The 2026 college football season begins on Saturday, as a long offseason will finally give way to real action on the field this weekend. Though most college football teams won't begin playing until next weekend, there's still a perfectly nice appetizer course on the menu for Week 0.
While the majority of the country gets ready for Labor Day weekend, with games running from Thursday through Monday of next week, there are a handful of teams that will kick off a week early, and they'll have the first chance to grab their first win of the season this week.
Today, we'll walk through the top eight games to watch from a surprisingly deep slate of games that are on the docket this weekend. With everything that takes place during the lengthy offseason
portion of college football's calendar, it's a sight for sore eyes to finally get to the games during the season. Here are the top eight games to keep your eyes on in Week 0.
1. North Carolina vs. TCU, 11:00 a.m. CT
The kickoff of the college football season will be the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which will see North Carolina and TCU face off at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Bill Belichick's Tar Heels were embarrassed in this matchup at home a year ago, losing the season opener by a score of 48-14 in 2025. Now, the eyes of the college football world will be watching, as Sonny Dykes and his Horned Frogs look to make it two straight in the series.
New quarterbacks will be at the controls for both offenses, as North Carolina turns to Billy Edwards Jr., and TCU brings in Jaden Craig. Both teams also have new offensive coordinators, so there should be a bit of a different feel for both fanbases. With this game being played at a neutral site, there's hope that this year's game will be closer than last year's contest.
2. NC State at Virginia, 2:30 p.m. CT
Though NC State and Virginia both play in the ACC, this game will not be counted toward the conference standings, instead serving as a non-league game for both schools. Still, it should make for a good matchup between two teams trying to figure out where they'll stand in the ACC pecking order.
The Wolfpack won this game in Raleigh last year, and they'll look to make it two straight with a win in Charlottesville in 2026. Quarterback CJ Bailey has the potential to turn into one of the best signal-callers in the ACC, and Dave Doeren is excited about his big-armed passer. For the Cavaliers, Tony Elliott turns to another transfer QB in Beau Pribula. UVA made the ACC title game last year, and would have made the CFP with a win in that game, but it wasn't to be. There's a lot of unknowns in the ACC right now, and one of these teams can use Week 0 to make an early statement.
3. Memphis at UNLV, 9:00 p.m. CT
Two of the top projected Group of Six schools will collide in the Week 0 nightcap, as Memphis and UNLV face off in an underrated matchup. New coach Charles Huff takes over a strong Tigers team that will look to challenge for the conference title in the American. With so much turnover in that league, Memphis is certainly one of the teams to watch to claim the automatic G6 playoff spot.
On the other hand, Dan Mullen and the Rebels are one of the projected favorites in the Mountain West, as they fell just short of winning the league last year. Mullen is betting that he can get the most out of former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold in Las Vegas. The Rebs are also a team to watch for the G6 playoff berth, so this game could mean a lot later on this season.
4. Jacksonville State at North Dakota State, 4:30 p.m. CT
Jacksonville State and North Dakota State will face off in Week 0 in another underrated Group of Six matchup. The Gamecocks, led by Charles Kelly, made it to the Conference USA title game last year, and they are in strong position to challenge for the league title again in 2026. However, they start with a tough road game in Week 0.
Saturday marks the first-ever game as a member of the FBS for the Bison, as they finally move up a level after dominating at the FCS ranks for many seasons. NDSU has joined the Mountain West, and Fargo will be absolutely rocking for one of the biggest moments in program history. Tim Polasek won't have any trouble getting his players excited for this one.
5. Hawaii at Stanford, 6:00 p.m. CT
For the second straight year, Hawaii and Stanford will meet in Week 0. The Rainbow Warriors won at home by a field goal last year, and they'll look to make it back-to-back wins in 2026. Coach Timmy Chang and quarterback Micah Alejado form one of the Mountain West's most dynamic duos, and Hawaii's offense is fun to watch when it's rolling.
On the other side, the Cardinal and new coach Tavita Pritchard will look to avoid the 0-1 start that befell last year's squad. Pritchard tabbed Davis Warren as his starting QB, and he'll look to help Stanford make some waves in the ACC this year. Making sure they get a win at home against a feisty G6 opponent would be a could place to start.
6. San Jose State at USC, 2:00 p.m. CT
San Jose State and USC will face off in yet another Week 0 game that features a Mountain West team. The Spartans are led by Ken Niumatalolo, and they'll be looking to go on the road and pull off a shocker to open up the season. Transfer passer Luke Weaver takes the reins as the starting QB, but SJSU will obviously be heavy underdogs in this one.
On the other sideline, Lincoln Riley and the Trojans haven't been shy about saying that they have big expectations for themselves this season. While it gets much harder after Week 0, USC still needs a strong start to the year at home. Quarterback Jayden Maiava will be looking to play himself into Heisman Trophy contention over the course of this season.
7. New Mexico State at Florida State, 6:00 p.m. CT
New Mexico State and Florida State will face off in primetime in Week 0. The Aggies will be heavy underdogs, but Tony Sanchez's squad will be looking to pull off the big upset to get their season going. Conference USA is just about always open for the taking, and NMSU wouldn't be the first team to come out of nowhere and make a run in that league.
The Seminoles and Mike Norvell have their backs against the wall in 2026, following two straight lackluster seasons in Tallahassee. Their schedule gets much more difficult than this, but FSU can't show cracks against a team that doesn't have the same level of talent. New quarterback Ashton Daniels and the 'Noles simply can't afford anything besides a convincing win on their home field to begin their season.
8. Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan, 5:30 p.m. CT
Sacramento State and Eastern Michigan isn't the flashiest game on the Week 0 slate, but it's an important one for both teams. The Hornets, led by new coach Alonzo Carter, are making their FBS debut on the road in this one, as they joined the MAC this offseason. That makes this the only game this weekend that counts in the conference standings.
The Eagles have been a stalwart of the MAC, and Chris Creighton's team will look to show the newcomer what life in the league is like. The MAC has a chance to be wide-open in 2026, and Eastern Michigan can make the first statement of the season in the conference if they can reel in a convincing home win on the gray turf in Ypsilanti on Saturday night.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 8 college football games to keep your eye on in Week 0
