College football’s 27 best games of the 2026 season

Every Saturday feels big during the college football season. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming. So we are here to help.

To get you ready for the 2026 college football season, here are 27 regular-season games that will define the year. Also check out our preseason top-25 teams, our long list of Heisman candidates, and our story on the head coaches potentially on the hot seat this year.

These are the games to circle on your calendar right now.

Ohio State at Texas, September 12

Last year’s game between these two teams might not have been the prettiest 60 minutes, but it lived up to the billing as Ohio State held on to defeat Texas 14-7. It was a matchup of two teams ranked in the Top 5, and the first collegiate start for Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, as he went up against Arch Manning.

Now this series heads to Austin, and it is not Sayin’s first collegiate start. Nor is it Manning’s first full year as the starter. Expect both these teams to be ranked in the Top 5 yet again ahead of this one, and the winner will get a big boost at the start of the year.

And a player on the winning team — Sayin or Jeremiah Smith for Ohio State, and Manning for Texas — will get a big boost to their Heisman Trophy campaign.

North Dakota State at Air Force, September 12

After years of sustained success at the Football Championship Subdivision, the Bison are making the leap to the FBS, as members of the Mountain West Conference.

After opening their schedule with games against Jacksonville State and Fordham, the Bison begin their MWC journey with a road game against Air Force on September 12. There is a belief that the Bison could be contenders in the MWC in their first season of FBS action, but their first conference game is a big checkpoint on that road.

Memphis at Boise State, September 12

Boise State hopes to get back to the College Football Playoff at the top of the revamped Pac-12, and having Maddux Madsen entrenched as the starting quarterback for the third straight season will help. Add in Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines, and the Broncos have their two biggest running backs back for another year.

But a game against Memphis — a team hoping to make a run of its own out of the American — is an early test for both sides. New Memphis head coach Charles Huff brought in a lot of new faces, many following him from Southern Miss, and the Tigers hope to return to the AAC title game for the first time since 2019.

Houston at Texas Tech, September 19

At some point, the chaos around Brendan Sorsby is going to subside, and the games will begin.

Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis is the likely option for the Red Raiders, as the junior started ten games for the Golden Hurricane and threw for 3,045 yards and 18 touchdowns. But whether it is Francis or one of the other options on the Texas Tech roster under center — Lloyd Jones III and Will Hammond are also options for Joey McGuire — this is a loaded roster with expectations for another Big 12 title, if not more.

But the Red Raiders have a few teams standing in their way, with Houston among them. Conner Weigman is fully healthy, and coming off his best year yet. He will also have some stability, as offensive coordinator Slade Nagle remains on campus with him. All-Big 12 WR Amare Thomas returns, and he will have a big weapon in transfer tight end Patrick Overmyer.

SMU at Louisville, September 19

The Miami Hurricanes might be the preseason favorites in the ACC, but two teams hoping to prove the prognosticators wrong are the Mustangs and the Cardinals. Kevin Jennings is back under center for SMU, and while he has some new faces around him, the senior quarterback took a big step forward as a passer during the 2025 campaign. As for Louisville, incoming transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz could form a dynamic one-two punch with All-ACC running back Isaac Brown.

LSU at Ole Miss, September 19

While this meeting could have implications in the SEC, and beyond, as fall gives way to winter, it is on this list for another reason, and a big one at that.

Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford.

For a sense of just how big this game is, when drafting this piece in early July the cheapest ticket I could find on Vivid Seats was $589. For a corner end zone seat in the upper ring of the stadium. There is a reason the Oxford Police Department shared this on social media back in May, when it was confirmed that kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. local time on ABC:

This is going to be an event.

James Madison at Old Dominion, September 26

James Madison made a dream run to the College Football Playoff a year ago, before losing to Oregon in the opening round. But the Dukes are expected to be back at the top of the Sun Belt under new head coach Billy Napier. Quarterback is a question mark as four players — transfers Arrington Maiden and Davi Belfort along with returning Dukes Camden Coleman and JC Evans — are fighting for that job.

But Old Dominion hopes to knock the Dukes off the top spot in the Sun Belt’s East Division, and while the Monarchs have some new faces on offense, they return several starters to a defense that was one of the best in the SBC.

That makes this early-season contest a pivotal one for the Sun Belt Conference.

Miami at Clemson, October 3

After winning the ACC Championship Game in 2024 and reaching the College Football Playoff that year, 2025 was supposed to be a huge season for Clemson.

But the Tigers limped out of the gate with a 3-5 record, finished 7-6 (Dabo Swinney’s worst record since 2010) and the results forced the coach to truly lean into the transfer portal more than ever.

What looms large is the decisions made at quarterback. Rather than pursue a big name in the portal, Swinney is heading into the season with Christopher Vizzina, Cade Klubnik’s long-time backup, as the expected starter. But if he struggles early, true freshman Tait Reynolds could be Plan B.

Either way, if Clemson wants to rebound, this home date with Miami is a massive test.

Georgia at Alabama, October 10

Week 6 of the 2026-2027 College Football Season has a few big games on the slate.

Up first is Georgia’s visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium to take on Alabama. Both these teams believe another trip to the SEC Championship Game is in their future, and the Crimson Tide might have revenge on their minds, after losing 28-7 in last year’s title game to the Bulldogs.

But the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs last time Georgia won in Tuscaloosa?

That would be reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, who led Georgia to a 26-23 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa back in 2007.

Texas vs. Oklahoma, October 10

While times have not been released for the games on October 10, we do know that day will feature the latest installment of the Red River Rivalry.

In last year’s edition, Texas knocked off Oklahoma by a final score of 23-6, behind a touchdown pass from Arch Manning. John Mateer threw three interceptions for the Sooners in the loss. But when the College Football Playoff rolled around, the Sooners were in … and the Longhorns were out.

One last thing to consider? Parker Livingstone, Manning’s roommate a year ago, will be wearing white and red in this game, as he transferred to Oklahoma after catching six touchdowns for the Longhorns a year ago.

Ohio State at Indiana, October 17

Despite wins earlier in the season over ranked opponents Illinois and Oregon (in Eugene), it was Indiana’s win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship that checked major boxes on the Hoosiers’ resume a year ago. That victory propelled Indiana to the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff, and set the Hoosiers up for their run to a title.

The loss for Ohio State dropped the Buckeyes to the No. 2 spot, and they lost their next game to Miami, ending any dream of a repeat.

Curt Cignetti has another loaded transfer class, and is hoping to stay atop the Big Ten. But Ryan Day and company have their eyes on that spot as well … along with a little bit of revenge.

Notre Dame at BYU, October 17

Notre Dame’s status as an independent gives the Fighting Irish little margin for error each season, and we saw that play out a year ago when they were passed over for a spot in the College Football Playoff. We’ll get to that more in a moment, but this mid-October test in Provo against a BYU team that has its own dreams of a run through the College Football Playoff will be a big moment for both squads.

Troy at James Madison, October 29

Returning to the Sun Belt for a moment, Troy and James Madison meet on Thursday, October 29 in what could be a preview of the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game.

How well Troy fares this season could come down to the health of sixth-year senior Goose Crowder, who has missed 14 games the past two seasons due to injury. He’ll have some additions around him from the junior college ranks, including JUCO All-American running back Gavin Griffin and wide receiver Noreel White, who originally signed at Ole Miss.

Ohio State at USC, October 31

After arriving in Los Angeles with high expectations, Lincoln Riley has yet to deliver on those hopes. After the Trojans finished 11-3 in his first year, USC dropped to 8-5 in 2023, 7-6 in 2024, and 9-4 a year ago.

While the seat might not be hot under Riley, at least not yet, the pressure is starting to rise. Writing in The Sporting Tribune after USC lost to TCU in the Alamo Bowl, Arash Markazi declared that “[t]he truth is, Riley hasn’t been much different than his predecessors. After the Alamo Bowl loss, he has a 35-18 record through four seasons at USC. Lane Kiffin’s record through four USC seasons from 2010 to 2013 was 35-17.

“As one booster texted me Tuesday night, ‘[t]here are cheaper ways to go 35-18 with far fewer headaches.’”

One way to cool the seat under you?

Beat the Buckeyes at home.

Navy vs. Notre Dame, October 31 (Foxborough)

If the last time Navy beat Notre Dame feels like a lifetime ago, you would be correct.

That came on November 5, 2016, just days before the 2016 Presidential Election.

But on that afternoon in Jacksonville, the Midshipmen shocked Notre Dame by a final score of 28-27.

The latest stop on this rivalry’s tour of the world takes the teams to Massachusetts for the first time, as this year’s installment will be played at Gillette Stadium. And there is a trap game element to this meeting, as we will see in a moment, given Notre Dame’s rematch against Miami a week later. They’ll need to stay focused, however, given the fact that the Midshipmen have some big aspirations of their own. While Navy has to replace several key players on both sides of the ball, most notably quarterback Blake Horvath, running back Alex Tecza, and slotback Eli Heidenreich, the system is the star in Annapolis, and Navy is always a tough team to prepare for, and play.

Oregon at Ohio State, November 7

Dante Moore’s decision to return to campus was part of a theme for Oregon this offseason. The Ducks return loads of starters on both sides of the football, including eight defensive starters from a season ago.

The goal is clear: Compete for and bring home the first national championship in school history.

This game kicks off two critical weeks for that mission, as the Ducks head to Columbus before welcoming Michigan to Autzen Stadium the following week. If this talented roster is going to achieve that ultimate goal, winning this game will clear a huge hurdle for them.

Miami at Notre Dame, November 7

Last year, Notre Dame began their season down in Miami, with a 27-24 loss to the Hurricanes.

That loss came back to dominate the discussion in the days leading up to the College Football Playoff, when the two teams finished with identical 10-2 records. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee put Miami in the field … and left Notre Dame out, despite ranking the Fighting Irish ahead of Miami in the polls leading up to the final decision.

Now Miami makes the trip to South Bend, and you can bet the entire Notre Dame roster, staff, and even campus will have revenge on their minds.

BYU at Utah, November 7

We outlined two of the top teams in the Big 12 earlier, when highlighting the September matchup between Houston and Texas Tech.

Here are two more teams with an eye on a conference title, but this game is more than a Big 12 clash. Not with a name like the “Holy War.”

Utah leads the series 62-37-4, but BYU has won three consecutive games. The Utes added a ton of players in the portal, but this is their first full season under new head coach Morgan Scalley, who was a defensive back at Utah and has spent his entire coaching career with the Utes.

Duke at Miami, November 14

There are levels to this game.

Duke is coming off a run to the ACC Championship, a title Miami has yet to win despite advancing to the National Championship Game a year ago. Mario Cristobal prowls the sidelines at Miami, having replaced Manny Diaz, who runs the show now at Duke.

If that was not enough, last year the Blue Devils made their run to the ACC title with Darian Mensah under center.

He’ll be on the Miami sidelines for this one, having transferred … and after settling a lawsuit brought by Duke under NIL grounds along the way.

Like we said, there are levels to this one.

UNLV at New Mexico, November 14

We dip back into the Mountain West Conference, for a last-season clash between teams expected to contend for a conference title. UNLV has a lot of new faces after finishing 10-4 a season ago, including incoming transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold from Auburn. But a face that returns is Jai’Den Thomas, the four-year starter at running back, who is among the favorites for Offensive Player of the Year in the MWC.

Arnold and Thomas might find things tough against this New Mexico defense, a unit that could be the best in the conference. Linebacker Jaxton Eck — son of head coach Jason Eck — was an All-MWC selection and the Co-Defensive Player of the Year a season ago. On offense, the Lobos return four starters on the offensive line as well as quarterback Jack Layne, although Layne could feel the heat from Oregon transfer Luke Moga, who left Eugene when Dante Moore decided to come back for another year.

But this game will go a long way towards deciding the Mountain West this season.

Texas at LSU, November 14

Let’s face it: Every LSU game this season is going to be an event — bigger than usual in Death Valley — thanks to the arrival of Lane Kiffin. Beyond the game previously mentioned.

But one game that could truly impact the national picture is this contest on November 14, when Kiffin and company welcome the Longhorns to Tiger Stadium. Not only is this the final home game for the Tigers this season (coming before another homecoming of sorts for Kiffin, as the Tigers head to Knoxville to play Tennessee the following week), but this is a chance for LSU to knock off a team we all expect to be in the mix come playoff time.

Western Kentucky at Liberty, November 21

2025 was a disappointing season for Liberty, as the Flames began the year 1-4, and after winning three straight games to get back to .500, they finished the season 4-8 thanks to a four-game losing streak to close out the year. But with four starters returning on the offensive line, the Liberty offense should be much improved over the unit that fell below 250 rushing yards per game for the first time under Jamey Chadwell.

If the Flames truly want to turn things around and get to the top of Conference USA, this is the type of game they need to win. The Hilltoppers finished 9-4 a year ago (6-2 in CUSA), have one of the best passing games in the conference, and have the talent on both sides of the football to challenge for a conference title.

Boise State at San Diego State, November 21

Boise State and San Diego State are expected to be the top two teams in the revamped PAC-12.

While the conference will have a championship game at the end of the season, featuring the top two teams in the conference, there is a chance this game is a warm-up match for what fans will see on December 4.

But there is also a chance this is a de facto elimination game, depending on where the standings are heading into this contest.

Miami (OH) at Western Michigan, November 24

Western Michigan won the MAC a year ago — defeating Miami in the title game — and the Broncos return quarterback (and MAC Offensive Player of the Year) Broc Lowry and Third-Team All-MAC running back Jalen Buckley. This is a Western Michigan offense that leans into the run game, and has three returning starters coming back along the offensive line.

On the other side of the field, the RedHawks are hoping to flip last year’s script, and Miami not only returns Thomas Gotkowski, who took over as the starting QB late in the season, but some incoming transfers on defense including linebackers CJ Young (Kent State) and Blayne Myrick (South Alabama) should boost that side of the ball.

There is a chance this game is simply a warm-up act for a repeat weeks later in the MAC Championship Game. But there is also a world where the loser ends up on the outside looking in come December.

And the best part?

This is on a Tuesday night to help kick off a holiday week.

Texas at Texas A&M, November 27

Last year, this game arrived with the Aggies hoping to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game. But Arch Manning threw a touchdown, Marcel Reed threw a pair of interceptions, and the Longhorns spoiled that party with a 27-17 upset. While it was not enough to get the Longhorns into the party it did drop Texas A&M down to the No. 7 seed, and the Aggies ultimately lost in the first round to Miami.

There is a world where the roles are reversed in November, and it is the Longhorns who arrive in College Station atop the SEC, hoping to book a trip to Atlanta. You could imagine what returning the favor would mean to Texas A&M, who of course have some SEC title aspirations of their own.

Michigan at Ohio State, November 28

You could throw the records out the window and this game is still must-watch.

But with Ohio State expected to be among the best teams in the nation, and Michigan hoping to take a big step forward under Kyle Whittingham, the records might really matter come late November.

Army vs. Navy, December 12

With the expansion of the College Football Playoff always looming, the future of the annual tilt between Army and Navy is somewhat of an open question. The game will remain on the schedule, but its status as a standalone contest in mid-December might be altered.

But whenever it is played — and wherever — it is one of the biggest games of the season. For those who have never made the trip to one, fix that when you can.