Week 1 What to Watch: UNC looks for revenge against TCU, NC State-Virginia open with ACC matchup
College football returns with a slate of games including a high-profile matchup between UNC and TCU in Dublin. The season features new coaching eras and significant roster changes, particularly at the quarterback position for several teams.
Why it matters
Signals the start of the college football season, which is a major cultural and economic driver in the US sports landscape.
The offseason is over, and college football is back … for a few teams, at least.
Even with an eight-game slate on tap for Saturday, Aug. 29, there is still plenty to look for as the college football season begins.
The day begins as North Carolina takes on TCU in Dublin, Ireland. This will be the official start of Year 2 in the Bill Belichick era at UNC, and he will be looking to improve on the disappointing 4-8 2025 campaign that included a 48-14 blowout loss to TCU in the season opener.
Saturday's slate concludes as Memphis heads west to take on UNLV. Charles Huff will debut as the Tigers' new head coach after going 7-5 with Southern Miss last season. The Rebels are not only preseason favorites in the Mountain West, but also many analysts' choice to get the Group of Six College Football Playoff spot.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in