Week 0 Watch Guide: Bill Belichick’s Dublin Trip Headlines College Football’s Return This Saturday

College football is officially back. This Saturday kicks off the 2026 season with a Week 0 appetizer slate — just eight FBS games — before the sport goes into full-blast mode with the massive Labor Day weekend card. But don’t let the small number fool you: this is one of the more entertaining “welcome back” slates in years, headlined by an NFL legend coaching a game on foreign soil, a possible USC blowout, and a Las Vegas nightcap that could steal the show. Here’s your viewing guide for the day.

Bill Belichick Takes His Sideline Overseas: North Carolina vs. TCU

The single best “you have to see this” storyline of the day is happening 3,000 miles from either campus. North Carolina and TCU open the season at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, with kickoff at noon ET on ESPN. And yes, that means Bill Belichick — the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach who spent nearly five decades in the NFL — will be pacing an American football sideline inside a soccer and rugby stadium, more than 3,000 miles from Chapel Hill. More than 14,000 American fans reportedly made the trip.

This is Belichick’s second season leading the Tar Heels after a rough introduction to college ball last year — UNC stumbled to a 4-8 record, and this same TCU team throttled them 48-14 in last season’s opener. Both programs have new quarterbacks and new offensive coordinators this time around, with Billy Edwards Jr. now under center for North Carolina. TCU, fresh off a nine-win season under Sonny Dykes, opened as a college football odds favorite of 7.5 to 9.5 points depending on the book, with the total sitting right around 46.5 to 47.5 points. It’s a legitimately fun watch simply for the spectacle — an NFL icon, a rainy Irish afternoon, and a program looking for its first real signature win of the Belichick era.

Style Points in the Coliseum: San José State at USC

If you want a game that could turn into a track meet, flip over to NBC at 3:00 PM ET for San José State’s trip to the LA Memorial Coliseum. USC opened as a jaw-dropping 38.5 to 39.5-point favorite, with the total sitting in the 60 to 61.5-point range — some of the widest lines you’ll see anywhere in the country this year. It’s Year 5 of the Lincoln Riley era, and expectations are real: USC enters the season ranked in the AP preseason top 15, with quarterback Jayden Maiava back after finishing second nationally in QBR a season ago. For a deeper primer on how these lines work, check out our college football betting guide.

This is the kind of game where the entertainment value comes from watching a projected playoff-caliber offense try to hit its stride out of the gate. Expect a heavy dose of Maiava through the air early, extended garbage time for USC’s backups, and probably a Coliseum crowd that’s more interested in gauging the Trojans’ ceiling than sweating the outcome. It’s a great “watch the first quarter, then flip channels” game.

Vegas Nightcap: Memphis at UNLV

Save some energy for the 10:00 PM ET window, because Memphis at UNLV inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is shaping up as the best pure atmosphere game of the day. FOX has the broadcast, and this one brings together two rising Group of Five programs that both talked openly about playoff aspirations this offseason. UNLV opened as a favorite in the 4.5 to 6-point range with a moneyline around -190 to -230, while the total has climbed as high as 56.5 to 57.5 points — signaling two offenses that are expected to move the ball.

Under the lights, in a stadium usually reserved for the Raiders, with a late kickoff perfect for a watch party after a full day of early games, this has the makings of a fun, shootout-y nightcap to close out the sport’s opening weekend.

Rebuild Watch: New Mexico State at Florida State

Rounding out the day’s most notable watches, Florida State hosts New Mexico State at 7:00 PM ET on The CW, with the Seminoles opening as a massive 31.5-point favorite and a total around 53.5 points. This is less about drama and more about scouting — FSU is in a full rebuild after a tough stretch, and this is the first real look at how the roster overhaul is shaping up before the schedule gets significantly tougher. Expect a lopsided final score, but it’s worth a look if you’re trying to get a preseason read on where the Seminoles actually stand heading into the meat of their schedule.

Your Week 0 Watch Guide, Ranked

With eight games spread across the day and night, here’s how to prioritize your remote if you can’t watch all of it.

• Must-watch: North Carolina vs. TCU (noon ET, ESPN) — the Belichick-in-Dublin spectacle alone makes this the day’s top storyline.
• Fun background game: San José State at USC (3:00 PM ET, NBC) — check in for the fireworks, especially if you’re into fast-paced college offense.
• Best nightcap: Memphis at UNLV (10:00 PM ET, FOX) — the late Vegas atmosphere and points-friendly total make this the perfect way to close out the night.
• Worth a peek: New Mexico State at Florida State (7:00 PM ET, The CW) — early evidence on FSU’s rebuild.

It’s a light slate, but it’s the perfect appetizer before the sport goes all-in on Labor Day weekend. Enjoy the return of college football.