets are event contracts regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or other applicable regulatory authorities and are legally distinct from traditional gambling and sports betting. Eligibility requirements to participate in prediction markets differ from those for sports betting and gambling — you may be required to be 18 or older (or such other age as the applicable platform requires) and to satisfy other eligibility criteria established by the relevant platform and governing law. Prediction market trading involves financial risk and may not be available in all jurisdictions. The legal and regulatory status of prediction markets varies by jurisdiction and by platform. It is your sole responsibility to confirm that participation is lawful where you reside and to comply with all applicable laws and platform terms.
