The 2026 college football season will officially open with ESPN’s Week 0 slate, a schedule that stretches from August 28 to August 30 and promises a global showcase of the sport.
A Dublin Opening
At noon Eastern Time on ESPN, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic will bring together the North Carolina Tar Heels and the TCU Horned Frogs in what marks the first ACC matchup of the season, setting a precedent for international play.
The game will be staged in Dublin, Ireland, and will be broadcast live across the network’s flagship platforms, highlighting ESPN’s commitment to reaching fans beyond U.S. borders.
Later that afternoon, viewers can tune in at 3:30 p.m. ET to watch NC State take on Virginia, a contest that will be called by veteran voices Wes Durham, Max Browne and Madison Fitzpatrick.
The broadcast team of Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod and Kendra Douglas will then guide audiences through Stanford’s home game against Hawai’i at 7 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.
The evening will also feature the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff in Atlanta, where Alabama A&M and Howard meet at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with commentators Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker and Quint Kessenich shaping the narrative.
Additional matchups spread across the weekend include Idaho versus Cal Poly on Friday night on ESPN, the Birmingham Football Classic pitting Southern against Alabama State on ESPNU, the FCS Kickoff featuring East Texas A&M against Mercer on ESPN, and the Red Tails Classic with West Alabama versus Tuskegee on ESPN2.
All of this action will be anchored by ESPN’s College Football Countdown, which will broadcast live on Saturday, August 29, from 10 a.m. to noon ET, with hosts Kevin Negandhi and analysts Greg McElroy, Jesse Palmer, Booger McFarland and Pete Thamel providing preview insights.