The first full week of college football is here. Saturday’s slate is loaded, but before we get there, several Power Four teams will be kicking off their seasons on Thursday and Friday.

Among those squads are Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes, who will take on FCS powerhouse North Dakota State Thursday.

In other Thursday night action, standout running back Omarion Hampton and North Carolina will head north to face Minnesota.

On Friday, No. 16 Oklahoma opens their season against Temple, and Stanford will host TCU in the nightcap.

Here are our picks for the first two nights of Week 1:

THURSDAY 8/29

North Carolina (-2) at Minnesota

The Tar Heels defeated the Golden Gophers 31-13 last season in Chapel Hill, but each roster looks significantly different this year. UNC’s Drake Maye was drafted by the New England Patriots and Minnesota’s Athan Kaliakmanis transferred to Rutgers.

In last season’s matchup, UNC wide receiver Nate McCollum exploded for 15 catches, 165 yards and a touchdown. Outside of that performance, McCollum only exceeded 50 receiving yards one other time in 2023. He’ll look to recapture last year’s magic, but all eyes are on star running back Omarion Hampton. Though he averaged 115.7 rushing yards per game last season, Hampton only mustered 46 on 13 carries against Minnesota. The Gophers finished 10th in the Big Ten in rushing defense and are learning a new system under defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman. Hampton should be able to put together a better performance than he did a year ago.

FCS transfer Max Brosmer will be under center for Minnesota. He will try to lead an offense that struggled mightily for most of last season, including six games where they scored fewer than 15 points. On a positive note, Brosmer will be throwing to Daniel Jackson, who emerged as one of the Big Ten’s top receivers.

I don’t think Minnesota has the athletes or the firepower that North Carolina does. With a new quarterback and a new defensive system, the Tar Heels are more experienced and should get the job done on the road.

Pick: North Carolina -2

North Dakota State at Colorado (-9.5)

If the Buffaloes, aren’t careful, their hype train could be derailed sooner than expected. North Dakota State has built an empire at the FCS level, winning nine titles since 2011. Last season, the Bison advanced to the FCS semifinals where they lost a double overtime thriller to Montana. They begin this season at No. 2 in the FCS rankings. They feature a run-heavy attack that produced 47 touchdowns in 2023, and the interior defensive line is one of Colorado’s weak points. The Bison have experience playing in big games, but this is a different level. The whole college football world will be watching, and they will have the opportunity to take down a giant.

Colorado’s talent on the offensive side of the ball is undeniable. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are both Heisman Trophy candidates, and they also return wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. Their defense was atrocious last season, only holding one opponent to fewer than 24 points and relinquishing over 40 on six occasions. The Buffaloes added 55 scholarship players in an effort to overhaul their underachieving roster. We know they can score, but they’ll need to be able to make stops in order to win more than four games this season.

Expect lots of scoring in this one. I don’t think Colorado is going to be able to handle the NDSU rushing attack, but I also think Shedeur Sanders is going to have a field day. This one could be a thriller, and although I think Colorado will win, I have the Bison covering.

Pick: North Dakota State +9.5

Other Notable Thursday Games:

Western Carolina at No. 24 NC State (-32.5)

Pick: NC State -32.5

Lindenwood at No. 22 Kansas (-45.5)

Pick: Kansas -45.5

Murray State at No. 11 Missouri (-46)

Pick: Murray State +46

Southern Utah at No. 12 Utah (-38)

Pick: Utah -38

FRIDAY 8/30

Temple at No. 16 Oklahoma (-42)

The Sooners will don the SEC patch on their uniforms for the first time when they host Temple on Friday. Oklahoma is a massive favorite, largely due to the Owls’ 3-9 record in 2023. After Dillon Gabriel transferred to Oregon, sophomore Jackson Arnold will start at quarterback for the Sooners. He’ll have no shortage of talent around him as they return star running back Gavin Sawchuk and reliable pass catcher Jalil Farooq. The Sooners have a gauntlet of an SEC schedule that includes road games against Ole Miss, Missouri and Alabama, as well as home games against Tennessee and Alabama. Oh, and the Red River Rivalry against Texas. This game against Temple is the calm before the storm for Oklahoma.

Temple is not in a good spot heading into this game. They lost their starting quarterback, E.J. Warner, to Rice in the transfer portal, so the Owls will send out Forrest Brock for his first Division I start. They only beat two FBS opponents last season and gave up 40 or more points in six games.

Temple won’t win this game, and I would be surprised if they even covered. Oklahoma should be able to move the ball at will and I don’t see Temple being competitive with a new quarterback in a hostile environment.

Pick: Oklahoma -42

TCU (-9.5) at Stanford

Who doesn’t love late night West Coast college football? I think this is actually a sneaky good game that could provide fireworks. TCU’s defense has its moments last season, but they were gashed by Colorado, Kansas State and Oklahoma. With bowl eligibility on the line, the Horned Frogs gave up 69 points to the Sooners, who could have scored more if they didn’t take their foot off the gas. They have a new defensive coordinator, though, and will be abandoning the 3-3-5 scheme in favor of a 4-2-5 defense. A fresh start could bode well for the defense, but most of their starters are gone. On offense, Josh Hoover will get the nod at quarterback, where he threw 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2023.

Stanford, who joined the ACC in the offseason, is coming off of a 3-9 season. From a distance, they may not look like much, but the Cardinal have weapons, especially on offense. Ashton Daniels will return as the starting quarterback, and he’ll have his top target, Elic Ayomanor, to throw to. Ayomanor caught 62 passes for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns last season. On the flipside, Stanford’s defense was almost nonexistent, giving up 40 or more points seven times.

I think Stanford’s offense is good enough to keep them in this game. Daniels should is now in his second season, so he should be able to settle in. Even if Stanford’s defense gives up yardage, Josh Hoover is turnover prone, so they might be able to get some stops. To me, this is one of the most underrated games of the entire week.

Pick: Stanford +9.5

Other Notable Friday Games:

FAU at Michigan State (-14)

Pick: Michigan State -14

Western Michigan at Wisconsin (-23)

Pick: Wisconsin -23

Season ATS Record: 1-3