College football is back, kind of.
While the annual Week 0 slate doesn’t often feature the most marquee schools or as many games as a regular Saturday, it does signal the sport’s return after a long offseason, and today brings us several notable matchups across the country, and the world.
It starts in Dublin, naturally, as the yearly Aer Lingus College Football Classic kicks off the 2026 festivities in the Emerald Isle in an ACC vs. Big 12 battle with a six-time Super Bowl champion on the sideline.
Here’s what you need to know about the full Week 0 college football schedule today.
College football games today: Week 0 schedule, scores for Saturday
All times Eastern, and game lines are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook
North Carolina vs. TCU
12 p.m. on ESPN
Bill Belichick’s first turn as a college football coach came with Sonny Dykes on the other sideline, and it was the latter who came out on the right side of that encounter.
TCU smashed North Carolina in a 48-14 rout in Chapel Hill a year ago with the whole country watching Belichick’s debut, and not much else went right after that for the Tar Heels, who won just four games with the NFL legend at the helm.
This time around, the Horned Frogs are a better than touchdown favorite with some key returning players, while Carolina looks for some kind of foundation to build out from.
Line: TCU -7.5
San Jose State at USC
3 p.m. on NBC
You get the feeling that it’s now or never for Lincoln Riley at USC. After one good season, the Trojans haven’t played up to expectations, or the school’s massive investment in him, in the three years since that debut.
USC, the only preseason AP ranked team in action during Week 0, should easily start 1-0 in this matchup, especially with the return of quarterback Jayden Maiava, who played in all 13 games and had 3,711 passing yards with 24 TDs and 10 picks.
San Jose State was just 3-9 a year ago and won two games in the Mountain West, and will debut transfer Luke Weaver at quarterback after he had just over 600 yards passing with 6 touchdowns and 3 giveaways in five games at Hawaii last season.
Line: USC -38.5
NC State at Virginia
3:30 p.m. on ESPN
The only Week 0 matchup that features conference opponents facing each other on the same field, the Wolfpack and Cavaliers have a chance to take a very early positive step in the right direction in what should be a competitive ACC championship picture.
While the Hoos are favorites on the book, and played for the ACC title a year ago, the Wolfpack have a big advantage in quarterback CJ Bailey, who in the last two seasons has over 5,500 yards in the air and 30 all purpose touchdowns.
Line: Virginia -5.5
New Mexico State at Florida State
7 p.m. on The CW
Mike Norvell is on the hot seat again, winning just seven games in the two seasons since he led the Seminoles to a 13-win outing before controversially being kept out of the College Football Playoff, a major argument that emerged in expanding the format.
Not that Florida State has been anywhere near that playoff since, and now transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels steps in after playing four games and finishing with under 800 passing yards.
New Mexico State went 4-8 a year ago and won twice in Conference USA competition.
Line: Florida State -30.5
Memphis at UNLV
10 p.m. on Fox
Charles Huff enters the scene at Memphis after Ryan Silverfield’s departure for Arkansas and after the Tigers fell to 8-5 last year after two double-digit win seasons and will debut a new and inexperienced quarterback after a battle between former Ohio State recruit Air Noland and Marcus Stokes.
UNLV comes into 2026 on a short list of Group of Six playoff hopefuls after going 10-4 last season and boasting what should be another potent rushing attack that was top 25 but also had a quarterback competition of its own to sort out this preseason.
Line: UNLV -4.5
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