What to watch the first weekend of college football

The wait is over.

College football is back.

You can drop the act that you actually cared watching preseason NFL games the past couple of weeks.

There are eight FBS games this Saturday, as Week 0 football brings balance back to life — even in a brief sense before the full slate of college football kicks off next weekend.

Saturday’s FBS Week 0 games

North Carolina vs. TCU

Aviva Stadium — Dublin, Ireland

Time: 10 a.m. MDT, TV: ESPN, Streaming: Disney+

What to watch for: The season gets started on an international stage, with TCU and North Carolina facing each other in Ireland.

The Horned Frogs are a dark horse Big 12 contender who built momentum at the end of last season.

Will Jaden Craig, the former Harvard star, be the answer at quarterback for TCU? He replaces Josh Hoover, who transferred to defending national champion Indiana, and Craig will have one season to show what he can do at the FBS level.

Will eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick get things turned around at North Carolina after going a dismal 4-8 in his first season there?

It will all play out in the first FBS game of the season.

San Jose State at No. 14 USC

Time: 1 p.m. MDT, TV: NBC

What to watch for: The Trojans are the lone ranked team playing during Week 0.

USC is the heavy favorite over the Spartans, where Ken Niumatalolo is in his third season as head coach.

The contest gives USC quarterback Jayden Maiava a chance to get a jumpstart on the rest of the Heisman contenders this season.

NC State at Virginia

Time: 1:30 p.m. MDT, TV: ESPN

What to watch for: This is one of only two conference games during Week 0, as the two ACC schools clash.

Oddly enough, when these two longtime rivals met last year, it was designated as a nonconference game.

Can the Cavaliers get a measure of revenge for last season’s 35-31 setback? It could be another tight, exciting game this go-round.

Jacksonville State at North Dakota State

Time: 3:30 p.m. MDT, TV: CBS Sports Network

What to watch for: For a long time, North Dakota State has dominated at the FCS level.

The Bison are finally moving up to the FBS ranks after winning 10 national championships at the lower Division I level.

How competitive can North Dakota State be in its first FBS season? It gets the chance to host its opener at the legendary Fargodome.

Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan

Time: 4:30 p.m. MDT, Streaming: ESPN+

What to watch for: Like the Bison, Sacramento State is making the move up to the FBS level this year.

And guess what, this is a conference game, too!

As odd as it sounds, Sacramento State vs. Eastern Michigan is a MAC contest. That will take some getting used to, a California team in the Mid-American Conference.

Hawaii at Stanford

Time: 5 p.m. MDT, TV: ACC Network

What to watch for: Hawaii knocked off Stanford last season in a thrilling season opener, and now the Rainbow Warriors will have a chance to make it two in a row when they head to the mainland.

Micah Alejado is back for Hawaii at quarterback after winning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors, and prospects look good coming off a 9-4 season.

The opposite is happening for the Cardinal, who haven’t won more than four games in a season since 2018.

New Mexico State at Florida State

Time: 5 p.m. MDT, TV: The CW

What to watch for: Honestly, there’s not a lot to be hyped about in this one, unless you’re a fan of either team.

The Seminoles are coming off a second-straight losing season, and Mike Norvell is feeling the heat in Tallahassee.

That’s the lingering storyline for Florida State as it begins a critical season, particularly for its head coach.

Memphis at UNLV

Time: 8 p.m. MDT, TV: Fox

What to watch for: This is probably the Game of the Week, TBH.

Both Memphis and UNLV come into the 2026 campaign with aspirations — and the apparent firepower — to challenge for conference championships in their respective leagues.

Saturday’s contest could be the start of a campaign to earn the Group of 6 spot in the College Football Playoff for the winner, and this one looks, on paper, like it will be a thriller.

4 FCS games worth monitoring for Utah football fans

There’s a full slate of Football Championship Subdivision games this week, unlike the FBS, and it actually begins Thursday night.

There are a handful of contests worth monitoring for college football fans in Utah.

Friday

Weber State at Northern Colorado

Time: 7 p.m. MDT, Streaming: ESPN+

What to watch for: It’s the start of the Eric Kjar era at Weber State.

After years of success as Corner Canyon High’s coach, making the Chargers into a nationally recognized program, Kjar moves to the collegiate level.

Based on preseason projections, this is a winnable one for the Wildcats and their first-year head coach: Weber State and Northern Colorado are both projected to finish in the bottom half of the Big Sky Conference this season.

Idaho at Cal Poly

Time: 8 p.m. MDT, TV: ESPN

What to watch for: This one will give University of Utah fans a look at their Week 1 opponent in Idaho, and it’s on cable TV to boot.

Two years ago, the Vandals were within three points of Oregon midway through the fourth quarter of the 2024 season opener for both schools before the No. 3 Ducks won 24-14. Idaho ended up going 10-4 that year, including 1-1 in the FCS playoffs.

Last season, though, the Vandals stumbled to a 4-8 record and ended the year on a three-game losing streak. The Utes are heavy favorites against Idaho ahead of their Sept. 3 matchup.

Saturday

Southern Utah at Montana

Time: 7 p.m. MDT, Streaming: ESPN+

What to watch for: Let’s call this the “Welcome back to the Big Sky Classic.”

For a decade, Southern Utah and Montana were conference foes, until the Thunderbirds left the Big Sky in 2022 for the Western Athletic Conference.

Now Southern Utah is back in the Big Sky, and they’ll have the unenviable task of facing the No. 2 Grizzlies on the road to start the season.

Montana State at Utah Tech

Time: 8 p.m. MDT, Streaming: ESPN+

What to watch for: Welcome to the Big Sky, Utah Tech.

Here’s your reward: a conference game against the defending FCS national champions!

BYU will get a sneak peek at its opening opponent when the Trailblazers host the top-ranked Bobcats.