College football opens its full 2026 slate on Labor Day weekend, anchored by marquee matchups like No. 24 Louisville facing No. 9 Mississippi and Clemson visiting No. 11 LSU, as the race for the College Football Playoff officially gets underway.
Boise State Visits No. 2 Oregon in High-Stakes Pac-12 Opener
The Boise State Broncos open their debut season in the Pac-12 conference with a daunting road test against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast nationally on CBS and available via streaming platforms such as Paramount+, Fubo, and DIRECTV.
Led by quarterback Dante Moore, the Ducks enter the campaign ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25, trailing only Ohio State, as they pursue their first national championship. The Ducks are 24.5-point favorites, but the Broncos have been pointing to this game for a long time and they bring back big playmakers. Oregon won 37-34 on a last-second field goal in Eugene the last time these teams met, in 2024.
Clemson and No. 11 LSU Clash in Baton Rouge Showdown
Drama and high expectations surround Saturday night’s marquee battle as Clemson travels to face No. 11 LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The Battle of Tigers
is also a showdown between the old school and new school in college sports. On one sideline is Dabo Swinney, the longtime Clemson coach who avoids the transfer portal’s treasure trove of talent as much as possible and is not afraid to call out rival coaches who tamper with his roster. Then you have Lane Kiffin, the acclaimed Portal King with the No. 1 transfer class at his new job and a bayou full of controversy as he fights the SEC — and the SEC sues the school — to play two former NFL players before deciding Friday not to put those players on its official roster. Everyone is picking a side, and you can be sure even the most casual of fans will be tuned in Saturday night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Ranked Battles Highlight Sunday and Monday Slate
The holiday weekend extends deep into Sunday and Monday with critical matchups across multiple conferences. Sunday evening features the only game pitting two Associated Press Top 25 teams against each other as No. 24 Louisville meets No. 9 Mississippi in Nashville, which is a squad some believe could be in the ACC and playoff hunt by the end of the year.
The Apple Cup meeting between Washington State and No. 17 Washington in Seattle kicks things off Sunday. Fans will have a decision to make in the evening or keep the remote handy: No. 4 Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay or Louisville-Mississippi. The holiday weekend wraps up with No. 19 SMU at Florida State on Monday night.
Broadcast Lineups and Viewing Options for Week 1
Starting on Saturday and running through Labor Day evening, Week 1 features games distributed across ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and the ESPN family of networks, alongside digital platforms including YouTube TV, Fubo, and DIRECTV, ensuring fans can track every shift in the early playoff race.
