When Does College Football Start in 2026?

The 2026 NCAA Division I football season begins on Thursday, Aug. 27, in “Week Zero.” There are 11 games that night, with the vast majority airing on ESPN+. Another six games take place on Friday, Aug. 28. 

All 17 games between those two dates involve at least one FCS/Division I-AA team. 

Those looking for Division I-A/FBS games must wait until Saturday, Aug. 29. The highly anticipated North Carolina-TCU showdown in Dublin, Ireland, headlines the seven-game FBS slate.

ESPN will have full coverage as Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels look to leave last year’s disappointing finish in the past.

The other Week Zero FBS games include:

• San Jose State at Southern California (3 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Jacksonville State at North Dakota State (5:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)
• Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
• New Mexico State at Florida State (7 p.m. ET, The CW)
• Hawaii at Stanford (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
• Memphis at UNLV (10 p.m. ET, Fox)

When Is Week 1 of College Football?

The first full week of the 2026 NCAA Division I college football season begins Thursday, Sept. 3.

Colorado and Georgia Tech (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) is the marquee matchup and the only game featuring two Power 4 teams. 

Many of the Week 1 games are “buy games,” which typically refer to FBS teams hosting lower-level teams, either at the mid-major or FCS level. Week 1 examples include: 

• Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri (Sept. 3, 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
• LIU at Kansas (Sept. 4, 8 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
• Ball State at Ohio State (Sept. 5, 12:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network)

There are five games on Sunday, Sept. 6, including Louisville and Ole Miss clashing at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Wisconsin and Notre Dame will battle at Lambeau Field.

Florida State hosts SMU in the traditional Labor Day standalone game at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 7.

MORE: College Football Top 138 Team Rankings for 2026

When Is the 2026 College Football Playoff?

The 2026 College Football Playoff begins with four games on Friday, Dec. 18, and Saturday, Dec. 19.

This year marks the latest that a college football season will end. The National Championship Game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 25, 2027.

Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Texas rank among the consensus preseason favorites.

Although the Indiana Hoosiers won the national championship last year, they lost numerous players, including Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, to graduation and the NFL draft.