Get ready, college football fiends: the 2026 schedule rankings are out, and the first two weeks of the season are already making waves, but maybe not in the way you’d expect. Despite all the initial excitement a new season brings, Weeks 0 and 1 have been tabbed as the *least* watchable on the entire calendar. Seriously, what gives?
Don’t Sleep on Week 0, Even at No. 14!
Coming in at the bottom of the pile, ranked 14th, is Week 0 on August 29th. Now, before you start scheduling your entire Saturday around yard work, hear me out. The schedule comparison system used here, built on “proprietary tiers,” slots NC State at Virginia as a Tier 2 matchup. That game could honestly have some big ACC Championship implications down the road, and that’s not something you just skip. Plus, North Carolina battles TCU over in Dublin, marking the international debut of the Bill Belichick experiment. You know you gotta see how that’s shaping up! We also get San Jose State heading to face No. 14 USC. Look, it’s called an “appetizer” for a reason. This slate is actually better than what we usually get to kick things off. It’s a nice little warmup before everything goes absolutely bonkers.
Week 1 Might Lack Tier 1, But It’s Still Packed!
Right above Week 0, at No. 13, is the traditional opening weekend from September 3rd to 7th. You’d think the pure hype of Week 1 would put it higher, but the experts say this slate is “pretty brutal” because it *lacks* those elite-on-elite Tier 1 matchups. What?! Still, the sheer volume of games here is insane, and the excitement that comes with the first full Saturday of college football should easily counteract any perceived “brutality.” We’ve got a killer Tier 2 game with No. 24 Louisville facing No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville, which should be a shootout. Then, in Tier 3, you’ve got Clemson rolling into No. 11 LSU, a fascinating quarterback battle when UCLA takes on Cal, and Baylor versus Auburn in Atlanta, which could foreshadow a ton for both teams’ seasons. You can also catch Wisconsin against No. 4 Notre Dame in Green Bay, No. 19 SMU at Florida State, Boise State heading to No. 2 Oregon, and our own Washington State facing No. 17 Washington. Come on, that’s a lot of ball!
So yeah, these first two weeks might be at the bottom of the rankings, but don’t let that fool you. There’s still plenty to sink your teeth into. Get ready to lock in, because the 2026 college football season is kicking off with some serious potential, even if the “elite” matchups are waiting for later. What other weekends are gonna blow our minds, I wonder? We’re just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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