The 2026 college football season is set to begin with a slate of Week 0 matchups on August 29, kicking off a year that promises fresh storylines and reshuffled power structures.
Week 0 opens the season
One of the first games will see North Carolina travel to Dublin, Ireland, to face TCU in a historic overseas kickoff, while fans in the United States await the full schedule.
A week later, the US LBM Coaches Poll will be released on August 4, with USA TODAY Sports hosting a live reveal on its YouTube channel, giving early insight into how the new rankings will look.
LSU’s new era
Under new head coach Lane Kiffin, the LSU Tigers are aiming to break into the preseason top 25 after finishing unranked a year ago, a turnaround that reflects both optimism and the pressure of expectations.
The Tigers will open their season on September 5 against Clemson, a marquee matchup scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and will be televised on ABC, underscoring the program’s national relevance.
Roster upheaval
The offseason has been marked by a whirlwind of transfers, with LSU welcoming more than 40 new players while seeing 38 depart, a reshaping that could define the team’s chemistry on the field.
The departure of former coach Brian Kelly, dismissed mid‑season in 2025, cleared the way for Kiffin’s arrival on December 1, setting the stage for a dramatic transition.
Poll expectations
Analysts will be watching closely to see whether the Tigers can translate early momentum into a top‑25 ranking, a milestone that would mark a significant step in the program’s resurgence.
The upcoming Coaches Poll release will provide the first official gauge of how voters perceive Kiffin’s squad, and the results could influence early betting lines and media narratives.
With the season still months away, the buzz surrounding LSU reflects a broader narrative of change, ambition, and the ever‑evolving landscape of college athletics.