A season opener in Dublin, Ireland. No. 12 BYU visiting Fort Worth in October. And a Thanksgiving night trip to No. 8 Texas Tech closing out the year. The TCU Football Schedule 2026 starts about as far from home as a college football season can begin.
TCU Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 29 | vs North Carolina Tar Heels (Aer Lingus College Football Classic) | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | 12:00 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 5 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Grambling State Tigers | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | 8:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Arkansas State Red Wolves | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | 8:00 PM | ESPNU |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at UCF Knights | Acrisure Bounce House, Orlando, FL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | No. 12 BYU Cougars | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | at Baylor Bears | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | West Virginia Mountaineers (Homecoming) | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Kansas Jayhawks | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Nov 6 | at Arizona Wildcats | Casino Del Sol Stadium, Tucson, AZ | 10:15 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Kansas State Wildcats | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | No. 18 Utah Utes | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Thu, Nov 26 | at No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | 8:00 PM | ABC |
A Season Opener Across the Atlantic
TCU Football Schedule 2026 opens about 4,700 miles from Fort Worth, facing North Carolina in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on August 29. A bye week on September 5 gives the Horned Frogs time to recover from the trip before Grambling State and Arkansas State both visit Fort Worth for back-to-back 8:00 p.m. kickoffs.
UCF on the Road, Then BYU Comes to Town
A trip to UCF closes out September before the TCU Big 12 schedule 2026 delivers one of its marquee dates — No. 12 BYU visiting Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 3. A second bye week on October 10 sets up a manageable stretch: a road trip to Baylor, followed by West Virginia visiting for Homecoming and Kansas closing out the month at home.
A Late Friday Night in Tucson, Then Kansas State and Utah
A Friday night road trip to Arizona kicks off at 10:15 p.m. ET on November 6, an unusually late slot given the travel involved. Kansas State visits Fort Worth the following week before No. 18 Utah arrives on November 21, setting up the season’s most demanding closing sequence.
A Thanksgiving Night Trip to Texas Tech
TCU vs Texas Tech 2026 closes the regular season on Thanksgiving night, a road trip to No. 8 Texas Tech on November 26 broadcast on ESPN. If TCU is still playing December 4, it’s in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between the Dublin opener, BYU, Utah, and the Thanksgiving trip to Texas Tech, this is one of the more unusual and demanding schedules in the conference. The TCU football home games in 2026 carry real weight in October, but how the Horned Frogs handle Utah into a Thursday-night road trip will decide how the season ends.
FAQ
Q: When does TCU play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: TCU Football Schedule 2026 opens against North Carolina in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, August 29.
Q: When is TCU vs Texas Tech 2026?
A: TCU vs Texas Tech 2026 closes the regular season on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26, on the road at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock.
Q: How many home games does TCU play in 2026?
A: TCU has seven TCU football home games in 2026 at Amon G. Carter Stadium: Grambling State, Arkansas State, BYU, West Virginia, Kansas, Kansas State, and Utah.
Q: What is TCU’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The closing run of Utah (home) into Texas Tech (road) on Thanksgiving night is the toughest stretch on the TCU Big 12 schedule 2026, alongside the early home date against BYU.
