US Open Day 4 Tennis Picks 2026 (Wednesday 2nd September)

The First Round is officially completed at the US Open and the biggest storyline through the opening three days is the exit of Novak Djokovic.

Father Time is unbeaten, but you do have to wonder if Novak Djokovic is going to decide to end his season immediately and try and deal with the issue he has been speaking about for a few weeks. While he has not disclosed the exact nature of the issue, the fact it flares up with the heat and humidity does suggest a stint through Asia and then the indoor hard court tournaments in the lead up to the Tour Finals would make little sense for a player who is all about being in prime condition to take on the Grand Slams.

These issues have come up at a bad time with Jannik Sinner out of the tournament and Carlos Alcaraz having missed four months on the Tour before returning, but Novak Djokovic may yet feel there is one more Grand Slam in him if he can get back to close to full health. It has only been nine months since he led the Australian Open Final before running out of steam and the hope is that the former World Number 1 can find a way to come back strong in 2027.

Most of the other contenders have fought their way through the opening Round, although Alexander Zverev made very hard work of his victory over Lorenzo Sonego.

A Grand Slam is up for grabs as far as those involved in the Women's tournament are concerned, but there is also a very strong race for the World Number 1 spot when this event is wrapped up and the top names chasing that position are all safely through.

Things tend to get much tougher as we move through the Rounds, but we are still in a position where defeats for the top names would be in upset conditions.

Rain has been a disruptor through the opening few days in New York City and this tournament will play very differently if the heat picks up and that all has to be factored into the Tennis Picks, which have made a very good start to this event, but with so much more tennis yet to be played.

Day 4 is easily the busiest for the Tennis Picks so far at the final Grand Slam of the season and that can see the opening successes quickly erased, which means this is a time for focus.

Carlos Alcaraz - 6.5 games v Jaime Faria: Despite a wrist injury that has kept Carlos Alcaraz away from the Tour for four months, the defending US Open Champion's decision to play in New York City meant he was given a short price to win this title.

That was always going to be the case considering Carlos Alcaraz added the Australian Open to his hard court Grand Slam collection earlier this year, but there are going to be question marks around the Spaniard for as long as he is involved in this tournament.

A straight sets win over a dangerous opponent will have given Carlos Alcaraz some confidence, although he will privately be assessing the wrist and see how it responds in the time away from the court. It also should be noted that Carlos Alcaraz was not as convincing behind serve, although that may have something to do with not wanting to push the wrist too quickly, while it should be said that he was still a very solid winner on the day.

As with any Grand Slam, the level of opponent will get more difficult the deeper you move through the draw, but Jaime Faria may not be a big step up from Roman Safiullon if he is considered a step up at all.

The 23 year old has shown solid form on the hard courts, but Jaime Faria is just 1-2 when facing top 50 Ranked opponents on the surface in 2026.

He needed almost four hours to get through the First Round match after Jaime Faria was guilty of throwing away a two set lead before rallying in the decider, while he faced more Break Points than he created. The serve can be a big weapon when at his best, but Jaime Faria may find it difficult to win the rallies once they develop and that time spent on the court is not ideal ahead of a Second Round match against the defending Champion.

Carlos Alcaraz will be someone that all keep a close eye on considering the layoff, but this is perhaps a time when he can show his quality before tougher tests potentially await.

Tommy Paul - 6.5 games v Dino Prizmic: Any player who has reached as high as World Number 8 should be credited for the career that has been put together, but the one criticism you may have of Tommy Paul is that he has never quite been able to put a strong run on the board at the US Open.

The American has reached the Quarter Final at every Grand Slam other than the US Open and reached the Semi Final at the Australian Open and the hard courts used Down Under. A couple of Fourth Round runs is as good as it has gotten in New York City and time is now perhaps running out for Tommy Paul to go a little further.

With Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic already out of the tournament and Carlos Alcaraz returning after a long layoff, Tommy Paul may not get a better opportunity to reach the last eight at the US Open than this one in 2026.

He came through the opening Round in relatively cool fashion after winning three sets in a row in style and Tommy Paul is a significant favourite to get the better of Dino Prizmic, who needed virtually four hours to get through his opening match.

Dino Prizmic is a player with real potential, but he is still developing his game for the professional Tour and matches against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts have proven to be a little too much for him. He did take a set from Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2024, but Dino Prizmic was beaten in straight sets by Andrey Rublev twelve months ago and the energy expended in the First Round is far from ideal.

The younger player does have a serve that can be effective on the hard courts, but his return is going to have to be better against someone like Tommy Paul who has held 91% of his service games played against those Ranked outside the top 50.

It is the returning side of the tennis where Tommy Paul looks like he can exert his experience on this match and the World Number 21 should be able to cover this handicap mark.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 sets v Lloyd Harris: Any time a player earns an upset in a Grand Slam, the natural expectation is that they are going to struggle to deal with the new weight of expectation on their shoulders and to match the intensity that was needed to spring the upset.

In 2026, Stefanos Tsitsipas beating Arthur Fils is a big upset and especially on the hard courts and considering the kind of form that both players have shown over the last month.

Arthur Fils won the Cincinnati Masters and looked set for a deep run in New York City, but the young Frenchman has found the pressure of a Grand Slam too much to take.

It has opened the door for Stefanos Tsitsipas who has struggled for any kind of consistency through stops in Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati and Winston Salem and the former Australian Open Semi Finalist has never made much of an impact in New York City in his career. An upset has offered up a chance for Tsitsipas to have his best run at the US Open and you have to believe his experience means he can cope with the media interest in the said upset.

Next up is a match against Qualifier Lloyd Harris who is playing as the World Number 139 and who is currently moving through his latest rebuild on the Tour.

Three wins in Qualifying and a straight sets win in the First Round will have filled Lloyd Harris with confidence having won a Challenger title and reached the Semi Final at another in the build up to the US Open.

The only downside to any rebuild period is that Lloyd Harris has not really faced too many of the very top players on the Tour and he is just 1-2 in hard court matches against top 100 Ranked opponents this season. All three have been played in the lead up to the US Open and you do have to wonder if Lloyd Harris is ready to beat someone like Stefanos Tsitsipas, even if the latter's current form is hardly all that inspiring.

Lloyd Harris will know his serve needs to more effective than it has been in the matches against top 100 Ranked opponents and it is an area that Stefanos Tsitsipas may feel gives him the edge.

You would never describe the World Number 53 as a really strong return player on this surface, but Stefanos Tsitsipas showed what he can do against Arthur Fils and the expectation is that he can get through this Second Round without needing to get to a deciding set.

Ben Shelton - 1.5 sets v Hubert Hurkacz: Both of these players have moved through the First Round of the US Open after dropping a single set and both have won a title in the build up to the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season.

However, it cannot be ignored that World Number 8 Ben Shelton won his in Montreal at the Canadian Masters, while Hubert Hurkacz won a Challenger event in Cancun.

Hubert Hurkacz will always feel he gives himself a chance to win matches with his booming serve and that is going to have to be important for him in his bid to earn the upset. Despite that serve, Hurkacz has not really been able to have the kind of consistent impact at Grand Slam events that a career high World Number 6 mark suggests he should have.

The Pole has reached the Semi Final at Wimbledon and Quarter Final at the Australian Open, but the Second Round is as good as it has gotten in New York City and Hubert Hurkacz may need an 'off day' from Ben Shelton to win this match.

Ben Shelton has won a couple of hard court titles and reached the Quarter Final in Melbourne earlier this year, while he has found a bit more consistency on his return. The American is always going to have a very dangerous serve, but he has broken in 17% of return games on the hard courts in each of the last two seasons and Ben Shelton has won a few more points on the return compared with 2025.

Putting that together continues to keep Ben Shelton as one of the leading contenders whenever he enters a hard court tournament, even if he has room for improvement to bridge the gap to the absolute elite on the Tour. His performance in the First Round against a dangerous server will give Ben Shelton the belief to take into this tough Second Round match and the fans are likely going to be very loud behind the home player.

All of this looks to be leading to a Ben Shelton win in three or four sets in what should be a serve dominated contest.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 6.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Tommy Paul - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 1.5 Sets @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Unit)

Ben Shelton - 1.5 Sets @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elina Svitolina - 5.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Emma Navarro - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Karolina Muchova - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 5-1, + 5.42 Units (12 Units Staked, + 45.17% Yield)

US Open Day 3 Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 1st September)

It has been a pretty intense last couple of days and that has made it difficult to sit down and write out a longer thread as the US Open has gotten underway.

That should improve as the week goes forward, but the Tennis Picks can be read below as we look to build on the opening success.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Lorenzo Sonego: The big news in the Men's draw is the early elimination of Novak Djokovic and that has only opened the draw up even further after Jannik Sinner withdraw before the tournament began. There are still lingering doubts about the overall fitness of Carlos Alcaraz and that will mean French Open Champion, Alexander Zverev, is going to be considered a big threat having been a Runner Up in New York City before.

His performances this summer will have lessened some of the enthusiasm around Alexander Zverev's prospects, but he is a very solid Grand Slam competitor and the experience cannot be underestimated the longer he remains in the tournament.

The First Round match against Lorenzo Sonego is going to be a test, but the match up is one that Alexander Zverev will be comfortable dealing with.

A couple of matches were won at Winston Salem, but Lorenzo Sonego has not enjoyed much success in the lead up to the the US Open and is playing as the World Number 89.

At 31 years old, Lorenzo Sonego will know that his best years may be behind him, but his serve can be very dangerous on the faster surfaces. However, that also means there is pressure to serve well at all times and especially in any match where he is bidding for an upset, and that has perhaps held the Italian back.

Lorenzo Sonego has held 80% of his service games in the three hard court matches against Alexander Zverev, but the latter has held 97% and that is a massive difference.

There has been a huge difference in the percentage of service points won to create that gap in the games held and the performances in the build up to the US Open suggests there will be no change to Alexander Zverev being the dominant player in this First Round contest.

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 games v Janice Tjen: Winning the French Open title means Mirra Andreeva has already achieved one of her career ambitions, but there is so much more to come from the talented teenager.

The next step in the development is improving the hard court consistency and becoming a threat to win a Grand Slam on this surface- Mirra Andreeva has reached the Fourth Round in three consecutive years at the Australian Open, but playing in New York City is a learning experience for players and Andreeva has struggled here and yet to reach the second week.

There has been little to take from the performances in Toronto and Cincinnati, but Mirra Andreeva should be able to get through the early Round before one of the better players on the Tour will end up having too much for her.

It is unlikely that Janice Tjen is going to be that opponent having already been beaten by Mirra Andreeva once in the build up to the 2026 US Open.

Janice Tjen is the World Number 36 and only just missed out on a Seeding of her own, which has to be respected, but this is a player with an 8-13 record on the hard courts in 2026 and who is 0-5 when facing top 20 Ranked opponents.

Her numbers in those five matches against top 20 Ranked opponents have been really poor and Janice Tjen will struggle to bridge that gap.

Mirra Andreeva continues to beat those players she will expect to beat on the hard courts and her numbers have been very strong in those matches played.

When these two met in Cincinnati, Mirra Andreeva was the much stronger player and she may have enough to cover the handicap in this US Open First Round match.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Mirra Andreeva - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

Taylor Fritz - 7.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Maria Sakkari - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 2-0, + 2.72 Units (4 Units Staked, + 68% Yield)

US Open Day 1 Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 30th August)

There will be a fuller thread for the Tuesday First Round matches, but the US Open has to begin with a couple of shorter threads as the tournament gets underway on Sunday.

Jessica Pegula - 5.5 games v Elena Gabriela Ruse: After reaching the Cincinnati Final, Jessica Pegula may simply be glad that a potential injury earlier in the tournament has not been one that could have dented her hopes of winning the US Open before this final Grand Slam of the season got underway.

She has been very close in the last couple of years.

Jessica Pegula reached the Final in New York City two years ago and the Semi Final last year, but the top of the leading contenders all have vulnerabilities in 2026. Her main rival has been Aryna Sabalenka, but Jessica Pegula will know the current World Number 1 is struggling for form and that leaves a door open.

It is clear where Jessica Pegula stands in American tennis that she has been given one of the prime spots on Sunday, but that also means pressure to deliver. Jessica Pegula has not been beaten in the First Round here since 2019, and it would be a real surprise if Elena Gabriela Ruse is able to reset that mark this year.

The last time we saw Elena Gabriela Ruse, she was well on her way to being beaten by Alexandra Eala in Cincinnati, but withdrew with an injury in the middle of the second set.

She was not likely to turn that match around, but it was also an injury that was not expected to keep her out of this Grand Slam.

Elena Gabriela Ruse has produced some steady hard court numbers this season, but there are levels to the sport and it has been a big struggle when facing top 50 Ranked opponents. In those matches, Ruse has a 2-7 record and she has really had issues in protecting the second serve, while simply not offering enough threat on the return to put any consistent pressure on the better players faced.

Changing those narratives in the First Round looks beyond the World Number 63 and Jessica Pegula can get her latest campaign to win a Grand Slam underway with a solid opening victory before earning a couple of days to rest and recover.

Alex Michelsen - 5.5 games v Federico Cina: The US Open has to be the big target for every single American player who is working their way onto the Tour and Alex Michelsen will be hoping he can have an impact here this season.

The last couple of years have both ended prematurely for the World Number 45, but Alex Michelsen has won a Challenger event on the hard courts in the build up to the final Grand Slam of the season and played at a decent level when the Tour moved into the bigger hard court events over the last month.

All of that can help Alex Michelsen and he has been given a decent opening draw considering he is not in a Seeded position.

Of course that does not mean Michelsen can approach this match with a poor attitude and instead it is on the higher Ranked player to exert his authority on an opponent that has limited hard court experience.

The serve is a big weapon for Alex Michelsen and that is going to be the key to this match- he has been pretty steady serving with around an 86% hold mark no matter the Ranking of the opponent, but the key for the home player here is getting the return game operating at a standard to make this a relatively comfortable match.

Any player that battles through the Qualifying Rounds has to be respected, but the 19 year old Federico Cina has perhaps surprisingly made it through. The World Number 181 won a Challenger on the hard courts earlier this season, but he had played three hard court matches in preparation for the US Open over the last six weeks and Federico Cina won one.

That includes losing early in the Challenger event that Alex Michelsen went on to win, but it also underlines the improvement of level needed to earn the upset.

Federico Cina’s raw numbers look reasonable in the relatively small hard court sample provided in 2026, but he has not played a single player inside the top 100 of the World Rankings. During his career, Cina has played three hard court matches against those players and produced a 1-2 record with all of those matches taking place in 2025 and it would be a surprise if this Qualifier can extend his stay in New York City beyond this weekend.

He has nothing to lose and all of the pressure is on Alex Michelsen, but the latter should also have the edge in experience and can reach a hard court level that proves to be beyond the reach of Federico Cina in the First Round at this final Grand Slam of the season.

MY PICKS: Jessica Pegula - 5.5 Games @ 1.70 William Hill (2 Units)

Alex Michelsen - 5.5 Games @ 1.66 William Hill (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2026- Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic (Saturday 29th August)

As fans continue to be frustrated at hearing the back and forth regarding the potential Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua bout, the attention should really move past two Heavyweights who have had stellar careers, but whose best days are now behind them.

Instead, fight fans should be very excited to see if Moses Itauma can move from potential to prospect to contender and now to World Champion.

There has long been an excitement around the young British Heavyweight and the fracture of the World Titles has given Moses Itauma a big opportunity to pick up a World Title.

If he can do that, Queensberry are almost certainly going to begin the long build to a monster Stadium showdown between Daniel Dubois and Moses Itauma with the former already holding a World Title and both under the same promotional banner.

However, before we begin to think about, Moses Itauma has a big night in front of him and that is the leading fight of this weekend.

There is also a very decent main event run by MVP, who are heavily promoting the female side of the sport, and both Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron are amongst the best on this side of the sport.

It should be an interesting card using the Britain vs USA angle and the hope is that the timings will mean the main events are not clashing on Saturday night.

Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic

The Heavyweight Division is not as deep as some would hope and that does make it tough to determine the speed in which any prospect should be pushed forward.

Some have found the leaps too much between domestic level into world level (Jared Anderson is a case in point of recent times), but others have managed to do that and put together solid careers (Anthony Joshua).

One criticism of the AJ career is that he was having to learn on the job having become a World Champion before he was able to iron out the creases in his skills. That is a potential fear for Moses Itauma, but it is very difficult to slow down the progress when someone has been shining as much as the youngster has been.

Wins over Dillian Whyte and Jermaine Franklin Jr look solid on paper, but the former is nowhere near his best, while the latter gave Rounds to Whyte and Anthony Joshua a few years and has never kicked on from that.

Finishing both in the manner he did will have given Moses Itauma's fans a huge amount of confidence in their man, but there is no doubting that this World Title bout is against someone who will be coming in with a lot more belief than anyone Itauma has faced before.

Filip Hrgovic has perhaps flattered to deceive at the very highest level and that makes it difficult believe in him as much as he may believe in himself.

Wins over Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and Dave Allen has pushed Filip Hrgovic into this opportunity, but none of those are all that impressive and this is a big step up for him. It is certainly the biggest test since Hrgovic was beaten by Daniel Dubois in June 2024 and the worry is that the big Croatian is not going to be able to get away with those moments when he looks to take a rest within Rounds.

A bigger concern is that Filip Hrgovic is a fighter that is confident stopping punches with his face and eventually that chin is not going to be able to stand up to big shots as Joe Joyce would tell anyone.

This also brings cuts back into play, which is way Daniel Dubois forced the Stoppage against Filip Hrgovic, and the sharpness and speed of Moses Itauma should see him break down his man.

Durability is something Hrgovic can lean upon, but there is so many times you can take clean shots from big punchers and El Animal may not be able to push Moses Itauma as deep into this bout as perhaps some believe.

A mid-fight Stoppage looks most likely once Moses Itauma racks up the big shots on Filip Hrgovic and a new British headliner will be able to step into the full limelight.

It may not be the depth of undercard fans have been spoiled with in recent times, but there is a solid support to the main event in London.

Constantin Ursu is going to be defending his British Welterweight Title and he can do enough to beat Ben Vaughan, although the manner of the victory is much more difficult to determine.

There are also a number of Heavyweight fights on the undercard and 41 year old, unbeaten Albanian Nelson Hysa may be set to face one of the top British names if he can get through his bout.

He is up against an unbeaten opponent and both Hysa and Thomas Narmo have plenty of Stoppages on the record, but the older fighter may have more experience at a higher level and he can come through a firefight.

Sam Noakes improved his stock in a losing effort last year and he is another who can go through the gears and ensure a finish against veteran Denys Berinchyk who is returning after an eighteen month absence.

The MVP card is a potentially entertaining one, but the main event looks tough to call and the undercard is filled with contests that are likely to be decided on the cards, which is what the layers are going to be guarding against.

Instead, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Lester Martinez can show what he has been learning from sparring with Bud Crawford as he looks to become a World Champion in the Super Middleweight Division.

His stock has risen after a controversial draw with Christian Mbilii, who is going on to fight Canelo Alvarez, and Luka Plantic is stepping up a couple of levels.

Fighting out of the southpaw stance will make Plantic awkward, but Lester Martinez will have the time he needs to force a Stoppage as he moves through the gears.

MY PICKS: Moses Itauma Win Between 5-8 @ 3.10 William Hill (1 Unit)

Nelson Hysa Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)

Sam Noakes to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Lester Martinez to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.30 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 22-40, - 15.36 Units (97 Units Staked, - 15.84% Yield)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 29th August)

The Seeded players will move into the Hungarian Darts Trophy draw after the First Round was completed in Budapest on Friday and this is a European Tour event that has been able to bring together some of the best players on the Tour.

James Wade was the latest to withdraw, albeit after the draw was made, but that may harden Luke Humphries into favouritism for the title, although the European stages do throw up plenty of opportunities for any player that can find a way into Finals day.

Big names means big matches and those attending the Sessions on Day 2 of this tournament should be viewing some top darts being thrown.

Sixteen matches need to be completed with eight in each Session on Saturday and the positive returns on Day 1 give us something to build upon when those Second Round matches get underway.

Wessel Nijman - 2.5 games v Dave Chisnall: You can never dismiss Dave Chisnall when he is throwing his best darts, but we have not seen a lot of consistency from him all year.

Backing that up is the fact he threw four maximums in the First Round win, but also struggled with his doubling and ultimately that led to an average of below 90.

Dave Chisnall will not need to be told that he will need to be a lot better if he is going to upset the odds against Wessel Nijman, who has beaten Chizzy twice this season.

The most recent came at the World Matchplay and Wessel Nijman proved to be too consistent for Dave Chisnall in a 10-5 win.

Another strong run at Players Championship 27 backs up what has continued to be a strong year for the Dutchman and he can produce enough quality to cover this spread in a winning effort.

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes over 5.5 180s: When these players met on the floor back in May, Chris Dobey and Tom Sykes needed to play all eleven Legs in what was a high quality affair.

On that day, Chris Dobey had eight maximums on his own, but Tom Sykes stayed competitive by producing four of his own and both players averaged over 100.

Tom Sykes has crushed Cameron Menzies in the First Round at this European Tour event and was able to produce three maximums in the seven Legs played.

The expectation for this Second Round match is seeing at least nine Legs played out and both Dobey and Sykes can pummel the treble 20 bed and help combine to rack up the maximum scoring in what could be a cracking end to the Afternoon Session.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: The underdog may be getting better and better at putting the maximums on the board, but Nathan Aspinall will always feel he can outperform most players on the Tour when it comes to that market.

He has admitted that he has not been focusing on his darts as much as he perhaps should have been, but Nathan Aspinall is now married and that may mean refocusing.

Ryan Joyce will have to be a lot better than he was in the First Round if he is going to beat Nathan Aspinall- Joyce may have beaten Cristo Reyes, but can be thankful for a wasteful doubling day from the latter.

It should be said that Nathan Aspinall can sometimes may Legs tougher than they should be when he is slightly off the doubling and giving Ryan Joyce opportunities would be a mistake.

However, the scoring power should mean Aspinall gets to the double first and he can complete the match double.

MY PICKS: Wessel Nijman - 2.5 Legs @ 2.05 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes Over 5.5 180s @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Hungarian Darts Trophy: 3-0, + 3.21 Units (3 Units Staked, + 107% Yield)

College Football Week 0 Picks 2026 (Saturday 29th August)

Eight months have passed since the Indiana Hoosiers won the National Championship and that underlines the point that this is a new era in College Football.

Schools all around the country have figured the importance of being able to offer big NIL contracts to players and that means those traditional powerhouses no longer have the same advantage over others as they once did.

Conferences are deeper and much more competitive than they were and that is likely going to lead to an expansion in the Playoffs sooner rather than later, although no deal was completed to have that happen at the end of the 2026 season.

Changes to rosters have always been very common in College Football as players choose to move onto the professional level, but the NIL contracts do allow for players to stick around longer at this level and develop further before taking the leap into the NFL. It felt the case for some of the top names returning to College Football, including Archie Manning, although the schools have come together to currently ban those players who have skipped to the pro Leagues without completing College eligibility who are now pushing to be able to return to this level.

Dae'Quan Wright may have been suiting up for the Cleveland Browns, but took up an offer to play for the LSU Tigers in 2026, although it is a move that is still travelling through the legal system after the SEC stepped up and made Wright ineligible to play.

We are likely to hear how the courts decide that should be played out over the course of the season, although the NFL has made it clear that anyone who signs with a College team is not able to play in the pro Leagues this season.

Despite the new era of College Football with all of the NIL deals flying around, the usual suspects will begin the season at the top of the unofficial Rankings.

Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas all come in before the defending Champions Indiana and the Big Ten Conference has taken over from the SEC as the best at this level.

Well, that should say best at the very top, although the SEC remains a deep, competitive Conference that will see teams feast on one another having created a schedule where each teams play an additional Conference game compared with previous seasons.

Five SEC teams made the twelve team Playoff in 2025 with the Playoff Committee respecting the level of competition faced, but it is telling only one made the Semi Final.

Controversies are never that far behind, even with an expanded Playoff field, and the Miami Hurricanes being invited into the tournament and the ACC Champion missing out raised eyebrows. However, the Hurricanes made up for that by reaching the National Championship Game before narrowly coming up short against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Week 0 is a pretty quiet week as the College Football season begins, but this is an exciting time for fans and we do have an international game being played in Ireland.

Later in the season there is another being played at Wembley Stadium in London as College Football follows the NFL in expanding the game. This is a positive for the international fans, although those back home may be concerned of losing big games to places where those may not be appreciated as much as they would be in the usual setting.

2025 was a tough year for the College Football Picks and the last couple of years have been disappointing.

It is something that has needed some adjustments as to how picks are to be made and that will hopefully be seen in the results over the next five months.

There will be some ups and downs, but there were too many really poor weeks in 2025 and that cannot happen again, although the game is played on a field and not on paper so you also need to have that luck of the fine margins to move in the direction we would want to see.

TCU Horned Frogs vs North Carolina Tar Heels Pick: The College Football season will kick off on Saturday, but in Dublin rather than the United States, when the TCU Horned Frogs and North Carolina Tar Heels face off.

The two had contrasting seasons in 2025 with the Horned Frogs finishing with a 9-4 record and the Tar Heels at 4-8, which was most disappointing seeing as it was the first year under Head Coach Bill Belichick.

Off field distractions did not help, but it should also be pointed out that College teams do take a bit of time to implement methods of new Head Coaches. In the past, the impact may not be assessed until a couple of recruiting years to put a team together that could be competitive, but that process can be speeded up in the NIL contract era and the Tar Heels will be hoping the former New England Patriots Head Coach's reputation can do that for them.

The last recruiting class was praised, but Belichick may have hoped for calmer preparation for the 2026 season and has not been the case.

Michael Lombardi has been forced to accept administrative leave having had a complaint made against him and Bill Belichick's son, Steve, has been the Defensive Co-Ordinator, but has taken time away from the team for medical reasons.

A new Offensive Co-Ordinator is going to be asked to improve the North Carolina Tar Heels after the struggles of last season, and Bobby Petrino is very experienced at the College Football level. He is going to have a new Quarter Back leading the Tar Heels after Billy Edwards Jr earned the starting job, but the limited experience in College Football is one issue and he missed the majority of 2025 with an injury having started a couple of times for the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring to North Carolina.

Billy Edwards Jr is going to be tested by this TCU Defensive unit, even if Jacob Fields was told to leave the team after an issue with a teammate, and the problem may all begin up front with the Tar Heels unlikely to establish the run with any consistency.

That will force the Quarter Back into a tough spot as he has to take to the air to keep the chains moving and it may allow the Horned Frogs to win the battle of field position.

Last year, the Horned Frogs blew out the North Carolina Tar Heels as the road favourite and restricted the home team to just 50 yards on the ground. They are unlikely to be that stout again, but the Horned Frogs Defensive Line will feel they can win up front and that will offer them a big chance to control this game.

A new Quarter Back and a new Offensive Co-Ordinator will be coming together for the TCU Horned Frogs who are hoping to challenge for the Big 12 Championship and, ultimately, a place in the College Football Playoff.

There is a real expectation that the TCU Offensive plan will be much more balanced this season, while Jaden Craig becomes the starting Quarter Back looking to show the NFL what he can do at a stronger College level than he previously played. Jaden Craig played well with Harvard, and earned some interest from NFL scouts, but playing in the Big 12 Conference will allow the Quarter Back to put stronger film on tape.

One of the keys to the development of the Quarter Back is to avoid the big turnovers and Jaden Craig has shown plenty of ability to do that while preparing for the season, which will give Head Coach Sonny Dykes plenty of confidence. The Horned Frogs have Jeremy Payne back to give the Offensive unit balance as the leading Running Back from last year and the expectation is that TCU will have too much for the Tar Heels for a second season in a row.

It was a blowout last year and this one should be much more competitive, but TCU look like a team that will be amongst the best in the Big 12, while the Tar Heels are still growing under Bill Belichick. Being without the Defensive Co-Ordinator cannot be good news for North Carolina and a double digit win for the TCU Horned Frogs to open this season looks likely.

San Jose State Spartans @ USC Trojans Pick: There are many teams around the College Football scene who would be very happy with a season of nine wins, but the USC Trojans are expected to challenge for a place in the College Football Playoff and that has simply not happened under Head Coach Lincoln Riley.

This is the fifth season Lincoln Riley will be Coaching the Trojans and they have failed to win at least ten games since his opening season when a loss in the Pac-12 Championship Game cost the team a chance of entering the Playoff.

USC are just 16-10 in the last couple of seasons and things are not going to be easy in 2026 as they play in the loaded Big Ten Conference where the defending Champions Indiana and favourites to win the next National Championship Ohio State Buckeyes both operate.

It can be argued that the Trojans enter this season behind former Pac-12 rivals Oregon Ducks as well, but they can only focus on their own schedule for now. The next couple of months will see the Trojans have plenty of chances to prove themselves as they will be hosting both Oregon and Ohio State and playing Indiana on the road, but building momentum before that run of games in late September through to November will be the key for this Big Ten team.

Lincoln Riley is under pressure with the expectation around the Trojans who are bringing back plenty of starters and who have an experienced Quarter Back in Jayden Maiava leading the team on this side of the ball. After throwing 3700 yards and 24 Touchdowns in 2025, Jayden Maiava will be looking to lessen the turnovers having thrown 10 Interceptions last year and doing that will certainly put the Trojans in a strong position to be successful.

They are very big favourites to open the season with a victory over the San Jose State Spartans who finished with a 3-9 record last year having won at least seven games in four of the previous five seasons. San Jose State are overseen by an experienced and successful Head Coach in Ken Niumatalolo, but this is a team with low expectations as they continue what is a rebuilding project in the third year under this Head Coach.

You do have to respect the fact that Ken Niumatalolo will get the best out of his team and the Spartans were 'only' beaten by 31 points at the Texas Longhorns last year.

He does have a new Quarter Back in Luke Weaver after a couple of contenders were beaten out in training camp, but it should be noted that Weaver has limited experience of playing at the FBS level of College Football and certainly will not have been used to competing against team likes the USC Trojans.

Making things more challenging is that Luke Weaver and the Spartans are facing a USC Trojans Defensive unit that have a new Defensive Co-Ordinator in Gary Patterson and who are looking to show they can compete with the very top teams in the Big Ten. Players are excited to be playing in the system being run by Patterson, while his time with the TCU Horned Frogs saw the new Defensive Co-Ordinator produce a strong TCU Defensive unit year after year as the Head Coach.

This is a huge spread, but the USC Trojans opened last season with a 60 point and a 39 point win in non-Conference games and playing in Week 0 means the team have a chance to make an early statement to the rivals in a strong viewing spot.

The expectation is that the Trojans Defensive unit will be looking to really show up for Gary Patterson and that can create the turnovers and big plays to set the Offensive unit up with short fields. It could end up seeing the Trojans pulling easily clear, although there is always a concern with a spread like this one that a big lead can sometimes lead to a team coasting and allowing a backdoor cover even when dominating almost all aspects of a game.

New Mexico State Aggies @ Florida State Seminoles Pick: The end of the 2023 season will always sting those associated with the Florida State Seminoles and seeing rivals Miami Hurricanes reach the National Championship Game last year may only have added to the frustration that lingers around the Head Coach.

A 7-17 record in the last two years means Mike Norvell cannot hope that the feel-good factor of the 2023 season can keep him in charge of the Seminoles if they are not able to produce a much stronger season all around in 2026.

It also means four of the six seasons played under Mike Norvell have ended with a losing record and there is going to be little patience with the Head Coach if the Florida State Seminoles cannot build momentum into this season.

The Seminoles are big favourites opening up against the New Mexico State Aggies, but they move into 'prove it' games very quickly with the SMU Mustangs and Alabama Crimson Tide on deck. The ACC has been a pretty open Conference, but the Seminoles will need transfer Ashton Daniels to finally feel settled in the Quarter Back position having bounced from Stanford to Auburn before arriving in Tallahassee.

Florida State fans will be questioning the standard of the roster after pre-season predictions were made and the Seminoles are not expected to be one of the stronger teams in the Conference. This will not be good news for the Head Coach, but this opening game gives Florida State an opportunity to come out and make an immediate statement about what they can achieve.

Head Coach Tony Sanchez is not under the same pressure as his counterpart, but that does not mean he personally and the New Mexico State Aggies have no expectations of their own. After finishing with winning records in 2022 and 2023, the Aggies have had three wins in 2024 and four in 2025 and Sanchez is looking for the team to take the next step.

New Mexico State play in the Conference-USA and that means this is a significantly tougher opponent than one they would be playing in most weeks.

Last year, the one major school faced saw the Aggies blown out mid-season by the Tennessee Volunteers, and in 2026 they are going to be starting this season with a Quarter Back who is moving up from the FCS level, which can be challenging too.

22 Interceptions in the last couple of seasons suggests Trey Hedden could have to go through a quick learning curve at this level and Florida State may be able to create one or two short fields to really begin to pull away.

No one associated with the Seminoles is going to be looking back at 2025 with any fondness, but it should be noted that the team were able to produce two massive wins when facing lower level opponents. One was against a FCS opponent, but Florida State also crushed Kent State from the MAC and there is every reason to believe they can win in Week 0 very comfortably before heading into much tougher contests over the weeks and months ahead.

MY PICKS: TCU Horned Frogs - 8.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 38.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Florida State Seminoles - 30.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

English Premier League Football Picks Game Week 2 2026/27 (Friday 28th August-Monday 31st August 2026)

By the end of this weekend, fans of those clubs playing in Europe this season will be able to plot out the schedule until the end of January with only the League Cup creating extra games and with a single Round of the FA Cup to be played.

It is an exciting time, but things can change pretty quickly for all supporters if a poor opening weekend result turns into a longer slump as expectations remain pretty fluid at the end of August.

This season the calendar has changed so there are five Premier League games, the Third Round of the League Cup and one Match Day of the Champions League/Europa League to be completed before we get into the first international break of the season.

A decision was made to make that opening break a little longer than usual as the Nations League gets underway in the UEFA Confederation, but it does mean teams have an opportunity to build some early momentum and allow new signings to settle in before they head away with international teams.

There are a number of teams who will be looking to produce stronger results in the second week of the Premier League season, notably Manchester United and Aston Villa, and it is the opening home fixture of the campaign for ten of the twenty top flight clubs. Fans will arrive with huge smiles, but things can turn sour pretty quickly, even at this very early stage of the season, and so it is up to the players and management staff to make sure that is not the case.

It all adds up to another important week in the Premier League, which is once again 'blessed' with a Friday Night Football match (good news for supporters who have to work being forced to travel for a game where you are almost certainly not going to be able to get public transport back home).

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Late goals prevented the early Enzo Maresca era as manager of Manchester City beginning with a lot of critics asking questions of the tactics employed, but the Italian will be hoping for a much more comfortable experience in the weeks and months ahead.

Manchester City did not play badly, but they were wasteful early and the defensive issues were clear to see.

A response has been to spend another big fee on another midfielder and Manchester City continue to be linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez to bolster options further.

Enzo Maresca should have a more settled midfield for this fixture, but he will be aware that Crystal Palace will be looking to recover from a disappointing loss at Everton.

The Eagles deserved more than they got, but they need this transfer window to close if only to see squad players settle down and focus on the task at hand. Being without Ismaila Sarr is a blow, but Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line and they should have chances.

Games between the clubs have featured plenty of goals in recent times and this Friday night offering could be another.

Fantasy: Erling Haaland is not likely to miss the same chances he did last week, but the standout play for Manchester City may be Phil Foden, despite a quiet outing. He was getting into stronger positions in the second half after tactical shifts were made and Foden still has something to prove to keep Rayan Cherki out of the team.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: It has been a tough opening week for manager Oliver Glasner and things are not going to get easier when taking his Nottingham Forest team to Anfield.

The players may be reminding the manager that they have won here twice in a row in the top flight, but a new system is still go through teething issues and Nottingham Forest have struggled to create much in the final third in the first couple of games.

They will have seen the vulnerabilities Liverpool have in defensive areas, and Nottingham Forest can be dangerous on the counter, but a first home game of the season under a new manager should mean a decent atmosphere is created for the Liverpool players to perform.

A 2-2 draw at Newcastle United may not be a bad result in the long-term, but Liverpool will feel they created enough to earn the three points and they can get the better of this visitor on Saturday in the early kick off slot.

Fantasy: A new £100 million plus signing is set to arrive at Anfield, but the fans need to see more from the two who arrived last summer- Florian Wirtz had another 'nothing game' last week, but Alexander Isak can benefit from the chances the team should be able to create.

Bournemouth vs Everton: The key for Marco Rose is keeping hold of key players before the transfer window and he will be hoping Bournemouth may be able to bring in a couple of signings that could ease the burden on the squad.

The extra Europa League games are going to be challenging for the club, but Bournemouth fans will be very excited about the coming months.

It will be easier to remain that way if Bournemouth can put some solid Premier League points on the board sooner than later and they will feel they should have earned a positive result at Manchester City last weekend.

Everton arrive after putting two wins and two clean sheets on the board, but they were not at their best in seeing off Crystal Palace.

Work is being done to try and give David Moyes more options, but this has regularly been a tough place for Everton to visit and they need to be much more solid defensively if they are going to pick up any points this week.

Fantasy: There may be better games to target, but if Bournemouth are going to have success, Marcus Tavernier may have to maintain the form he has been producing for some time.

Coventry City vs Hull City: Two promoted clubs earned opening three points in the Premier League, but it is the Champions of the second tier who missed out.

Coventry City clearly had the toughest assignment, but it is Hull City who head into the second weekend of the season with the biggest upset having beaten Manchester United at home.

Frank Lampard will know this is a very important game for his team, but losing at Arsenal is not going to define them like a fixture like this one and that is what the players will be reminded of all week.

Both fixtures between these clubs ended goalless last season and there may be little between them again- Coventry City had been the stronger team when they met at the CBS Arena and that may see them win a tight fixture.

Fantasy: If you have selected defenders from either of these teams, there is a real opportunity to play them this weekend... The lean would be with the Coventry City defenders and Ben Thomas should retain his place in the starting eleven even after Ethan Pinnock arrived from Brentford to give the squad some Premier League experience.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: The fans of both of these clubs may be a little unsure what to expect after the opening weekend results, although Tottenham Hotspur entered the season with the greater expectations overall.

Any team that has spent like Spurs will have raised expectations, but Roberto De Zerbi may need some time to mould the starting eleven together and facing Newcastle United has regularly been challenging in recent seasons for the North London club.

Tottenham Hotspur will sense the visitors have vulnerabilities at the back, but the pace in the forward areas makes Newcastle United dangerous and this is a fixture that tends to produce plenty of goals.

Picking a winner is not easy, but Newcastle United have enjoyed recent games at this Stadium and ultimately a 2-1 scoreline either way would not be a surprise.

Fantasy: The signings of Savinho (or Savio as he is now known) and Omar Marmoush gives Tottenham Hotspur some solid options in the forward areas, while the likes of Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro should shore them up at the back. One of the key performers in the pre-season was Mathys Tel and he may be ready to have an impact in what is looking like a potentially high-scoring fixture.

Chelsea vs Brighton Pick: These two teams could not have asked for a better opening to the new season and that should mean a confident match is produced when Chelsea host Brighton.

The last 8 Premier League games between the teams have all ended with at least three goals shared out and this has every chance of following that trend considering some of the attacking players that will be on the pitch.

It also helps that Chelsea are still looking vulnerable at the back, while Brighton play a high-line that can be exploited by the front three that the home team are likely to employ.

An early goal could really spark the occasion, although it is a shame for Brighton that Jack Hinshelwood is unlikely to be available after picking up an injury in training.

Fantasy: You could pick any of the Chelsea front three and be pretty happy, but Maxim De Cuyper has made a strong start to the season for Brighton and may be able to exploit some of the early defensive issues that have been highlighted in the home side.

Leeds United vs Brentford: Games between Leeds United and Brentford have tended to be very competitive and with little between them and it would be a surprise if that changes on Sunday.

Opening wins with clean sheets will have done both squads very well and they have backed that up by progressing in the League Cup during the week.

Brentford have displayed some really strong firepower in the opening week, but they have yet to find the balance needed away from home under Keith Andrews and that is the challenge for the manager to meet.

We know Leeds United will be tough to beat at Elland Road, but it would not be a surprise if these two teams end up cancelling one another out.

Fantasy: In the weeks and months ahead, both Leeds United and Brentford could offer some very good Fantasy choices, but this is expected to be a tight fixture and it may be a week where a moment of magic is needed... Where that comes from is anyone's guess!

Sunderland vs Fulham: There is a real concern about whether Sunderland have enough to compete with the added commitments of the Europa League and the late goal to lose at Portman Road will feel like a bitter blow to open this season.

The record at the Stadium of Light was impressive last season, but the underlying data is a little more concerning and Sunderland have struggled to deal with Fulham in recent years.

Alvaro Arbeloa's men earned the first win of the season against Wimbledon in the League Cup, but they will need to be better defensively than they showed against Chelsea and this is yet another team that will be having to get through some growing pains.

Fulham still retain some real quality though and both of these teams may have to share the points to get off the mark in the top flight in 2026/27.

Fantasy: This is another fixture where there is little between the teams, but Gonzalo Garcia has made a strong start to the campaign and looks like he will do a very good job for Fulham. The West London club have a decent record in recent visits to Sunderland and it may be Garcia who helps them edge this one as well, if they are going to earn an edge.

Manchester United vs Ipswich Town: The big concern for Manchester United in the aftermath of the loss to Hull City is that the performances during Michael Carrick's time at the club suggested a result like that one was not too far away.

Once again Manchester United have not been able to exert their strength on a team they should beat, but the results and performances away from home have now become a serious concern with little sign that the former will be sustainable without the latter.

Manchester United are back at home this weekend and it should be said that they have generally been a lot better at Old Trafford compared with playing away from home. The numbers back that up and a reaction is expected from a squad that has enough talent to win a game like this one.

Ipswich Town have nothing to lose and an early Premier League win will have done the squad the world of good, but they are going to do well to contain Manchester United on Sunday.

Set pieces looks the best avenue for Ipswich Town after seeing fellow promoted club Hull City exploit those last week, but Manchester United have tended to be pretty comfortable at Old Trafford and that can be underlined by the final score.

Fantasy: Any time Manchester United play at home, Bruno Fernandes will stand out for fantasy purposes, but it was Bryan Mbeumo who produced the biggest threatening moments last week and he is likely going to be a focal point of the attack again.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Opening weekend results can lead to grand statements being made about prospects of teams going forward and you will likely hear everyone suggesting Arsenal will win comfortably at Villa Park on Monday night.

Aston Villa lost 4-0 at Brighton forty-eight hours after Arsenal opened the new season with a 3-0 home win over Coventry City and those contrasting fortunes have meant the Champions go into this fixture as big favourites.

It has been feast or famine for Arsenal when visiting Villa Park since Unai Emery took charge of Aston Villa and this is a manager who will have been working his players to extract a big reaction from them.

The gut feeling is that we will see a big reaction from Aston Villa, but Arsenal still have a lot of quality and new signing Christos Tzolis has made an early impact.

He does not shy away from getting into shooting positions and Aston Villa were hurt on the right side of the defence in the heavy defeat at the Amex Stadium. Instead of backing a winner, backing Tzolis to hit the target with what is likely to be at least two or three efforts on goal looks the best way to be involved this Bank Holiday Monday.

Fantasy: The name has already been mentioned and it is Christos Tzolis who can continue to make an early impact for Arsenal having already been involved in creating goals against Manchester City and Coventry City.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Liverpool - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bournemouth @ 2.10 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Coventry City-Hull City Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tottenham Hotspur-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 William Hill (1 Unit)

Chelsea-Brighton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.61 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Leeds-Brentford Draw @ 3.50 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Sunderland-Fulham Draw @ 3.40 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Christos Tzolis Over 0.5 Shots on Target @ 1.61 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Premier League 26/27: 4-6, - 0.18 Units (9 Units Staked, - 2% Yield)

2026 World Cup: 57-45-1, + 8.63 Units (103 Units Staked, + 8.38% Yield)