The 2026 college football season kicks off Saturday, August 29 with two international games headlining Week Zero. North Carolina faces TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, and NC State plays Virginia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both games air on ESPN.
The regular season runs through Championship Week on December 5. Conference title games, rivalry showdowns, and the 12-team College Football Playoff follow. Here’s every key date, venue, and broadcast you need.
College Football Schedule 2026: Key Games at a Glance
The table below highlights the biggest games of the 2026 season across all weeks.
| Date | Featured Teams | Venue (Stadium/City) | Broadcast Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 29 | North Carolina vs. TCU | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 29 | NC State vs. Virginia | Nilton Santos Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 29 | Alabama A&M vs. Howard | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ABC |
| Thu, Sept 3 | Colorado at Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ESPN |
| Fri, Sept 4 | Miami at Stanford | Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept 5 | East Carolina at Alabama | Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 5 | Baylor vs. Auburn | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 5 | Clemson at LSU | Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | ABC |
| Sun, Sept 6 | Louisville vs. Ole Miss | Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN | ABC |
| Mon, Sept 7 | SMU at Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Ohio State at Texas | Darrell K Royal Stadium, Austin, TX | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Alabama at Kentucky | Kroger Field, Lexington, KY | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Tennessee at Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Arkansas at Utah | Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Georgia at Arkansas | Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Florida State at Alabama | Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 19 | North Carolina at Clemson | Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC | ESPN |
| Sat, Sept 19 | LSU at Ole Miss | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS | ABC |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Florida at Auburn | Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL | ESPN |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Notre Dame vs. Navy | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | ABC/ESPN |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Mississippi State at Ole Miss | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS | ABC |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Florida at Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | ABC |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Texas at Texas A&M | Kyle Field, College Station, TX | ABC |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | ACC Championship | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | SEC Championship | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ABC |
| Mon, Jan 25, 2027 | CFP National Championship | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV | ABC/ESPN |
ESPN’s broadcast package covers close to 300 games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, ACC Network, and SEC Network. TNT/truTV picks up multiple CFP rounds starting with the Fiesta Bowl on December 30.
Key Team Matchups in the College Football Schedule 2026
Below are the Key Team Matchups for College Football Schedule:
Ohio State at Texas (Sept 12, ABC)
This is the rematch everyone circled. Ohio State visits Texas in Austin for the return leg of a blockbuster home-and-home. Both programs enter 2026 ranked inside the top five of most preseason projections. The winner grabs a massive resume-builder before conference play even starts.
I watched this rivalry produce a classic last season. Expect more of the same at Darrell K Royal Stadium under the lights.
Clemson at LSU (Sept 5, ABC)
Clemson travels to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge for a Week 1 showdown on a Saturday night. This is new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin’s debut at home after his controversial exit from Ole Miss. Early odds have LSU favored by double digits. Tough road trip for a Clemson squad starting fresh faces on both sides of the ball.
LSU at Ole Miss (Sept 19, ABC)
Kiffin’s return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford will be hostile. He left the Rebels right before the CFP last season. Ole Miss fans haven’t forgotten. This is personal, and the SEC implications are massive.
Georgia at Arkansas (Sept 19, ABC)
Georgia heads to Fayetteville for a noon kickoff on ABC. The Bulldogs remain a playoff contender under Kirby Smart. Arkansas gets a chance to make a huge statement on their home turf early in SEC play.
Florida State at Alabama (Sept 19, ABC)
A rematch of last season’s Week 1 stunner. Florida State won 31-17 in 2025, and Alabama gets the home game this time at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Both programs took very different paths after that opener. This is a prove-it game for each side.
Rivalry Weekend: Black Friday Triple-Header (Nov 27, ABC)
Three massive rivalry games stack up on Friday, November 27. Mississippi State at Ole Miss kicks off at noon. Florida at Florida State follows at 3:30 p.m. in Tallahassee. Texas at Texas A&M closes it out at 7:30 p.m. at Kyle Field. All three air on ABC. That’s about as good as a single day of college football gets.
CFP National Championship (Jan 25, 2027)
The 2027 CFP National Championship is set for Monday, January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This marks the first time Vegas hosts the title game. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.
Marquee Venues on the College Football Schedule 2026
Here are the Marquee Venues given below:
Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic brings North Carolina vs. TCU to Ireland on August 29. This is UNC’s first international game. The noon ET kickoff opens the entire 2026 season.
Nilton Santos Stadium (Engenhao), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
NC State vs. Virginia makes history as the first college football game played in South America. The ACC matchup kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, also on August 29. Two countries. Two games. One opening day. I can’t remember a season starting with this much global reach.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Atlanta stays busy in 2026. Baylor vs. Auburn plays here in Week 1 on September 5. The SEC Championship Game returns on December 5 at 4 p.m. on ABC. The Cricket Celebration Bowl is also here on December 12.
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Notre Dame vs. Navy moves to the home of the New England Patriots on Saturday, October 31. This is one of college football’s most unique neutral-site traditions. Kickoff is at noon on ABC or ESPN.
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
The 127th Army-Navy Game takes place on Saturday, December 12 at MetLife Stadium. This is the game’s first visit to the New Jersey venue since 2021.
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
The season ends where it started gaining global attention. Las Vegas hosts the CFP National Championship on January 25, 2027, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The city has never hosted this event before.
College Football Schedule 2026 (Dec 4-5)
Conference title games wrap up the regular season before the CFP bracket is set.
| Date | Championship Game | Venue (Stadium/City) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Dec 4 | Sun Belt Championship | Campus Site (TBD) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | ACC Championship | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | MAC Championship | Ford Field, Detroit, MI | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 5 | SWAC Championship | Campus Site (TBD) | ESPN2 |
| Sat, Dec 5 | SEC Championship | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 5 | American Championship | Campus Site (TBD) | ABC |
The CFP Selection Committee reveals its final bracket on Sunday, December 6. First-round games begin December 18-19 at campus sites of the higher-seeded teams. Quarterfinals follow at the Fiesta Bowl (Dec 30), then the Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
College Football Schedule Playoffs 2026
| Round | Date(s) | Venue | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Round (Game 1) | Fri, Dec 18 | Campus Site (Higher Seed) | ESPN |
| First Round (Games 2-4) | Sat, Dec 19 | Campus Sites (Higher Seed) | TNT |
| QF: Fiesta Bowl | Wed, Dec 30 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ | TNT |
| QF: Peach/Cotton/Rose Bowls | Fri, Jan 1 | Atlanta / Arlington / Pasadena | ABC/ESPN/TNT |
| SF: Orange Bowl | Thu, Jan 14 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | TNT |
| SF: Sugar Bowl | Fri, Jan 15 | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA | ABC |
| National Championship | Mon, Jan 25 | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV | ABC/ESPN |
Indiana won the 2026 CFP National Championship, finishing 16-0 with a 27-21 win over Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. The Hoosiers enter 2026-27 as defending champs.
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Conclusion – The 2026 College Football Schedule Stretches from Dublin to Las Vegas
The 2026 college football season spans five months, two continents, and ends in Las Vegas. From the Dublin and Brazil openers on August 29 through the CFP title game on January 25, 2027, this schedule is packed.
The early-season headliners tell the story. Ohio State at Texas, Clemson at LSU, and Florida State at Alabama all land in the first three weeks. I think those September results will shape the entire CFP picture.
And that Black Friday triple-header on ABC? Circle November 27. Three rivalry games, one network, zero room to breathe. That’s college football at its best.
