College Football Today Schedule: Week 1 Games, Scores & TV

The biggest storyline of the night is Clemson at LSU, where new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin makes his Tigers debut. Earlier in the day, fans can watch Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Indiana, Alabama and Penn State. college football today schedule.

The 2026 Week 1 slate stretches beyond Saturday, with additional ranked-team games on Sunday and Monday.

All times below are Eastern Time (ET).

Table of Contents

College Football Games Today: Week 1 Schedule

Here are the most important nationally televised games on Saturday, September 5:

Time	Matchup	TV
12:00 p.m.	No. 6 Indiana vs. North Texas	FOX
12:00 p.m.	No. 13 Alabama vs. East Carolina	ABC
12:30 p.m.	No. 1 Ohio State vs. Ball State	Big Ten Network
3:00 p.m.	No. 3 Georgia vs. Tennessee State	SEC Network+
3:30 p.m.	No. 2 Oregon vs. Boise State	CBS
3:30 p.m.	No. 5 Texas vs. Texas State	ESPN
3:30 p.m.	No. 18 Penn State vs. Marshall	FS1
4:15 p.m.	No. 22 Iowa vs. Northern Illinois	Big Ten Network
7:00 p.m.	No. 8 Texas A&M vs. Missouri State	ESPN
7:00 p.m.	No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian	FS1
7:30 p.m.	No. 11 LSU vs. Clemson	ABC
7:30 p.m.	No. 16 Michigan vs. Western Michigan	NBC
8:00 p.m.	No. 14 BYU vs. Utah Tech	ESPN+
12:00 p.m.	No. 23 Houston vs. Oregon State	ESPN

The NCAA’s live Week 1 coverage lists 15 AP-ranked teams in action on Saturday.

LIVE: Week 1 College Football Scores

Because games are being played throughout the day, scores change quickly. For the most current results, use the NCAA live scoreboard or your preferred live-score provider.

One notable early development came from No. 1 Ohio State, where the Buckeyes built a 28-3 halftime lead against Ball State. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns at that point.

Earlier in the week, Week 1 had already produced surprises. UMass defeated Rutgers 37-21 on Thursday, while Oklahoma shut out UTEP 51-0 and USC defeated Fresno State 39-0 on Friday.

For readers searching specifically for college football live games, the most useful approach is to check the live scoreboard while using the schedule below as your viewing guide.

What CFB Games Are on TV Today?

There are several major broadcast windows throughout Saturday.

At noon, the action begins with games such as Indiana vs. North Texas and Alabama vs. East Carolina. Ohio State follows at 12:30 p.m.

The afternoon window brings Oregon vs. Boise State, Texas vs. Texas State and Penn State vs. Marshall.

Primetime is headlined by Clemson at LSU, while Michigan, Texas A&M and Texas Tech also play in the evening.

Major college football channels today include ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, FS1 and Big Ten Network, with additional games available through conference networks and streaming services.

Biggest College Football Games to Watch Today

No. 2 Oregon vs. Boise State

This is one of the most intriguing nonconference games of the afternoon. Oregon enters the season ranked No. 2 nationally, while Boise State received votes in the preseason AP poll.

The matchup gives Oregon an opportunity to make an early statement against a recognizable opponent rather than simply opening against a lower-level opponent.

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS/Paramount+

No. 5 Texas vs. Texas State

Texas begins another season with enormous expectations. The Longhorns were ranked No. 5 in the preseason AP poll, and Arch Manning is among the players attracting significant national attention.

Texas State, meanwhile, provides an interesting early test because it gives the Longhorns an opportunity to establish their offensive identity before conference play becomes more demanding.

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

No. 11 LSU vs. Clemson

This is arguably the marquee game of the day.

LSU begins the Lane Kiffin era at home against Clemson. Kiffin’s arrival gives the Tigers a completely different storyline entering the season, while Clemson is looking to establish itself against a ranked SEC opponent.

The game has also been surrounded by an eligibility dispute involving former professional players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris. LSU ultimately left both players off its opening-day roster.

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC

Afternoon College Football Games to Watch

If you want to build a full Saturday viewing schedule, the afternoon offers several strong options.

12:00 p.m. — Indiana vs. North Texas: The defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers begin their title defense.
12:00 p.m. — Alabama vs. East Carolina: Alabama opens against East Carolina in an SEC-versus-American matchup.
12:30 p.m. — Ohio State vs. Ball State: The preseason No. 1 Buckeyes begin their campaign.
3:30 p.m. — Oregon vs. Boise State: One of the day’s most compelling nonconference games.
3:30 p.m. — Texas vs. Texas State: A first look at the Longhorns in 2026.
3:30 p.m. — Penn State vs. Marshall: Matt Campbell begins his tenure at Penn State.
4:15 p.m. — Iowa vs. Northern Illinois: A Big Ten matchup with potential upset appeal.

The NCAA’s Week 1 rundown confirms the kickoff times and television assignments for these ranked-team games.

Week 1 Primetime College Football Schedule

The evening session is where the schedule becomes especially interesting.

7:00 p.m. ET

Texas A&M vs. Missouri State — ESPN
Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian — FS1

7:30 p.m. ET

Clemson at LSU — ABC
Western Michigan at Michigan — NBC

8:00 p.m. ET

BYU vs. Utah Tech — ESPN+

Later at night, college football continues with games including UCLA at California at 10:30 p.m. ET.

College Football Rankings: Top 25 for Week 1

The preseason AP Top 25 established the starting point for the 2026 season:

Ohio State
Oregon
Georgia
Notre Dame
Texas
Indiana
Miami
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
LSU
Texas Tech
Alabama
BYU
USC
Michigan
Washington
Penn State
SMU
Tennessee
Utah
Iowa
Houston
Louisville
Missouri

Ohio State received 40 first-place votes, while Oregon received 14 and Georgia received the other first-place votes in the preseason poll.

The next AP Top 25 poll is scheduled for Tuesday because Week 1 continues through Monday.

College GameDay Predictions for Week 1

The opening Saturday creates several different types of prediction opportunities.

For the biggest favorites, the question is less about whether they win and more about how convincingly they start. Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama are expected to have significant talent advantages in their opening games.

The more interesting games are Oregon-Boise State and Clemson-LSU. Those games can provide an early indication of how highly ranked teams perform when the opponent has enough quality to expose weaknesses.

The LSU-Clemson game is particularly important because it combines a ranked opponent, a new head coach and significant preseason attention.

LSU vs. Clemson Prediction

Lean: LSU in a close game.

Home-field advantage and the excitement surrounding Lane Kiffin’s debut make LSU an especially interesting Week 1 team. However, Clemson has enough experience and talent to prevent this from being an easy prediction.

The game should tell us more about both teams than a typical Week 1 opener because neither side is simply playing a lower-division opponent.

The matchup is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with ESPN’s College GameDay also broadcasting from Baton Rouge before kickoff.

College Football Playoff Week 1 Projections

It is far too early to make definitive College Football Playoff projections, but Week 1 can establish the teams that deserve the most attention.

The early group includes Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas and Indiana, all of whom entered the season ranked inside the top six of the preseason AP poll.

The most important thing to watch isn’t simply the final score. Performance against quality opponents, quarterback play, offensive efficiency and defensive consistency will become increasingly valuable as the season develops.

College Football Conference Predictions

The 2026 season has several conferences with realistic national-title contenders.

Big Ten: Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan and Penn State headline the conference picture.
SEC: Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU and Alabama provide considerable depth.
ACC: Clemson remains one of the conference’s most recognizable contenders.
Big 12: Texas Tech, BYU and Houston are among the ranked teams attracting attention.
Independent: Notre Dame starts the season ranked No. 4.

At this stage, conference predictions should be treated as early-season snapshots rather than conclusions. The first few weeks can quickly change the national picture.

How to Watch College Football Today

The easiest way to follow the Saturday college football television schedule is to match each game with its listed network.

For the major games:

ABC: Alabama-East Carolina; Clemson-LSU
CBS: Oregon-Boise State
FOX: Indiana-North Texas
ESPN: Texas-Texas State; Texas A&M-Missouri State
NBC: Michigan-Western Michigan
FS1: Penn State-Marshall; Texas Tech-Abilene Christian
Big Ten Network: Ohio State-Ball State; Iowa-Northern Illinois

Streaming availability varies by network and provider, so viewers should check the official network or their television/streaming package before kickoff. ESPN’s schedule also lists its available college football programming for September 5.

source: espn.com
source: ncaa.com

College Football Week 1 Standings & Scores

It is important to remember that Week 1 standings are not yet meaningful conference standings. Most teams have played only one game, and several conferences have teams that have not yet opened league play.

For fans following today’s results, the most useful information is:

Final scores
Ranked-team results
Major injuries
Quarterback performances
Upsets
Games affecting early playoff expectations

The NCAA’s live Week 1 coverage is updating scores, highlights and major developments throughout the day.

FAQs About College Football Today

What is the college football today schedule?

The college football today schedule for Saturday, September 5, 2026, features a full Week 1 slate. Major games include Alabama-East Carolina at noon, Ohio State-Ball State at 12:30 p.m., Oregon-Boise State and Texas-Texas State at 3:30 p.m., and Clemson-LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Is there a printable college football today schedule?

Yes. The schedule above can be saved or printed from your browser. For a more complete printable college football schedule, conference and NCAA schedule pages provide additional games beyond the nationally televised matchups.

Where can I find the college football schedule?

The NCAA provides official college football schedules and live updates, while ESPN and individual conference networks provide television and streaming information. The Week 1 schedule spans September 3 through September 7.

What college football games are on TV today?

The biggest games on TV today include Ohio State vs. Ball State on Big Ten Network, Oregon vs. Boise State on CBS, Texas vs. Texas State on ESPN, Alabama vs. East Carolina on ABC, Penn State vs. Marshall on FS1 and Clemson vs. LSU on ABC.

What is the ESPN college football today schedule?

ESPN’s September 5 programming includes numerous college football games across ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN2, ESPNU and related platforms. Exact availability depends on the game and broadcast rights.

When is college football Week 1?

Week 1 of the 2026 college football schedule runs across Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7. Saturday, September 5, is the first major full-day slate.