ESPN has announced kickoff times and TV for 16 college football matchups in 2026, which includes four neutral-site games.
The slate begins in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 29 with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The North Carolina Tar Heels will face the TCU Horned Frogs in that contest at noon ET on ESPN.
A second international game is slated for Week Zero, and it features the NC State Wolfpack facing the Virginia Cavaliers in an ACC matchup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The inaugural College Football Brasil game will be televised by ESPN at 3:30pm ET.
An FCS matchup is set for primetime on ABC in Week Zero, which was previously announced. Alabama A&M and Howard will square off in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta with the game beginning at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN’s coverage of college football in Week 1 will begin on Thursday, Sept. 3 with the Colorado Buffaloes visiting the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
One game is slated for Friday, Sept. 4. The Stanford Cardinal host the Miami Hurricanes in that contest at 9:00pm ET on ESPN.
Saturday’s college football lineup on the ESPN networks features a tripleheader on ABC — East Carolina at Alabama (noon ET), Baylor vs. Auburn (3:30pm ET; in Atlanta; Aflac Kickoff Game), and Clemson at LSU (7:30pm ET).
One college football matchup is on the ESPN/ABC docket on Sunday, Sept. 6, which was previously announced. That contest features the Louisville Cardinals taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in the inaugural Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff in Nashville, Tenn. (7:30pm ET on ABC).
Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7) will feature the Florida State Seminoles hosting the SMU Mustangs at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
Other games announced include Ohio State at Texas on Sept. 12 and LSU at Ole Miss on Sept. 19, both airing on ABC at 7:30pm ET. The complete list is below.
The first four weeks of the 2026 college football TV schedule (Weeks 0-3) along with special date games will be announced on Wednesday, May 27. The 2026-27 college football bowl schedule and SEC kickoff times and window will be revealed in the weeks following.
Select ESPN/ABC 2026 College Football Games
*All times Eastern.
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026
North Carolina vs. TCU (Ireland) – Noon, ESPN
NC State vs. Virginia (Brazil) – 3:30pm, ESPN
Alabama A&M vs. Howard (Atlanta) – 7:30pm, ABC
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026
Colorado at Georgia Tech – 8pm, ESPN
Friday, Sept. 4, 2026
Miami at Stanford – 9pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
East Carolina at Alabama – Noon, ABC
Baylor vs. Auburn (Atlanta) – 3:30pm, ABC
Clemson at LSU – 7:30pm, ABC
Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Nashville) – 7:30pm, ABC
Monday, Sept. 7, 2026
SMU at Florida State – 7:30pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026
Ohio State at Texas – 7:30pm, ABC
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
LSU at Ole Miss – 7:30pm, ABC
Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026
TCU at Texas Tech – 8pm, ESPN
Friday, Nov. 27, 2026
Mississippi State at Ole Miss – Noon, ABC
Florida at Florida State – 3:30pm, ABC
Texas at Texas A&M – 7:30pm, ABC
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
- College Football Schedule (FBS)
- College Football TV Schedule (FBS & FCS)