NCAA Football: Washington State Upset & Alabama vs Mississippi State Preview | Weekday Games
College Football Season Kicks Off with International and Domestic Matchups
The 2026 college football season is set to begin with a series of intriguing matchups, including a game played internationally and several key contests across the United States. , marks the official start of the season, with North Carolina facing off against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
This opening weekend also features Hawai’i traveling to Stanford, and NC State taking on Virginia in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. New Mexico State will also be in action, visiting Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida. These early-season games aim to generate excitement and provide a preview of the competitive landscape to come.
The following week, , will see Bethune-Cookman travel to UCF, while Idaho will visit Utah. Colorado will face Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and Akron will play Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Eastern Illinois will be at Minnesota, and Massachusetts will visit Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The action continues on , with Long Island University traveling to Kansas and Miami facing Stanford.
, promises a full slate of games, including East Carolina at Alabama, North Alabama at Arkansas, and a highly anticipated matchup between Baylor and Auburn in Atlanta, Georgia. Florida Atlantic will visit Florida in Gainesville, and Tennessee State will play Georgia in Athens. Youngstown State will also be on the road, visiting Kentucky.
Ticket availability for many of these games is already being advertised, with prices varying depending on the matchup, and location. For example, tickets for the North Carolina vs. TCU game in Dublin are available, as are tickets for the New Mexico State at Florida State game, starting at $44. Other games, such as UCF vs. Bethune-Cookman, have tickets available starting at $22.
The ESPN college football schedule provides a comprehensive overview of the 2026 season, including game times and TV listings as they become available. Fans can find detailed information and ticket purchasing options on the ESPN website. The schedule encompasses various conferences, including the ACC, American, Big 12, Big Ten, CUSA, FBS Independents, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC, and Sun Belt, as well as FCS and Division II/III games.
While early predictions for the entire season are still developing, the opening weeks offer a glimpse into the potential storylines and competitive dynamics that will unfold throughout the 2026 college football season. The games featuring teams traveling to international locations, like North Carolina and NC State, are expected to draw significant attention and showcase the growing global appeal of college football.
Further analysis and expert picks for later weeks of the season, including Week 9 in 2025, are already being discussed, with matchups like Ole Miss at Oklahoma and South Alabama at Georgia State highlighted as potential key games. Predictions for games like Ohio State vs. Michigan and Alabama vs. Auburn are also beginning to surface, indicating the high stakes and competitive nature of the upcoming season.