Our long, dark summer is finally coming to an end. Week Zero of the college football season is here. We can finally stop speculating and start betting. All that research and analysis that you’ve done while waiting for the first kick off of the new season is about to pay off as college football welcomes Week Zero on August 23rd. It goes without saying that if there are games, we’ve got Underdog Fantasy college football plays for you to use in your entry.
Keep in mind that playing all three legs of our plays in Underdog Fantasy could win you 6X your money on a single entry. Let’s dig into this week’s plays and remember to let it ride!
Underdog Fantasy College Football Picks: Week Zero
Garrett Oakley Higher Than 20.5 Receiving Yards
This is one of the easiest plays on the board for Week Zero of the college football season.
Kansas State Tight End Garrett Oakley went over 20.5 receiving yards in four of his final five games last year. That stretch included a season high of 78 receiving yards against Iowa State in Ames, IA. Now the 6’5″, 248 lbs. junior tight end only has to rack up 21 yards to cash? He almost went for 80 yards against Iowa State nine months ago!
Oakley should have no problem finding soft spots in the Iowa State pass defense again, and he should soar higher than 20.5 receiving yards. He got off to a slow start last year, but so did quarterback Avery Johnson.
Johnson is entering his second year as the starting quarterback in Manhattan. KS. He’s shown that he knows the offense and was able to find his tight end in a similar spot at the end of last year. Look for Johnson to connect with Oakley early and help him soar over his 20.5 receiving yards total. This is a must-play for any Underdog Fantasy college football entry.
Laith Marjan Higher Than 3.5 XP Made
You’re only going to see kicking props in a Week Zero column at SGPN. That’s just the level of degen that we aim for.
Laith Marjan made 42 of 44 extra point attempts last year when playing for the South Alabama Jaguars. He transferred to Kansas this past off-season and gets to start his career as a Jayhawk at home against Fresno State.
Kansas averaged 34.2 points per game at home in 2024 and return a lot of last year’s offense. Quarterback Jalon Daniels and running back Daniel Hishaw, Jr. are both back in Lawrence, KS this year. The Jayhawks offense should fly this year, and they start the year against Fresno State.
The Fresno State Bulldogs enter the 2025 season with a new head coach and a lot of roster turnover. Head coach Matt Entz has a defensive background, but going on the road to face an experienced Kansas offense is a lot to ask of a new defense. Fresno State will look better by the end of 2025. However, they’re going to start by giving up a lot of points to Kansas.
The Jayhawks will find the end zone at least four times, and kicker Laith Marjan will bang in at least four extra points.
Maverick McIvor Higher Than 287.5 Passing Yards
Western Kentucky gets a matchup against Sam Houston in Week Zero. The Sam Houston Bearkats were solid defensively last year, but return zero starters this year, and have a new coaching staff with a bit different philosophy.
Phil Longo is in his first year as head coach at Sam Houston. Longo’s offenses fly, and his defenses often have to play in shootouts.
Western Kentucky returns head coach Tyson Helton for his seventh season with the Hilltoppers. Helton runs a variant of the run’n’shoot offense. His teams are known for prolific passing totals, and we should see some fireworks in Maverick McIvor’s first game with Western Kentucky.
McIvor threw for over 3,800 yards with Abilene Christian in the FCS last year. That total included a 506-yard passing game against Texas Tech in Week 1 last year. McIvor can light it up and should get plenty of chances with a high-powered offense facing a defense that should be much softer than last season.
Look for McIvor to go much higher than 287.5 yards in this matchup, and make sure he’s in your Underdog Fantasy college football entry for Week Zero.
The College Football Experience
For more analysis on every college football game for the 2025 season, make sure you tune into The College Football Experience. Colby Dant and Moneyline Mac talk about each game on the entire slate for every week of the college football season. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college football picks every week!
