The 2026 college football season ramps up with a full five‑day Week 1 slate, running from Thursday, Sept. 3 through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. A total of 132 games are on tap across both the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Week 1 opens on Thursday, Sept. 3, with Rutgers hosting UMass at 6pm ET on BTN. Thirteen additional contests follow throughout the evening, highlighted by Colorado’s trip to Georgia Tech in Atlanta – an ESPN primetime matchup at 8pm ET.
Friday features nine games, headlined by No. 14 USC hosting Fresno State on FOX and No. 7 Miami visiting Stanford on ESPN, both kicking off at 9pm ET.
Saturday’s action begins at 11am ET with an FCS matchup between Webber International and Stetson, followed by a packed noon window featuring East Carolina at No. 13 Alabama on ABC and No. 6 Indiana hosting North Texas on FOX.
A massive lineup carries through the rest of Saturday, including Baylor vs. Auburn in Atlanta at 3:30pm ET on ABC and a primetime showdown between unranked Clemson and No. 11 LSU at 7:30pm ET, also on ABC.
Five games are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 6, including three FBS matchups: Washington State at No. 17 Washington, No. 24 Louisville vs. No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville, and Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Notre Dame in Green Bay.
The Week 1 slate concludes on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, with an ACC matchup as No. 19 SMU visits Florida State at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
Check out the complete TV schedule for Week 1 by conference below.
2026 College Football Schedule: Week 1
* All times Eastern.
ACC
Thursday, Sept. 3
Akron at Wake Forest – 7pm, ACCN
Colorado at Georgia Tech – 8pm, ESPN
Friday, Sept. 4
Miami (FL) at Stanford – 9pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 5
New Hampshire at Syracuse – 12pm, ACCN
Miami (Ohio) at Pitt – 12:30pm, The CW
Boston College at Cincinnati – 3:30pm, FOX
Tulane at Duke – 3:30pm, ACCN
Clemson at LSU – 7:30pm, ABC
VMI at Virginia Tech – 7:30pm, ACCN
UCLA at California – 10:30pm, ESPN
Sunday, Sept. 6
Louisville vs Ole Miss (Nashville) – 7:30pm, ABC
Monday, Sept. 7
SMU at Florida State – 7:30pm, ESPN
AMERICAN
Thursday, Sept. 3
UAB at Illinois – 9pm, BTN
Saturday, Sept. 5
Bryant at Army – 12pm, CBSSN
East Carolina at Alabama – 12pm, ABC
North Texas at Indiana – 12pm, FOX
Rhode Island at Temple – 2pm, ESPN+
The Citadel at Charlotte – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Towson at Navy – 3:30pm, CBSSN
Tulane at Duke – 3:30pm, ACCN
UTRGV at UTSA – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Oklahoma State at Tulsa – 3:45pm, ESPNU
Arkansas State at Memphis – 7pm, ESPN+
FIU at USF – 7pm, ESPN+
HCU at Rice – 7pm, ESPN+
Florida Atlantic at Florida – 7:45pm, SECN
BIG 12
Thursday, Sept. 3
Bethune‑Cookman at UCF – 7pm, ESPN+
Colorado at Georgia Tech – 8pm, ESPN
Idaho at Utah – 9pm, ESPNU
Friday, Sept. 4
LIU at Kansas – 8pm, ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 5
CCU at West Virginia – 12pm, TNT/HBO Max
Oregon State at Houston – 12pm, ESPN/Disney+
Southeast Missouri at Iowa State – 1pm, ESPN+
Baylor vs Auburn (Atlanta) – 3:30pm, ABC/Disney+
Boston College at Cincinnati – 3:30pm, FOX
Oklahoma State at Tulsa – 3:45pm, ESPNU
Abilene Christian at Texas Tech – 7pm, FS1
Nicholls at Kansas State – 7pm, ESPN+
Utah Tech at BYU – 8pm, ESPN+
Northern Arizona at Arizona – 9:30pm, ESPN+
Morgan State at Arizona State – 10pm, ESPN+
BIG TEN
Thursday, Sept. 3
UMass at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN
EIU at Minnesota – 8pm, NBCSN/Peacock
UAB at Illinois – 9pm, BTN
Friday, Sept. 4
Indiana State at Purdue – 7pm, BTN
Toledo at Michigan State – 8pm, FS1
Fresno State at USC – 9pm, FOX
Saturday, Sept. 5
North Texas at Indiana – 12pm, FOX
Ohio at Nebraska – 12pm, FS1
Ball State at Ohio State – 12:30pm, BTN
Boise State at Oregon – 3:30pm, CBS/Paramount+
Marshall at Penn State – 3:30pm, FS1
NIU at Iowa – 4:15pm, BTN
WMU at Michigan – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Hampton at Maryland – 8pm, BTN
South Dakota State at Northwestern – 8pm, BTN
UCLA at California – 10:30pm, ESPN
Sunday, Sept. 6
Washington St at Washington – 4pm, NBC/Peacock
Wisc. vs Notre Dame (Green Bay) – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
CONFERENCE USA
Thursday, Sept. 3
Merrimack at Delaware – 7pm, ESPN+
West Georgia at Kennesaw State – 7pm, ESPN+
Saturday, Sept. 5
Liberty at James Madison – 12pm, ESPNU
Eastern Kentucky at Jax State – 7pm, ESPN+
FIU at USF – 7pm, ESPN+
Mercyhurst at New Mexico State – 7pm, ESPN+
Missouri State at Texas A&M – 7pm, ESPN
Murray State at Middle Tennessee – 7pm, ESPN+
Sam Houston at Troy – 7pm, ESPN+
WKU at Nevada – 10:30pm, CBSSN
FBS INDEPENDENTS
Saturday, Sept. 5
Lafayette at UConn – 12pm, WFSB/WWAX
Sunday, Sept. 6
Wisc. vs Notre Dame (Green Bay) – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
MAC
Thursday, Sept. 3
UMass at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN
Akron at Wake Forest – 7pm, ACCN
UAlbany at Buffalo – 7pm, ESPN+
Friday, Sept. 4
San Jose State at EMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
Toledo at Michigan State – 8pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 5
Ohio at Nebraska – 12pm, FS1
Tarleton State at Bowling Green – 12pm, ESPN+
Miami (Ohio) at Pitt – 12:30pm, The CW
Ball State at Ohio State – 12:30pm, BTN
Kent State at South Carolina – 12:45pm, SECN
WMU at Michigan – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Central Michigan at New Mexico – 10pm, FS1
MVSU at Sacramento State – 10pm, ESPN+
MOUNTAIN WEST
Friday, Sept. 4
San Jose State at EMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
UTEP at Oklahoma – 8pm, SECN+
Saturday, Sept. 5
Duquesne at Air Force – 1pm, MW+
Fordham at NDSU – 3:30pm, WDAY/MW+
NIU at Iowa – 4:15pm, BTN
Wyoming at Colorado State – 6pm, USA
UNLV at Hawaii – 10pm, The CW
Central Michigan at New Mexico – 10pm, FS1
WKU at Nevada – 10:30pm, CBSSN
PAC-12
Friday, Sept. 4
Fresno State at USC – 9pm, FOX
Saturday, Sept. 5
Oregon St. at Houston – 12pm, ESPN/Disney+
Boise St. at Oregon – 3:30pm, CBS/Paramount+
Texas State at Texas – 3:30pm, ESPN
Wyoming at Colorado State – 6pm, USA
Idaho State at Utah State – 7pm, CBSSN
Portland St. at San Diego St. – 9:30pm, USA
Sunday, Sept. 6
Washington St at Washington – 4pm, NBC/Peacock
SEC
Thursday, Sept. 3
UAPB at Missouri – 8pm, SECN
Friday, Sept. 4
UTEP at Oklahoma – 8pm, SECN+
Saturday, Sept. 5
East Carolina at Alabama – 12pm, ABC
Kent State at South Carolina – 12:45pm, SECN
Youngstown State at Kentucky – 1pm, SECN+
Tennessee State at Georgia – 3pm, SECN+
Baylor vs Auburn (Atlanta) – 3:30pm, ABC/Disney+
Furman at Tennessee – 3:30pm, SECN+
Texas State at Texas – 3:30pm, ESPN
North Alabama at Arkansas – 4:15pm, SECN
Austin Peay at Vanderbilt – 7pm, SECN+
Missouri State at Texas A&M – 7pm, ESPN
Clemson at LSU – 7:30pm, ABC
ULM at Mississippi State – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Florida Atlantic at Florida – 7:45pm, SECN
Sunday, Sept. 6
Louisville vs Ole Miss (Nashville) – 7:30pm, ABC
SUN BELT
Friday, Sept. 4
North Carolina A&T at Georgia St. – 7pm, ESPN+
Saturday, Sept. 5
CCU at West Virginia – 12pm, TNT/HBO Max
Liberty at James Madison – 12pm, ESPNU
Maine at Appalachian State – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Marshall at Penn State – 3:30pm, FS1
Alcorn State at Southern Miss – 5pm, ESPN+
Norfolk State at Old Dominion – 6pm, ESPN+
Arkansas State at Memphis – 7pm, ESPN+
Charleston So. at Ga. Southern – 7pm, ESPN+
Sam Houston at Troy – 7pm, ESPN+
Southeastern La. at S. Alabama – 7pm, ESPN+
Northwestern St at LA Tech – 7:30pm, ESPN+
ULM at Mississippi State – 7:30pm, ESPNU
Lamar at Louisiana – 8pm, ESPN+
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FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
- College Football Schedule (FBS only)
- FCS Schedule (FCS only)
- College Football TV Schedule (FBS and FCS)
Both BYU and Utah host Big Sky opponents to start the season.
I feel putting their rivalry game on Thanksgiving weekend every year could allow for higher stakes than having it earlier in the season.
YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want BYU-Utah no matter where they schedule it.
Should be plenty of interesting Big Ten vs cupcake games for example Nebraska vs Ohio & Michigan vs Western Michigan & best of them all Oregon vs Boise State.
Also, UCLA-California when played in Berkeley should be on Thanksgiving weekend. Games in Pasadena can be played in September though.
Again, excuse me Z-Man I very strongly disagree with you & I am not being mean about it & pardon me for reminding you that Big Ten wants ALL conference games on Thanksgiving weekend not UCLA-California nor Notre Dame-USC. Big ten wants UCLA-USC just as much they want Michigan-Ohio State & Illinois-Northwestern.
Notre Dame will be excellent with future games on Thanksgiving weekend this year 2026 at Syracuse, 2027 at Stanford, 2028 at Pittsburgh is my educated guess & 2029 Heaven only knows however I am fully confident they will find somebody at ACC opponent & does not necessarily have to be Stanford.