Circle the calendar! When does the 2026 college football season officially kick off?

[Samuel]

I'm already counting down the days until summer ends and football starts. I've seen a few different dates floating around and just want a definitive answer—when does the 2026 college football season start? Is it the last weekend in August like usual, or are there games even earlier this year? I need to request time off work for some road trips, so a concrete date would be a lifesaver. I've seen some chatter about Week Zero games on August 27th and 28th, but is that considered the 'real' start? Help a fellow fan out!

 

[OwenStark]

Here's the full picture:

THE DEFINITIVE 2026 SEASON START:

Thursday, August 27, 2026 – This is the absolute first day of the season. Week Zero games include:

• Mercyhurst at Youngstown State
• Charleston Southern at Lindenwood
• Central State at Youngstown State

Saturday, August 29, 2026 – The big Week Zero showcase games:

• North Carolina vs TCU in Dublin, Ireland (Aer Lingus College Football Classic)
• NC State vs Virginia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Stanford vs Hawaii
• USC vs TBD opponent
• Possibly Oregon vs Oregon State (rivalry game being discussed)

Saturday, September 5, 2026 – Labor Day weekend, the traditional "real" start when most Power 4 teams begin their seasons. This is when you'll see full slates of major conference games.

For time off requests: If you can swing it, request August 27-30 for Week Zero AND September 4-7 for the full opening weekend. That covers everything from the first kickoff to the first full Saturday of madness.