2026 College Football Season Start Dates and Schedule

The 2026 college football season is set to commence with FCS games on August 27, followed by the FBS Week 0 schedule starting on August 29. The opening FBS game will feature North Carolina facing TCU in Dublin, Ireland.

Week 0 will include several matchups, with the North Carolina vs. TCU game kicking off at noon ET on ESPN. Other games that day include NC State visiting Virginia at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Week 0 games are part of the regular season and will count towards team records.

Week 1 of the season will begin on September 3 and continue through September 7, with the first full Saturday of games on September 5. Coverage for these games will be available across multiple networks, including FOX, ESPN, and CBS, among others.