Five days, dozens of games, one headline. The Week 1 2026 college football schedule opens Thursday and doesn’t let up until Monday night, but everything points toward one Saturday morning kickoff — defending national champion Ohio State hosting No. 1 Texas at 11 a.m. on FOX, a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal that the Buckeyes won 28-14. Both teams will start new quarterbacks this time around: Arch Manning for the Longhorns, Julian Sayin for Ohio State.
That’s not the only storyline. Bill Belichick makes his college coaching debut when North Carolina hosts TCU on Monday night’s ESPN standalone game. No. 9 LSU heads to No. 4 Clemson for a top-10 showdown. And Colorado opens its first season without Shedeur Sanders, Shilo Sanders, and Travis Hunter on the roster, hosting Georgia Tech on Friday night.
Thursday, August 28 (All Times ET)
Thursday, August 28 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | at 25 Boise StateRaymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL | 4:30pm ETESPN | ||
| Friday | at OhioSHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ | 5:00pm ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Friday | at LafayetteDoyt L. Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, OH | 5:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at East CarolinaCarter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC | 6:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Friday | at Jacksonville StateFBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at Delaware StateDelaware Stadium, Newark, DE | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at Saint FrancisMalone Stadium, Monroe, LA | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at WyomingInfoCision Stadium, Akron, OH | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at Central ArkansasFaurot Field, Columbia, MO | 6:30pm ETSEC Network | ||
| Friday | at ElonWallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at UT MartinBoone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at BuffaloHuntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | 6:30pm ETFS1 | ||
| Friday | at Stephen F. AustinTDECU Stadium, Houston, TX | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at Alabama StateProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL | 7:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at NebraskaNippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH | 8:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Friday | at Miami (OH)Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI | 8:00pm ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Friday | at Stony BrookSnapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA | 9:00pm ETTV TBA |
Last updated
Friday, August 29 (All Times ET)
Friday, August 29 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | at Tarleton StateMichie Stadium, West Point, NY | 5:00pm ETCBSSN | ||
| Saturday | at Western MichiganSpartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI | 6:00pm ETFS1 | ||
| Saturday | at Kennesaw StateAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC | 6:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Saturday | at App StateJerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 6:00pm ETESPNU | ||
| Saturday | at Bethune-CookmanRiccardo Silva Stadium, Miami, FL | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Western IllinoisMemorial Stadium, Champaign, IL | 6:30pm ETPeacock | ||
| Saturday | at WagnerDavid Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at AuburnMcLane Stadium, Waco, TX | 7:00pm ETFOX | ||
| Saturday | at Georgia TechFolsom Field, Boulder, CO | 7:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | at UNLVBowers Stadium, Huntsville, TX | 8:30pm ETCBSSN | ||
| Saturday | at Central MichiganCEFCU Stadium, San Jose, CA | 9:30pm ETFS1 |
Last updated
Saturday, August 30 (All Times ET)
Saturday, August 30 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | at 1 TexasOhio Stadium, Columbus, OH | 11:00am ETFOX | ||
| Sunday | vs SyracuseMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 11:00am ETABC | ||
| Sunday | at Mississippi StateM. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS | 11:00am ETESPN | ||
| Sunday | at Florida AtlanticSECU Stadium, College Park, MD | 11:00am ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Sunday | at Ball StateRoss-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN | 11:00am ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Sunday | at NorthwesternYulman Stadium, New Orleans, LA | 11:00am ETESPNU | ||
| Sunday | at DuquesneAcrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA | 11:00am ETACC Network | ||
| Sunday | at VMINavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD | 11:00am ETCBSSN | ||
| Sunday | at MerrimackDix Stadium, Kent, OH | 11:00am ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at ToledoKroger Field, Lexington, KY | 11:45am ETSEC Network | ||
| Sunday | at FordhamAlumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA | 1:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Robert MorrisMountaineer Field, Morgantown, WV | 1:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Central ConnecticutRentschler Field, East Hartford, CT | 1:00pm ETTV TBA | ||
| Sunday | at Old DominionMemorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN | 1:30pm ETFS1 | ||
| Sunday | at Eastern KentuckyL&N Stadium, Louisville, KY | 2:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Sunday | at NevadaBeaver Stadium, University Park, PA | 2:30pm ETCBS | ||
| Sunday | at MarshallSanford Stadium, Athens, GA | 2:30pm ETESPN | ||
| Sunday | at 8 AlabamaDoak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | 2:30pm ETABC | ||
| Sunday | at South DakotaJack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA | 2:30pm ETFOX | ||
| Sunday | at BucknellFalcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO | 2:30pm ETCBSSN | ||
| Sunday | at TempleWarren McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Amherst, MA | 2:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Holy CrossHuskie Stadium, DeKalb, IL | 2:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Montana StateAutzen Stadium, Eugene, OR | 3:00pm ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Sunday | at MaineWilliams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA | 3:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Alabama A&MDonald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | 3:15pm ETSEC Network | ||
| Sunday | at ChattanoogaSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN | 3:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Illinois StateGaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK | 5:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at UAlbanyKinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | 5:00pm ETFS1 | ||
| Sunday | at Coastal CarolinaScott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA | 5:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Sunday | at Weber StateBridgeforth Stadium, Harrisonburg, VA | 5:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Long Island UniversityBen Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at North DakotaBill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at UTSAKyle Field, College Station, TX | 6:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Sunday | at Charleston SouthernFirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Austin PeayJohnny “Red” Floyd Stadium, Murfreesboro, TN | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at North AlabamaHouchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Southeast Missouri StateCentennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Morgan StateHancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at NichollsVeterans Memorial Stadium, Troy, AL | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at 9 LSUMemorial Stadium, Clemson, SC | 6:30pm ETABC | ||
| Sunday | at New MexicoMichigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI | 6:30pm ETNBC | ||
| Sunday | at Arkansas-Pine BluffJones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Missouri StateLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | 6:30pm ETBig Ten Network | ||
| Sunday | at SE LouisianaJoe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, LA | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at UTEPMaverik Stadium, Logan, UT | 6:30pm ETCBSSN | ||
| Sunday | at Georgia StateVaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS | 6:45pm ETSEC Network | ||
| Sunday | at Portland StateLaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at RiceCajun Field, Lafayette, LA | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Eastern MichiganJim Wacker Field at Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at LamarDATCU Stadium, Denton, TX | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Abilene ChristianSkelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, OK | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at East Texas A&MGerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, TX | 8:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Sunday | at BryantAggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, NM | 8:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at Georgia SouthernValley Children’s Stadium, Fresno, CA | 8:30pm ETFS1 | ||
| Sunday | at Northern ArizonaMountain America Stadium, Tempe, AZ | 9:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Sunday | at IdahoMartin Stadium, Pullman, WA | 9:00pm ETThe CW Network | ||
| Sunday | at CaliforniaReser Stadium, Corvallis, OR | 9:30pm ETESPN | ||
| Sunday | at Hawai’iArizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ | 9:30pm ETTNT | ||
| Sunday | at UtahRose Bowl, Pasadena, CA | 10:00pm ETFOX | ||
| Sunday | at Colorado StateHusky Stadium, Seattle, WA | 10:00pm ETBig Ten Network |
Last updated
Sunday, August 31 (All Times ET)
Sunday, August 31 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | vs Virginia TechMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 2:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Monday | at 6 Notre DameHard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | 6:30pm ETABC |
Last updated
Monday, September 1 (All Times ET)
Monday, September 1 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | at TCUKenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC | 7:00pm ETESPN |
Last updated
Saturday Morning Belongs to Texas and Ohio State
Everything else on the Week 1 2026 college football schedule is a build-up to 11 a.m. Saturday. Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in last season’s Playoff semifinal, and now the rematch comes with brand-new quarterbacks on both sides — Arch Manning stepping in as the Heisman favorite for the Longhorns, Julian Sayin taking over under center for the defending champs. FOX has the broadcast, and it’s hard to imagine a bigger single game anywhere on the Week 1 slate.
A Coaching Debut and a Top-10 Road Trip
Monday night closes the week with Bill Belichick’s first game as a college head coach, North Carolina hosting TCU on ESPN’s standalone slot. Saturday night carries its own heavyweight matchup — No. 9 LSU traveling to No. 4 Clemson, a true road test for a Tigers team with national title aspirations of its own. And Colorado’s Friday night opener against Georgia Tech marks the first snap of the post-Sanders, post-Hunter era in Boulder — a program that spent the last two years defined by names that are no longer on the roster.
FAQ
Q: When does the 2026 college football season start?
A: The Week 1 2026 college football schedule begins Thursday, August 28, and runs through Monday, September 1, with games played on all five days.
Q: When is Texas vs Ohio State 2026?
A: Texas vs Ohio State 2026 kicks off Saturday, August 30, at 11:00 a.m. ET on FOX, a rematch of last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
Q: What time does the Ohio State vs Texas game start?
A: The Ohio State vs. Texas game — No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State — has an 11:00 a.m. ET kickoff on FOX.
Q: What other ranked matchups are on the 2026 college football Week 1 schedule?
A: Notable ranked matchups include No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC) and No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., ABC), along with several Top 25 teams hosting non-conference opponents throughout the week.
