The 2025 College Football season is still 60 days away, but I'm already excited as ever to get started. This year like most recent will have a week zero with a couple of games, and then a massive slate of games on Labor day weekend. Here are my favorite picks of both weeks.

Kansas State
Power Rating #20, SP+ #18 Talent: #32 SOS: #53

Iowa State
Power Rating #34, SP+ #30 Talent: #64 SOS: #49
It's Farmageddon in Ireland to start the season. If you're gonna give me over 3 points and Iowa State, I'm gonna take it. This is a for-fun-only pick as I think the line is correct, I'll just take points with the better QB in Rocco Becht.
Week 1 (08/23 - 8:00 AM EST)

Stanford
Power Rating #82, SP+ #88 Talent: #45 SOS: #27

Hawai'i
Power Rating #95, SP+ #108 Talent: #124 SOS: #120
I like what I've seen so far from Hawaii QB Micah Alejado, and Stanford has had a train wreck offseason. I think Hawaii can compete along both lines of scrimmage, and WRs Cenacle & Ashlock are good weapons vs the Tree secondary. I'd love to get 3, otherwise I'm taking the money line. Hawaii wins this outright.
Week 1 (08/23 - 3:30 PM EST)

Utah
Power Rating #38, SP+ #30 Talent: #66 SOS: #46

UCLA
Power Rating #76, SP+ #51 Talent: #49 SOS: #16
I love Utah in this matchup so much I bet it in April. I think Utah's OL will own UCLA, and the world will get to know QB Devon Dampier really fast. Even on the road I make this line Utah -5, I'd bet it up to 6.
Week 1 (08/30 - 7:00 PM EST)

Auburn
Power Rating #11, SP+ #25 Talent: #15 SOS: #14

Baylor
Power Rating #32, SP+ #35 Talent: #40 SOS: #34
I'm gonna eat these words, but I'm a believer in Auburn in 2025. Road favorites are bad bets, so I'll come out the gate with three of them. Baylor has started slow under Aranda, losing their last 3 FBS openers. I make this game Auburn -5.5, but wouldn't trust them past -2.5 in Waco.
Week 1 (08/29 - 4:00 PM EST)
While the number is spot on with my projections, I love this matchup for Clemson. Their DL should have a field day with LSU's new OTs, and Klubnik to Williams, Wesco and Moore should have fun vs this LSU secondary. I'm long on LSU this year, but Brian Kelly is 0-3 in openers at LSU, make it 0-4.
Week 1 (08/30 - 3:30 PM EST)

TCU
Power Rating #30, SP+ #29 Talent: #29 SOS: #32

North Carolina
Power Rating #61, SP+ #54 Talent: #33 SOS: #66
I've been pretty open about my thoughts on the 33rd NFL team experiment in Chapel Hill. I also love TCU QB Josh Hoover in his 3rd year under OC Kendall Briles. I make TCU a 7 point road favorite.
Week 1 (09/01 - 4:00 PM EST)
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