College Football Week 0 Preview & 32 in 32: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Scott Seidenberg and AJ Hoffman talk NFL Preseason Week 3, preview the Tampa Bay Bucs in our 32 in 32 preview and breakdown Week 0 of the College Football season with Best Bets!

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🏈 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON STARTS TONIGHT & NFL PRESEASON WEEK 3

The 2026 college football season officially kicks off with the FCS slate, and preseason Week 3 begins.

🎯 NFL PRESEASON WEEK 3: THE FAVORITES TAKE OVER

The Complete Reversal

Scott: "It's a complete reversal. Week three belongs to the favorites."

⭐ SCOTT'S BEST BET: TEXANS -1.5 AT CAROLINA (Friday)

Two Angles Stacked

1. The 0-2 bounce-back: "Houston blew the lead last week against the Raiders. You've got to imagine DeMeco Ryans wants to end the preseason on a high note and not have his defense get dogged out like that. I expect a much more focused effort."

2. THE HALL OF FAME GAME FADE: Carolina is playing its FOURTH preseason game.

Since 2021, Hall of Fame Game teams in their fourth preseason game: 3-7 ATS, failing to cover by nearly SIX points per game.

Scott: "It reverts to the old preseason — week three was the dress rehearsal and week four nobody played. Because the Hall of Fame teams got the extra week, this IS that fourth week."

🏈 32 IN 32: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

The Market

The division: Bucs +170, Saints +270, Panthers +310, Falcons +400

⭐ AJ FADES THE DIVISION PRICE

AJ: "I don't like the number on them as the favorite. The NFC South is probably the division with the most parity in the league. Any one of these four teams could win it if things break right. I don't know why you'd say any of them is incapable — they all seem to have about the same skill level.

If you told me Tampa was +190 and the next team was +200, maybe. But a DOLLAR GAP between them and the next best team in the division doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

The Questions

On Baker: "Last year was his worst statistical season since he's been in Tampa. Was all of it due to injuries? Or is the league starting to figure him out again and he's regressing back to what Baker has been for most of his career? I think there's some real possibility there. The early-season health of Baker Mayfield and how connected it was to the injury is what to watch."

On the receivers: "Not having Mike Evans — that dude has been about as consistent as it gets. Emeka Egbuka is the real deal, but they've ALWAYS had multiple big-time receivers in Tampa. They don't have that now."

On the defense: "If there are any injuries on that side, we could see this team regress."

The Schedule Shape

The tough division games come LATE: New Orleans week 15, Atlanta week 16, the Rams week 17 ("maybe you hope they've clinched"), and New Orleans again week 18.

Scott: "Your two games against arguably your toughest competition in division don't come until weeks 15 and 18. Get through the season, be healthy at the end, win those games, and you have a very good chance to win the South."

AJ: "And they were on their way to doing exactly that last year before a late-season collapse. They shot themselves in the foot and blew a lead in the division."

🏈 WEEK 0 COLLEGE FOOTBALL — THE FULL CARD

⭐ AJ'S BEST BET: NC STATE +4.5 AT VIRGINIA

Total: 53.5

AJ: "I'm not really sure why they're getting points here. NC State hasn't lost to Virginia since Dave Doeren has been head coach. They return quite a bit, including quarterback CJ Bailey, who still looks pretty good, and they brought in good weapons.

I was surprised this was more than a field goal — I was going to take anything with a plus number. Getting +4.5 feels like a nice gift. I think NC State starts the season with an upset win."

TCU -8.5 vs NORTH CAROLINA (Dublin) — Total 47.5

(Moved a full point from -7.5.)

Scott's play: THE UNDER.

"I don't trust North Carolina to run the ball against TCU. I think TCU might struggle at times to run it against North Carolina. I don't know what to make of Billy Edwards in this Bobby Petrino offense.

And there's so much distraction with both programs — especially TCU, where your starting safety got kicked off the team for putting a receiver in the hospital. And I'm not talking about a bad hit in practice — a FIGHT. There's got to be dissension in that locker room. I think TCU wants to get out of there with a win and move on."

AJ: "The opposite of last year, when TCU made a statement — 48-14 in Chapel Hill, outgaining them by 300-something yards. It's going to look different. And TCU has a Harvard transfer coming in at QB, so there's an adjustment period to the speed of D-I football.

Your under is probably a good look. But TCU is the much better team defensively and at least slightly better offensively. I like the Frogs to cover"

USC -38.5 vs SAN JOSE STATE — Total 60.5

AJ: "In their last five games against G6 competition, they've won four by 39 or more. This is not an unreachable number.

There's a target on Lincoln Riley's back this season — and he's going to have to hurt feelings when he gets the chance, because he needs to build equity for the inevitable game they shouldn't lose but typically do. These are the games where Riley makes a statement.

Jayden Maiava is so good — I think he has a chance at a special year. And quite frankly this is a bad San Jose State team. Real potential for a massive blowout."

On Maiava 25/1 Heisman: "No. If you believe USC wins eleven games, it's not a bad bet — but the days of giving the Heisman to a Lincoln Riley quarterback who wins eight football games are probably over."

⭐ JACKSONVILLE STATE +7.5 AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE — Total 46.5

(Welcome to FBS, Bison.)

AJ: "I'm looking to fade the early entries into FBS. Jacksonville State is a team that's been around and done it a while. NDSU is in their first FBS game after a long run of success in FCS — no doubt they're ready for it, but there's going to be a LOT of pressure on them. Good spot for Jacksonville State catching that many points."

EASTERN MICHIGAN -10.5 vs SACRAMENTO STATE — Total 53.5

AJ: "Much more so than North Dakota — this Sacramento State team is not built for FBS right now. It's going to be a rough season and it will take time to bring in the talent they need. This might be ugly. This might be a blowout."

STANFORD -3.5 vs HAWAII — Total 48.5

The revenge angle: Hawaii won last year — and Mike Alajado got hurt in that game and dealt with the injury all season. He's now on preseason watch lists.

The Trench Report note: "Hawaii, despite being a 3.5-point dog, has a slight edge in the trenches — at least on last year's numbers carried over."

AJ leans Stanford: "Stanford actually played very well in that game last year — they controlled it on the ground and made it the game they wanted to play, and just couldn't finish. Flip the home field, and as Stanford accumulates more talent turning into a real ACC program, this is a spot where they bounce back and get revenge in a game they feel they shouldn't have lost."

FLORIDA STATE -31.5 vs NEW MEXICO STATE — Total 52.5

AJ: "This almost feels like the USC handicap. A coach with pressure on him who may need to go out of his way for statement wins when he gets the chance. Norvell can't feel comfortable about where he's at going into this year, and New Mexico State is probably having a down season anyway. Florida State is going to want to put on a show.

If anything I'd lean to a FIRST HALF number — put up some points and get out of there. But for the full game, it's certainly to the Seminoles."

UNLV -4.5 vs MEMPHIS (Saturday night, Las Vegas) — Total 56.5

The comedy: Neither head coach will name a starting quarterback.

Scott: "Is Charles Huff really sweating out whether he's preparing for Alex Orji or Jackson Arnold?"

AJ on the gamesmanship: "We can look at it and say these guys act like they're playing for a national championship — but a lot of people think Memphis can do something this year, and a lot of people are high on UNLV. With a playoff spot available to somebody, both teams are saying 'why not us?' Still — I'm sure the guys who are playing already know. They're not waiting until Friday to tell the team. It only matters to us people looking to bet it."

AJ's verdict: no play. "Especially being the late game, this is a sit, watch, and learn about both teams."

Scott will be live on VSiN during the game with a halftime report from Allegiant Stadium — watch for live betting opportunities.

📊 Member Note

Premium members: plays have been going out all week, and the college football Trench Report is live for Week 0 (2025 data with roster turnover for now, sharpening as real data arrives). The NFL Trench Report updates weekly.

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