The 2026 college football season will begin with the TCU Horned Frogs taking on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Dublin, Ireland. This game is set for Saturday at noon EDT at Aviva Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN.
TCU enters the matchup as 9.5-point favorites, having recorded 9-4 seasons in the past two years, both ending with bowl victories. Under the leadership of head coach Sonny Dykes, the team holds a 36-17 record over five seasons, including a run to the national championship game in his first year.
On the other hand, North Carolina, coached by Bill Belichick, is aiming for improvement after a challenging 2025-26 season that ended with a 4-8 record. Belichick acknowledged the difficulties in preparing for the opening game, stating, "There are unknowns on our team, there are unknowns on our opponents."
The TCU-North Carolina game is part of a larger slate of eight games scheduled for Week 0. Other notable matchups include the No. 14 USC Trojans against the San Jose State Spartans, N.C. State facing Virginia, and North Dakota State hosting Jacksonville State. Most FBS season openers will take place the following week, featuring several key games.
