College football is BACK tomorrow, and Week 0 isn’t messing around! We’re talking North Carolina vs. TCU kicking off the 2026 season in Ireland, with the Tar Heels looking for straight-up revenge after the beatdown TCU handed them last year. This isn’t just any opener either, it’s the very first game of the Bill Belichick era for North Carolina, and it’s their first international game ever. TCU’s never played outside the U.S. either, so this Aer Lingus College Football Classic is going to be wild. Keep an eye on UNC running back Demon June, already on the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. TCU’s got their own star in safety Jamel Johnson, a Bednarik Award watch-list selection and a proven playmaker on defense. Talk about high stakes right out of the gate!
New Eras and Ranked Teams
This Week 0 slate is loaded with fresh starts and big matchups. North Dakota State makes its official FBS debut, taking on Jacksonville State, which is a huge step up for the Bison. Then you’ve got No. 14 USC, the only AP-ranked team hitting the field this weekend, opening at home against San Jose State. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava already has Big Ten preseason honors, and he’s ready to show why. San Jose State is no pushover though, led by Ken Niumatalolo. And get this: Hawai’i gets a rematch with Stanford after pulling off an upset against the Cardinal last year. Virginia is coming off an ACC Championship Game appearance, so their matchup with NC State is going to be a must-watch ACC showdown.
FOX Debut and Mountain West Firepower
If you’re looking for some late-night action, don’t miss Memphis at UNLV, college football’s first FOX game of 2026! These two programs have never met, so it’s a completely fresh matchup with both teams having “new-era expectations.” Charles Huff makes his Memphis debut, while Dan Mullen kicks off his second season at UNLV. The Rebels’ running back, Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas, is already the Mountain West’s preseason all-conference selection at his position, and you know he’s gonna be running wild. This game also marks UNLV’s first regular-season appearance on FOX, so they’ll be looking to make a statement. Week 0 is truly giving us a taste of what’s to come, and I’m here for it! If you’re looking to get in on the action, new users can snag a $20 bonus with Polymarket promo code FOX to trade on these games. It’s gonna be epic.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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