What college football games are this weekend? Week 1 schedule preview
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Remember just a season ago when we rolled into Labor Day weekend anticipating three top-10 games on the college football calendar? Yeah, good times.
This year’s Week 1 schedule is, well, maybe not quite as compelling. There is in fact just one Top 25 matchup on the entire slate. But that hardly means there aren’t any meaningful contests. And seriously, it’s been a long offseason. Any football is better than no football, right?
As always, our aim here is to set up what we think will be the best games for you to enjoy as you plan your weekend viewing. We can’t hit every game, of course, so we always encourage you to keep an eye on the scoreboard and a hand on the remote in case unexpected developments occur. Right then, let’s get to the schedule.
No. 23 Clemson at No. 13 LSU
Time/TV: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: The prime-time Saturday headliner features two sets of Tigers with very devoted fan bases. Both programs have made their share of offseason news, so for that reason alone seeing the actual product on the field will be something of a relief. All the Lane Kiffin noise aside, the most pressing question for LSU concerns the readiness of QB Sam Leavitt, whose last season at Arizona State was cut short by a foot injury. LB Sammy Brown and the Clemson defense will provide a major challenge. It will be veteran backup Christopher Vizzina getting the nod at QB for Clemson, hoping to jump start a unit that unquestionably underperformed in 2025. DB Ty Benefield arrived via the portal from Boise State to bolster the LSU secondary that has also not been a strength in recent years.
Why it could disappoint: It almost certainly will if we’re being honest. One could easily envision this game devolving into a punting contest. We might be pleasantly surprised by some big plays, but a tough watch seems more likely.
No. 10 Mississippi vs. Louisville
Time/TV: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: The Sunday lineup includes another installment of the unofficial ACC-SEC challenge. The Cardinals are expected to be among the contenders in their own conference. They’ll seek a favorable result here against the Rebels, who are aiming for another playoff appearance. Ole Miss got good news when both QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy stuck around and former won the legal battle for an extra season. Containing them won’t be easy, but Louisville LB Stanquan Clark will do his best. The Cardinals will have Lincoln Kienholz taking over at QB, and having veteran RB Isaac Brown in his backfield will help him acclimate to his new surroundings. The Rebels’ defense was hit harder by portal departures, but DE Suntarine Perkins is among the holdovers who provides a good foundation.
Why it could disappoint: A lot hinges on how the Cardinals’ offense looks. If they’re able to keep up we’ll have a fun back-and-forth affair, but it could get away in a hurry if the Rebels build a significant cushion.
No. 7 Miami at Stanford
Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: Bookending the extended weekend are a pair of contests that will count in the ACC standings. The Hurricanes start their quest to return to the College Football Playoff by jumping directly into league play far from home. The Cardinal got into the win column in Week 0, having staved off a late rally by Hawaii, though that also means they’ve had a shortened week of preparation. QB Davis Warren was efficient for the most part in his Stanford debut while RB Micah Ford delivered the tough yards, but LB Mohamed Toure and the Hurricanes will be tougher to solve. Meanwhile, Miami fans will get their first look at former Duke transfer QB Darian Mensah, who brought WR Cooper Barkate with him to join all-purpose weapon Malachi Toney. OLB Gabe Kaminski made some things happen in his first action with the Cardinal but needs help bringing pressure.
Why it could disappoint: Stanford’s near collapse doesn’t bode well. Cardinal faithful have to hope it takes a while for all the new parts to mesh for Miami, but it probably won’t take long.
No. 20 SMU at Florida State
Time/TV: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: The other ACC contest to close out the weekend features the Seminoles, a program that has fallen on hard times since its 2023 playoff snub, taking on the Mustangs, who have exceeded expectations over their two seasons in the conference. SMU has the preseason ranking thanks to a lot more proven commodities on its roster, most notably QB Kevin Jennings. His top returning target is WR Yamir Knight, with more receiving help coming in via the portal. QB Ashton Daniels wasn’t exactly flawless in his Week 0 opener against New Mexico State but got enough ground support from RB Ousmane Kromah to get out with the win.
Why it could disappoint: Could this be a case of home-field disadvantage? If things start to go badly for the Seminoles, the home crowd at Doak Campbell will not take it well.
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
Time/TV: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
Why watch: Every game matters for the Fighting Irish, still fiercely maintaining their football independence after all these years. Up first at Green Bay's Lambeau Field are the Badgers, a program unaccustomed to struggling as it did last year and possibly at a crossroads entering Luke Fickell's fourth season. Much of the hype surrounding Notre Dame heading into the campaign centers on incumbent QB CJ Carr, something of a new development for the Fighting Irish whose teams of recent vintage have been more RB driven. The ground game should still be strong, with Aneyas Williams now leading the way. Wisconsin wasn’t able to do much at all on offense in 2025, a trend ODU transfer QB Colton Joseph hopes to change.
Why it could disappoint: Notre Dame fans are definitely hoping that it does. The Badgers might indeed have upgraded their overall talent level, but the Fighting Irish shouldn’t struggle if they are in fact a top-five team.
Fresno State at No. 14 Southern California
Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: We now turn to the Pac-12 portion of the program, featuring several aspirants in the newly reconstituted conference testing their mettle against ranked competition. The Bulldogs of Fresno State take the field first as they pay a visit to the Trojans, who have a game under their collective belt and must now, like Stanford, return to action on a quicker turnaround. Khristian Martin takes over at QB for Fresno State, but the Bulldogs are at their best when their power running game is working. RBs Rayshon Luke and Bryson Donelson are back, and USC DT Jide Abasiri will lead the effort to limit their rushing lanes. Trojans QB Jayden Maiava was laser sharp against San Jose State, but he must watch out for DB Simeon Harris, who swiped five passes for the Bulldogs last season.
Why it could disappoint: It might take a while for the Trojans’ talent advantage to manifest itself. The longer the Bulldogs hang around, the more nervous the Coliseum crowd – which hopefully will be somewhat larger this week – will become.
Boise State at No. 2 Oregon
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: Another encounter of Pac-12 squads past and present is on the Saturday docket. This clash of recent College Football Playoff participants might appear to be a mismatch based on the Ducks’ early ranking, but Oregon narrowly escaped the Broncos when they met a couple of seasons ago. That Boise State squad of course had future Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty. It does still have QB Maddux Madsen in camp. He’s been known to take punishment, which Ducks DEs Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti will be happy to dish out. Oregon QB Dante Moore held off on the NFL, and he figures to make more use of sophomore WRs Jeremiah McClellan and Dakorien Moore. The effort to disrupt their rhythm will be led by Broncos DE Jayden Virgin-Morgan.
Why it could disappoint: The Broncos can absolutely not afford a slow start in hostile environs. It will take a near perfect performance to actually pull off the upset, but neutral observers can hope it stays interesting for a stretch.
Texas State at No. 4 Texas
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: Somewhat farther east we meet the Bobcats, whose high-powered offense will try its luck against a top-10 opponent before embarking on the new frontier of the reborn Pac-12. The Longhorns have a somewhat more anticipated showdown with Ohio State on deck. But first they must handle this challenge. Texas State put up points in bunches last season, and QB Brad Jackson, who threw for 21 scores and ran for 17 more, is back to drive the bus. Of course much is expected from the Longhorns’ attack as well, with QB Arch Manning now with a full season in hand and WR Cam Coleman coming in to join returning pass catcher Ryan Wingo.
Why it could disappoint: Yeah, about that Texas State defense. The Bobcats struggled to shut down Sun Belt opponents last season. The Longhorns will still need to execute, of course, but they’ll be aiming to put up a big number.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What college football games are this weekend? Week 1 schedule preview
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