When does the 2026 college football season start? Week 0 Schedule

When does the 2026 college football season start? Week 0 schedule, time, and how to watch.

Are you ready for another college football season?

The 2026 college football season will surely be interesting, with conference realignment and the Power 5 being reduced to the Power 4.

The college football season is quickly approaching as we look forward to which FCS and FBS teams take the field first in 2026.

Thankfully, Week 0 offers a quicker start to college football on our TV screens.

When does the 2026 college football season start?

The 2026 college football season is set to begin on Thursday, Aug. 27 in this year's "Week Zero." Most of the nation's Division I programs will start their seasons the following week.

Here are full week 0 games currently scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27 in Week Zero:

College football week 0 scores today, schedule 2026, game times, how to watch, results

Here are complete Week 0 games currently scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27 in Week Zero:

Thursday, Aug. 27

Mercyhurst at Youngstown State | 6 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Maine at Towson | 6 p.m. ET | FloSports

Chattanooga at West Georgia | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Charleston Southern at Lindenwood | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Southern Illinois at West Florida | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Mississippi Valley State at Nicholls | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Central Arkansas at UT Martin | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Gardner-Webb at Austin Peay | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Stony Brook at Delaware State | Time TBA | ESPN+

LIU at North Dakota | Time TBA | ESPN+

Houston Christian at Southeastern Louisiana| Time TBA | ESPN+

Friday, Aug. 28

Marist at New Haven | 6 p.m. ET | NEC Front Row

Colgate at Fordham | 6 p.m. ET | ESPN+

New Hampshire at UAlbany | 7 p.m. ET | FloSports

Weber State at Northern Colorado | 9 p.m. ET| ESPN+

Idaho at Cal Poly | 10 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Rhode Island at Merrimack | ESPN+

Saturday, Aug. 29

Aer Lingus College Football Classic: North Carolina vs. TCU (in Dublin, Ireland) | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN

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

Memphis at UNLV | 10 p.m. ET | FOX

Hawaii at Stanford | 7 p.m. ET | ACC Network

FCS games

Southern vs. Alabama State (in Birmingham, AL) | 3 p.m. ET | ESPNU

Morgan State at North Carolina A&T | 6 p.m. ET | FloSports

East Texas A&M at Mercer | 7 p.m. | ESPN

North Alabama vs. Samford (in Huntsville, AL) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

North Carolina Central at Texas Southern | 7 p.m. ET | HBCUGO

Monmouth at Tennessee Tech | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Eastern Kentucky at Western Carolina | 7 p.m. ET| ESPN+

MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Alabama A&M vs. Howard (in Atlanta, Georgia) | 7:30 

p.m. ET | ABC

Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Jackson State at Tennessee State | Time TBA | ESPN+

Abilene Christian at Lamar | Time TBA | ESPN+

William & Mary at Villanova | Time TBA | ESPN+      

The following week begins Week 1 of the 2026 college football season, with most 

of the games set for Thursday, Sep. 3 during Labor Day weekend...

____