Aug. 27, 2026, 12:16 p.m. PT
The 2026 college football season is here. The “Week Zero” label is dumb, but for one more year, we are stuck with it. Here are the picks for the first weekend of a new season:
San Jose State vs USC
Trojans 52, Spartans 20 – USC’s offense should have a field day. The jury is still out on the defense, which is bound to have a few hiccups. USC essentially has four games in which to work out the kinks and smooth the rough edges before the really big game against Oregon in late September. The main priority for this game is to get out of it without any significant injuries. The rest can be improved and developed on the practice field as the month of September gets rolling.
North Carolina vs TCU
TCU 37, North Carolina 23 — Bill Belichick will not coach North Carolina in 2028.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!NC State at Virginia
Virginia 27, NC State 23 – This is usually a close game, and there’s no reason to think this edition will be different.
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State
NDSU 34, J-State 20 – North Dakota State plays its first game as a member of the Mountain West Conference.
EMU 27, Sac State 24 – Eastern Michigan shouldn’t be a big favorite over anyone. This game will be close.
Hawaii at Stanford
Stanford 23, Hawaii 20 – Stanford’s retool under general manager Andrew Luck has not been impressive. Tavita Pritchard was a highly questionable coaching hire.
FSU 38, NMSU 10 – Mike Norvell begins what is likely his last season at Florida State.
Memphis at UNLV
UNLV 45, Memphis 35 – There should be tons of points here. UNLV can score but cannot defend.
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