The 2026 Season Is Almost Here

The 2026 college football season is days away. FCS teams open play on Thursday, August 27, and FBS Week 0 begins Saturday, August 29 — a six-game slate that carries the season's first must-watch matchup: North Carolina against No. 23 TCU at historic Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

The Ireland opener is Bill Belichick's first real proving ground in Year 2 at North Carolina after a 4-8 debut season. TCU arrives ranked No. 23 in the preseason polls — no FBS team wants to open its season with a marquee loss across the Atlantic.

Complete Week 0 Schedule (Saturday, August 29)

All times Eastern. Networks can shift before kickoff.

Noon ET — North Carolina vs. No. 23 TCU (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) on ESPN. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic is the season's first game of global significance: a ranked TCU team against the most scrutinized coach in college football.

3:30 p.m. ET — NC State at Virginia on ESPN. Originally scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, the game was relocated to Charlottesville, where the Wolfpack and Cavaliers open ACC play.

3:30 p.m. ET window — San Jose State at USC on NBC and Peacock. Lincoln Riley's Trojans open at home against a Mountain West opponent, kicking off USC's make-or-break 2026 campaign.

Evening — Hawaii at Stanford on ACC Network. The Rainbow Warriors travel to the mainland for a late ACC Network window.

Evening — New Mexico State at Florida State. The Seminoles begin their rebound season at home in Tallahassee.

10:00 p.m. ET — Memphis at UNLV on FOX. The late-nightcap features a CFP dark horse in UNLV and a Memphis team with an explosive offense.

How to Watch the Whole Season

The broadcast landscape for 2026 includes the major networks — FOX, ABC, CBS, ESPN, and NBC — plus the conference channels (Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ACC Network) and Peacock for NBC windows. ESPN+ carries a heavy load of nationally streamed games throughout the season.

For cord-cutters, YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV all carry the major broadcast and cable networks. Peacock is required for select NBC games, including the USC opener. If you only have an antenna, local FOX, ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates broadcast the major windows for free all season.

Week 1 Brings the Big Games

The first full Saturday on September 5 delivers the season's first heavyweight slate: Clemson at LSU in a prime-time ABC matchup and Boise State at Oregon on CBS. Sunday, September 6 adds two more gems — Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on NBC and Peacock, plus Louisville vs. Ole Miss in Nashville on ABC.

What This Means for CFB 27

College Football 27 players can use the Week 0 slate as the first real test of EA Sports' 2026 season simulation, which runs the full 12-team playoff and crowned a champion back in August. The Dublin opener is also worth checking in Dynasty: EA's promised pre-season roster update is expected before Week 0, so this is the final chance to experience launch-ratings rosters before the 2026 season resets the player pool. Pick your Week 0 teams, lock in your Dynasty save timing, and get ready for the real season to answer what the sims have only predicted.