NCAAF Schedule Week 1: Date, time and where to watch every College Football game this weekend
The 2026 season starts with North Carolina-TCU in Dublin before USC, Florida State and Memphis take center stage
College football finally takes over Saturday again, and the opening weekend of the 2026 season offers something unusual with a schedule that begins across the Atlantic and continues deep into the night in Las Vegas.
Saturday, August 29 brings the first FBS action of the new campaign, headlined by North Carolina against TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The noon ET kickoff starts a day featuring No.14 USC, Florida State, Virginia and NC State before Memphis and UNLV close the national schedule at 10 p.m. ET.
The NCAA officially describes these games as Week 0, although some schedule services list the opening weekend as Week 1. Either way, it represents the first substantial Saturday of the 2026 college football season.
ESPN, NBC, FOX, The CW and CBS Sports Network are among the national broadcasters, while ESPN+ carries much of the extensive FCS schedule.
NCAAF first weekend schedule
All times are Eastern. Friday, August 28, 2026 Rhode Island at Merrimack - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Colgate at Fordham - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ William & Mary at Villanova - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Marist at New Haven - 6:00 p.m. - NEC Front Row New Hampshire at UAlbany - 7:00 p.m. - FloSports Weber State at Northern Colorado - 9:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Idaho at Cal Poly - 10:00 p.m. - ESPN Saturday, August 29, 2026 North Carolina vs. TCU - 12:00 p.m. - ESPN Robert Morris at Wagner - 12:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Fairmont State at Dayton - 12:00 p.m. - YouTube Roosevelt at Chicago State - 12:00 p.m. - No broadcast Georgetown (KY) at Butler - 1:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Central Connecticut State at South Dakota - 2:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Lawrence Tech at Valparaiso - 2:00 p.m. - ESPN+ San Jose State at No. 14 USC - 3:00 p.m. - NBC/Peacock UC Davis at Portland State - 3:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Southern vs. Alabama State - 3:00 p.m. - ESPNU NC State vs. Virginia - 3:30 p.m. - ESPN/ACC Network Lehigh at Holy Cross - 3:30 p.m. - ESPN+ Eastern Washington at Northern Arizona - 5:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Jacksonville State at North Dakota State - 5:30 p.m. - CBS Sports Campbell at East Tennessee State - 5:30 p.m. - ESPN+ Virginia-Lynchburg at Hampton - 6:00 p.m. - FloSports Morgan State at North Carolina A&T - 6:00 p.m. - FloSports Bryant at Stonehill - 6:00 p.m. - No national broadcast listed Southeast Missouri State at Indiana State - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Winston-Salem State at Norfolk State - 6:00 p.m. - No broadcast Savannah State at South Carolina State - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Bucknell at Richmond - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ VMI at Idaho State - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ The Citadel at Wofford - 6:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan - 6:30 p.m. - ESPN+ Hawaii at Stanford - 7:00 p.m. - ACC Network New Mexico State at Florida State - 7:00 p.m. - The CW Monmouth at Tennessee Tech - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ North Carolina Central vs. Texas Southern - 7:00 p.m. - HBCUGO Abilene Christian at Lamar - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Eastern Kentucky at Western Carolina - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Samford vs. North Alabama - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Stephen F. Austin at McNeese - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Morehouse vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 7:00 p.m. - No broadcast Albany State at Florida A&M - 7:00 p.m. - No broadcast Clark Atlanta at Grambling State - 7:00 p.m. - No broadcast Stetson at South Dakota State - 7:00 p.m. - No broadcast East Texas A&M at Mercer - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN St. Francis (IL) at Illinois State - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Miles College at Alcorn State - 7:00 p.m. - No broadcast Oklahoma Panhandle State at Incarnate Word - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Alabama A&M vs. Howard - 7:30 p.m. - ABC UT Permian Basin at UT Rio Grande Valley - 8:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Jackson State at Tennessee State - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN+ Southern Utah at Montana - 9:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State - 9:00 p.m. - ESPN2 Memphis at UNLV - 10:00 p.m. - FOX Montana State at Utah Tech - 10:00 p.m. - ESPN+ Sunday, August 30, 2026 West Alabama vs. Tuskegee - 8:00 p.m. - ESPN2
NCAAF schedule for Saturday, August 29
North Carolina-TCU provides the first major attraction, with the neutral-site game in Dublin giving both teams a national stage before most programs have even begun their seasons.
No.14 USC is the only AP-ranked FBS team playing Saturday and opens at home against San Jose State at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
NC State's visit to Virginia follows 30 minutes later on ESPN and carries additional significance as an early ACC matchup, giving both programs an immediate conference test.
Jacksonville State's trip to North Dakota State is another intriguing game. NDSU's long-standing dominance at the FCS level makes any meeting with an FBS opponent worth watching.
Saturday ends with Memphis against UNLV
The schedule shifts west as the night develops, with Hawaii visiting Stanford and New Mexico State traveling to Florida State at 7 p.m. ET.
Memphis and UNLV then get the final major national window at Allegiant Stadium, kicking off at 10 p.m. ET on FOX.
It means viewers can move almost continuously from noon until well after midnight, starting the 2026 season in Ireland and finishing it under the lights in Las Vegas.
