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ESPN announces kickoff times for first three weeks, special dates of 2026 season

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh05/27/26griffin_mcveigh

We are beginning to get a sense of what the 2026 college football season will look like from a television standpoint. On Wednesday, ESPN announced the kickoff times for the first three weeks of the year on its network. Some special dates are included as well.

Most of these are nonconference matchups, providing a few headliners. However, some SEC games do sneak into the early portion of the calendar.

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Below, you can find the full slate of games provided by ESPN. The times listed are in ET.

Week 0 kickoff times

Friday, Aug. 28

  • Idaho at Cal Poly, 10 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, Aug. 29

  • North Carolina vs. TCU (Dublin, Ireland), Noon (ESPN)
  • Southern vs. Alabama State (Birmingham), 3 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • NC State vs. Virginia (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • East Texas A&M vs. Mercer, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Hawai’i at Stanford, 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
  • Alabama A&M vs. Howard (Atlanta), 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
  • Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

Sunday, Aug. 30

  • West Alabama vs. Tuskegee (Montgomery), 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Week 1

Thursday, Sept. 3

  • Akron at Wake Forest: 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
  • Merrimack at Delaware: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • West Georgia at Kennesaw State: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Bethune-Cookman at UCF: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • UAlbany at Buffalo: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Colorado at Georgia Tech: 8 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri: 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
  • Idaho at Utah: 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

Friday, Sept. 4

  • San Jose State at Eastern Michigan: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • North Carolina A&T at Georgia State: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Long Island University at Kansas: 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • Miami at Stanford: 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, Sept. 5

  • East Carolina at Alabama: Noon (ABC)
  • Oregon State at Houston: Noon (ESPN)
  • Liberty at James Madison: Noon (ESPNU)
  • New Hampshire at Syracuse: Noon (ACC Network)
  • Tarleton State at Bowling Green: Noon (ESPN+)
  • Kent State at South Carolina: 12:45 p.m. (SEC Network)
  • Youngstown State at Kentucky: 1 p.m. (SECN+)
  • Southeast Missouri State at Iowa State: 1 p.m. (SECN+)
  • Rhode Island at Temple: 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Tennessee State at Georgia: 3 p.m. (SECN+)
  • Baylor vs. Auburn (Atlanta): 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
  • Texas State at Texas: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Tulane at Duke: 3:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
  • The Citadel at Charlotte: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • UT Rio Grande Valley at UTSA: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Maine at App State: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Furman at Tennessee: 3:30 p.m. (SECN+)
  • Oklahoma State at Tulsa: 3:45 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • North Alabama at Arkansas: 4:15 p.m. (SEC Network)
  • Alcorn State at Southern Miss: 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Norfolk State at Old Dominion: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Missouri State at Texas A&M: 7 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Austin Peay at Vanderbilt: 7 p.m. (SECN+)
  • Arkansas State at Memphis: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Houston Christian vs. Rice: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Florida International vs. South Florida: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Eastern Kentucky vs. Jacksonville State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Murray State vs. Middle Tennessee: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • SE Louisiana vs. South Alabama: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Sam Houston vs. Troy: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Nicholls vs. Kansas State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Charleston Southern vs. Georgia Southern: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Clemson vs. LSU: 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • UL Monroe vs. Mississippi State: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • VMI vs. Virginia Tech: 7:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Northwestern State vs. Louisiana Tech: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Florida Atlantic vs. Florida: 7:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • Lamar vs. Louisiana: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Utah Tech vs. BYU: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Mercyhurst vs. New Mexico State: 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Northern Arizona vs. Arizona: 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Mississippi Valley State vs. Sacramento State: 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Morgan State vs. Arizona State: 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • UCLA vs. California: 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • UTEP vs. Oklahoma: TBD (SEC Network+)

Sunday, Sept. 6

  • Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • South Carolina State vs. Florida A&M: 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Louisville vs. Ole Miss: 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Monday, Sept. 7

  • SMU vs. Florida State: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Week 2

Thursday, Sept. 10

  • Florida A&M vs. Miami: 8 p.m. ET (ACC Network)

Friday, Sept. 11

  • Villanova vs. Louisville: 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Richmond vs. NC State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Norfolk State vs. Virginia: 7 p.m. ET (ACCNX)
  • Rutgers vs. Boston College: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Saturday, Sept. 12

  • Arizona State vs. Texas A&M: 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Oregon vs. Oklahoma State: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Penn State vs. Temple: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • App State vs. East Carolina: 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • East Tennessee State vs. North Carolina: 12 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Wofford vs. Kent State: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Western Kentucky vs. Georgia: 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • Colgate at Central Michigan: 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Holy Cross at Miami (OH): 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • UT Martin at West Virginia: 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
  • Alabama vs. Kentucky: 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • UCF vs. Pittsburgh: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • California vs. Syracuse: 3:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Wagner vs. James Madison: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • UL Monroe vs. UAB: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Robert Morris vs. Akron: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Weber State vs. Colorado: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Central Connecticut vs. Toledo: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Sacred Heart at UMass: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • UNLV vs. North Texas: 3:45 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Alabama State vs. Troy: 4 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Delaware vs. Vanderbilt: 4:15 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • Campbell vs. Florida: 5:30 p.m. ET (SECN+)
  • Buffalo vs. FIU: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Gardner-Webb vs. Liberty: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Jacksonville State vs. Ohio: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Monmouth vs. Western Michigan: 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Townson vs. South Carolina: 7 p.m. ET (SECN+)
  • South Alabama vs. Tulane: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Lindenwood vs. Missouri State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Tulsa vs. Sam Houston: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • West Georgia at Arkansas State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Western Carolina vs. Cincinnati: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Southern vs. Houston: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Ohio State vs. Texas: 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Navy vs. Florida Atlantic: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU or ESPN+)
  • Georgia Southern vs. Clemson: 7:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Louisiana Tech vs. LSU: 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network+)
  • Fordham vs. Coastal Carolina: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Southern Miss vs. Auburn: 7:30 p.m. or 7:45 p.m. ET (ESPNU or SEC Network)
  • Charlotte vs. Ole Miss: 7:45 p.m. ET (ESPN2 or SEC Network)
  • Prairie View A&M vs. Baylor: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Grambling vs. TCU: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Arkansas vs. Utah: 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 17

  • Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Friday, Sept. 18

  • Sept. 18 – Miami vs. Wake Forest: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Saturday, Sept. 19

  • Georgia vs. Arkansas: 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • North Carolina vs. Clemson: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Tulane vs. Kansas State: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • Bowling Green vs. Iowa State: 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Mercer vs. Georgia Tech: 12 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • NC State vs. Vanderbilt: 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • Troy vs. Missouri: 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network+)
  • Wyoming vs. Central Michigan: 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Maine vs. Boston College: 2 p.m. ET (ACCNX)
  • Florida State vs. Alabama: 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • SMU vs. Louisville: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN or ESPN2)
  • Kentucky vs. Texas A&M: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN or ESPN2)
  • Wagner vs. California: 3:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Miami (OH) vs. Cincinnati: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Stonehill vs. Massachusetts: 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Louisiana Tech vs. Baylor: 4 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • Ball State vs. Liberty: 4 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Mississippi State vs. South Carolina: 4:15 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • SE Louisiana vs. UL Monroe: 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Charlotte vs. App State: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Florida International vs. Florida Atlantic: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • East Carolina vs. Old Dominion: 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Florida vs. Auburn: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • UT Martin vs. Memphis: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Western Michigan vs. Rice: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Delaware State vs. South Florida: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Georgia Southern vs. Jacksonville State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Nevada vs. Middle Tennessee: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Nicholls vs. Sam Houston: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • UConn vs. Southern Miss: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Georgia State vs. UCF: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Ohio vs. South Alabama: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • Murray State vs. Oklahoma State: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • LSU vs. Ole Miss: 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • New Mexico vs. Oklahoma: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • West Virginia vs. Virginia: 7:30 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
  • Kennesaw State vs. Tennessee: 7:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
  • Arkansas State vs. TCU: 8 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
  • UTSA vs. Texas: 8 p.m. ET (SEC Network+)
  • East Texas A&M vs. Tulsa: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • UAB vs. Louisiana: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
  • North Dakota State vs. Sacramento State: 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Special events

Week 4

  • Liberty at Coastal Carolina | Thu, Sep 24 at 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Army at Temple | Fri, Sep 25 at 4 p.m. | ESPN
  • Navy at UAB | Fri, Sep 25 at 7 p.m. | ESPN
  • Clemson at California | Fri, Sep 25 at 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Georgia Tech at Stanford | Sat, Sep 26 at 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Northern Arizona at Montana State | Sat, Sep 26 at 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Week 5

  • North Texas at Tulsa | Thu, Oct 1 at 9 p.m. | ESPN
  • Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech | Fri, Oct 2 at 7 p.m. | ESPN

Week 6

  • Florida State at Louisville | Fri, Oct 9 at 7 p.m. | ESPN
  • Iowa State at BYU | Fri, Oct 9 at 10:15 p.m. | ESPN

Week 7

  • Memphis at Tulane | Fri, Oct 16 at 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Week 8

  • Duke at Virginia | Fri, Oct 23 at 7 p.m. | ESPN
  • Army at Tulsa | Fri, Oct 23 at 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2
  • NC State at Stanford | Fri, Oct 23 at 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Kansas State at Arizona State | Sat, Oct 24 | Time/Network TBD

Week 9

  • Baylor at UCF | Fri, Oct 30 at 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Notre Dame vs. Navy (Foxborough) | Sat, Oct 31 at Noon | ABC or ESPN
  • South Dakota at South Dakota State | Sat, Oct 31 at TBD | TBD

Week 10

  • Virginia Tech at SMU | Fri, Nov 6 at 7 p.m. | ESPN
  • TCU at Arizona | Fri, Nov 6 at 10:15 p.m. | ESPN

Week 11

  • Florida State at Pittsburgh | Fri, Nov 13 at 7 p.m. | ESPN
  • Houston at Colorado | Fri, Nov 13 at 10:15 p.m. | ESPN
  • SIAC Championship | Sat, Nov 14 at 10:30 a.m. | ESPNU

Week 12

  • Yale at Harvard (Boston) | Sat, Nov 21 at 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU