The 2026 college football season start doesn’t happen all at once — it arrives in two waves. FCS programs kick things off first, on Thursday, August 27. The real headline slate, the one most fans mean when they ask “when does college football start,” follows two days later on Saturday, August 29, when North Carolina and TCU meet in Dublin, Ireland to open the FBS season. With conference realignment still reshaping the sport and the Power Five now officially the Power Four, this Week 0 stretch is the first real look at where things stand.
Thursday, August 27: FCS Kicks Off the 2026 College Football Season Start
Technically, the games start here, though it’s a lighter slate than what follows two days later.
Thursday, August 27 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | at MercyhurstStambaugh Stadium, Youngstown, OH | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at MaineTowson Stadium, Towson, MD | 6:00pm ETFloSports | ||
| Thursday | at ChattanoogaUniversity Stadium, Carrollton, GA | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Charleston SouthernHarlen C. Hunter Stadium, St. Charles, MO | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Southern IllinoisUniversity of West Florida Field, Pensacola, FL | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Mississippi Valley StateManning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium, Thibodaux, LA | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Gardner-WebbFortera Stadium, Clarksville, TN | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Central ArkansasHardy M. Graham Stadium, Martin, TN | 7:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Stony BrookAlumni Stadium, Dover, DE | Time TBA ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at LIUAlerus Center, Grand Forks, ND | Time TBA ETESPN+ | ||
| Thursday | at Houston ChristianStrawberry Stadium, Hammond, LA | Time TBA ETESPN+ |
Last updated
Friday, August 28: A Bridge Day Before the Full Slate
Friday, August 28 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | at MaristYankee Stadium, New Haven, CT | 6:00pm ETNEC Front Row | ||
| Friday | at ColgateJack Coffey Field, Bronx, NY | 6:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at New HampshireBob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium, Albany, NY | 7:00pm ETFloSports | ||
| Friday | at Weber StateNottingham Field, Greeley, CO | 9:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at IdahoAlex G. Spanos Stadium, San Luis Obispo, CA | 10:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Friday | at Rhode IslandDuane Stadium, North Andover, MA | Time TBA ETESPN+ |
Last updated
Saturday, August 29: The Real 2026 College Football Season Start
This is the day. FBS football returns with an international showcase and a full national TV lineup.
Saturday, August 29 College Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus College Football Classic | ||||
| Saturday | vs North CarolinaAviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | 12:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | at San Jose StateLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA | 3:00pm ETNBC/Peacock | ||
| Saturday | at SouthernProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL | 3:00pm ETESPNU | ||
| Saturday | at Jacksonville StateFARGODOME, Fargo, ND | 5:30pm ETCBS Sports Network | ||
| Saturday | at Sacramento StateRynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, MI | 6:30pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Morgan StateTruist Stadium, Greensboro, NC | 6:00pm ETFloSports | ||
| Saturday | at New Mexico StateDoak S. Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | 7:00pm ETThe CW | ||
| Saturday | at HawaiiStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | 7:00pm ETACC Network | ||
| Saturday | at East Texas A&MFive Star Stadium, Macon, GA | 7:00pm ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | vs North AlabamaJoe Davis Stadium, Huntsville, AL | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at North Carolina CentralShell Energy Stadium, Houston, TX | 7:00pm ETHBCU GO | ||
| Saturday | at MonmouthTennessee Tech | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Eastern KentuckyE.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC | 7:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Prairie View A&MMemorial Stadium, Stephenville, TX | 9:00pm ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Jackson StateNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN | Time TBA ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Abilene ChristianProvost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, TX | Time TBA ETESPN+ | ||
| Saturday | at William & MaryVillanova Stadium, Villanova, PA | Time TBA ETESPN+ | ||
| MEAC/SWAC Challenge | ||||
| Saturday | vs Alabama A&MMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 7:30pm ETABC | ||
Last updated
What Comes After Week 0
Week 1 begins the following week, with most games set for Thursday, September 3, running through Labor Day Monday. Conference play starts on its own timeline after that — the Big Ten opens September 19, with most of its schedule following on September 26, while the SEC and other leagues fall into a similar early-September rhythm. The regular season runs its course to Rivalry Week on Saturday, November 28, and conference championship games follow on December 5, before the 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off in mid-December.
FAQ
Q: When does the 2026 college football season start?
A: The 2026 college football season start happens in two stages: FCS programs open Thursday, August 27, while the FBS season — headlined by North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin — begins Saturday, August 29.
Q: What time is the North Carolina vs. TCU game in Dublin?
A: The Aer Lingus College Football Classic between North Carolina and TCU kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 29, airing on ESPN from Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
Q: What is the college football Week 0 TV schedule for 2026?
A: The college football Week 0 TV schedule spans ESPN, ESPN+, ABC, FOX, NBC/Peacock, CBS Sports Network, The CW, and ACC Network, with the biggest games airing Saturday, August 29.
Q: When does Week 1 of the 2026 college football season begin?
A: Week 1 begins Thursday, September 3, 2026, running through Labor Day Monday, September 7, with most FBS teams playing their first game of the season that weekend.
