- North Carolina looks to rebound in Bill Belichick's second season: After going 4-8 in Year 1, Belichick hopes to right the Tar Heels against a sneaky TCU squad.
- Virginia battles NC State: The Cavaliers aim to continue their 2025 success, while CJ Bailey and the Wolfpack try to start 1-0.
- A big showdown in the Group of Six playoff race: Mountain West runner-up UNLV takes on Memphis, led by new head coach Charles Huff.
College Football is officially back! Week 0 features a few games that could eventually have playoff implications at the Power Four and Group of Six levels.
Here are the previews and predictions of the five biggest games of college football’s first week of action.
TCU vs. North Carolina (Dublin, Ireland; 12 PM ET, ESPN)
Storyline to know: Can Bill Belichick weather the storm against a quality Big 12 team?
Many were excited last year when it was announced that the greatest coach in NFL history, Bill Belichick, was moving down to the college ranks to take over the North Carolina program. But after just one season, there’s a feeling of buyer’s remorse in Chapel Hill.
The on-field product wasn’t pretty as the Tar Heels had just a 4-8 record, their first time missing a bowl game in seven years. Off the field, it’s been even uglier. General manager Michael Lombardi was placed on administrative leave due to a human resources complaint. Belichick’s son and defensive coordinator, Steve, is currently on medical leave. And there’s been plenty of concern about how involved Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, is with the program.
Belichick is already on the hot seat in Year 2 and opens the season against a really good TCU outfit that’s won nine games in each of the past two years.
Matchup to watch when TCU has the ball (Max): Jaden Craig’s first game as an FBS quarterback comes against Bill Belichick’s man-heavy defense
With Josh Hoover transferring to Indiana, the Horned Frogs were forced to dip into the portal themselves to find their next quarterback. That came in the form of Jaden Craig, who’s making the jump up from the FCS level at Harvard. Craig is a big-game hunter who was second in the FCS last year with 31 big-time throws. His deep ball is undeniably his best trait, as his 32 deep completions were tied for fifth in the entire FCS.
While Belichick is one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history, his defense at North Carolina was relatively average last year. The Tar Heels were just 74th in EPA per play and 70th in points allowed per game (26.2). North Carolina ran man coverage at a top-20 rate in the nation last year and was solid at limiting opponents on the deep ball, placing 47th in explosive pass rate allowed.
Belichick will likely try to force Craig to be more methodical and hit throws in the short and intermediate range.
Matchup to watch when North Carolina has the ball (Dalton): Can UNC offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino make a big first impression?
North Carolina’s offense played poor football last season, no matter how the statistics are parsed. The Tar Heels’ 68.2 offensive PFF grade ranked 98th in the nation. They placed well outside the top 100 FBS teams in yards per play and EPA per play. The Tar Heels also ran their offense at a glacially slow pace, with just two teams averaging fewer than their 58.4 plays per game. As a result, they managed to score at least 20 points in just five of their 12 games last season.
The good news is that UNC hired former Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino in an attempt to modernize the offense. While the Razorbacks won just two games last season, it certainly wasn’t Petrino’s fault. His unit ranked seventh in the FBS in yards per play and 17th in EPA per play. The run game, led by eventual draft picks Taylen Green and Mike Washington Jr., led the country with 6.8 yards per carry, excluding sacks.
The Tar Heels may not have that level of firepower, but they’re hoping Petrino can find production with veteran quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., running back Demon June and wide receiver Jordan Shipp.
Score Predictions
Max: TCU 30, North Carolina 20
Craig shines in his debut for TCU, while North Carolina’s offense struggles to get much going in Ireland.
Dalton: TCU 34, North Carolina 17
Between off-field turmoil, major offensive questions and the uncertain status of defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, the Tar Heels carry a lot more questions than answers right now. TCU should handle its business as the better team in this game.
NC State @ Virginia (3:30 PM ET, ESPN)
Storyline to know: Two solid ACC teams square off in a game that doesn’t even count for conference standings
NC State and Virginia battle in what could be the best game of Week 0. The Cavaliers are coming off an incredible 11-3 season, which included a No. 16 ranking in the final AP poll. That marked Virginia’s best finish in 30 years. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack have been remarkably consistent under head coach Dave Doeren, winning somewhere between seven and nine games in 11 of the last 13 seasons.
While these two teams may be in the top half of the ACC this year, this clash won’t even count as a conference game for either team. The two schools announced back in 2024 that they’d play each other in a non-conference home-and-home series, with the final game of that agreement happening this weekend. While it won’t matter much for the ACC standings, it’s still a matchup between two of the 50 best teams in America.
Matchup to watch when NC State has the ball (Max): Can Virginia’s pass rush consistently get to CJ Bailey?
Virginia was one of the best defenses in college football last year in terms of getting after the quarterback. The Cavaliers’ 18% knockdown rate (sacks/hits) was fourth among all defenses in the country. But Virginia lost its three pressure leaders from that defense in Mitchell Melton, Daniel Rickert and Jacob Holmes. Fisher Camac and Baylor transfer Matthew Fobbs-White will need to lead that unit off the edge now, combining for 51 pressures last year.
NC State quarterback CJ Bailey has plenty of fans in NFL Draft circles, but he must get better under pressure if he’s going to be an early-round pick. He threw eight interceptions when under pressure last year, the most of any quarterback in America. On top of that, his star left tackle, Jacarrius Peak, transferred to South Carolina in the offseason. In fact, the Wolfpack will have three new starters on their offensive line.
Matchup to watch when Virginia has the ball (Dalton): Virginia’s experienced offensive line vs. NC State’s unproven front seven
Virginia experienced a ton of turnover this offseason with regard to its offensive skill unit. Among the departures were the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback, top two running backs and four of their top five wide receivers.
However, they have an incredibly experienced offensive line returning, which should allow for an easier offensive transition this year. The Cavaliers’ projected starting offensive linemen — McKale Boley, Noah Josey, Drake Metcalf, Makilan Thomas and Monroe Mills — combine for 11,260 offensive snaps in their careers. Thomas and Mills are returning from injury, but all five players have played good football in the past.
The Cavaliers’ experience up front stands in stark contrast to NC State’s defensive front. The Wolfpack lost five of the six defensive linemen who played at least 300 snaps for them last season. They also lost the only three linebackers who played a minimum of 100 snaps in 2025. Tulane transfer edge rusher Harvey Dyson is the only player on the team who tallied more than seven pressures last season.
NC State allowed 8.0 yards per carry and didn’t sack Chandler Morris a single time in the matchup between these two teams last season. The Wolfpack bring a much less proven front seven into this game in 2026.
Score Predictions
The good times keep on rolling for the Cavaliers as their pass rush and new-look offense lead the way to a season-opening victory.
Dalton: Virginia 31, NC State 28
Both teams carry degrees of uncertainty heading into this game, but Virginia’s advantages in the trenches as well as a galvanizing home environment can allow the Cavaliers to score a tight victory.
Memphis @ UNLV (10 PM ET, FOX)
Storyline to know: Two Group of Six playoff contenders square off
Saturday’s late-night clash between Memphis and UNLV may be the biggest game in Week 0 in terms of how it affects the College Football Playoff race. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Tigers and Rebels are tied for third in terms of odds to represent the Group of Six in the Playoff (+1000).
UNLV is the current favorite to win the Mountain West and has played in the conference title game in each of the past three seasons. Similarly, Memphis has a 29-10 record across the last three years and enters 2026 with a promising new head coach in Charles Huff after Ryan Silverfield left to take over Arkansas.
Matchup to watch when Memphis has the ball (Dalton): Can offensive coordinator Kevin Decker find his up-tempo rhythm against UNLV’s suspect defense?
Memphis will boast a brand new offense with regard to personnel and coaching. The Tigers’ starting quarterback, either Marcus Stokes or Air Noland, may not be known until gametime.
However, one known commodity is offensive coordinator Kevin Decker, who was hired away from Old Dominion this offseason. Decker runs a fast-paced spread offense that operated at a top-10 tempo last year. Old Dominion ranked among the top 15 FBS teams in explosive pass rate and explosive run rate last season.
Meanwhile, UNLV often struggled to prevent explosive plays. The Rebels slotted 109th in the nation in explosive pass rate allowed and 128th in explosive run rate given up. Win or lose, they often found themselves in high-scoring shootouts. The Rebels allowed at least 38 points in three of their four losses last season, including both defeats to eventual conference champion Boise State.
UNLV is a legitimate playoff contender if its defense plays at a more respectable level. The Rebels’ first task will be slowing down Decker’s hyperspeed offense.
Matchup to watch when UNLV has the ball (Max): Can the Tigers contain the Rebels’ dynamic rushing attack?
UNLV’s offense is headlined by running back Jai’Den Thomas. He ran for 1,036 yards last year for the Rebels while placing 10th in the FBS with 7.0 yards per carry. Thomas is joined in UNLV’s backfield by transfer Jackson Arnold at quarterback. While the former five-star recruit has struggled as a passer, he does have 1,142 rushing yards over the last two years at Auburn and Oklahoma.
Memphis had a stout run defense last year, allowing just 4.3 yards per carry (26th). But with a new coach comes an entirely new defense. The Tigers don’t return any of their defensive starters from last year, and this year’s starting lineup will likely be entirely made up of incoming transfers. A few Southern Miss transfers in edge defender J’Mond Tapp, interior defender Jaden McKinney and linebacker Mike Montgomery will be tasked with containing the Rebels’ dangerous rushing attack.
Score Predictions
Both teams struggle to make stops in this game. In the end, UNLV is able to sneak out a close home victory and add a major win to its potential playoff resume.
The styles of these two teams should lead to a high-scoring game. However, there is less certainty with Memphis’ offense considering all of its new pieces. UNLV takes a season-opening victory as the more proven commodity.
Hawaii @ Stanford (7 PM ET, ACC Network)
Storyline to know: Tavita Pritchard makes his debut against a quality Mountain West team
It’s been a rough last few years for Stanford’s program. The Cardinal have posted four or fewer wins in seven straight seasons. They’ve also had five straight losing campaigns, which is the first time that’s occurred since 2008.
General manager Andrew Luck made his first full-time hire at head coach by bringing in Tavita Pritchard, who once backed up Luck at Stanford. Pritchard was the Washington Commanders’ quarterbacks coach for the last three seasons but was an assistant with the Cardinal for 12 seasons after he was done playing, including five years as offensive coordinator.
The 39-year-old makes his debut as a head coach against Hawaii, a school that beat Stanford last year. The Rainbow Warriors are coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2025 and should be one of the top teams in the Mountain West once again this season.
Matchup to watch when Hawaii has the ball (Dalton): Can Micah Alejado carry his late-season momentum into 2026?
Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado is the biggest reason the Rainbow Warriors can contend in the Mountain West, and potentially for a playoff spot, this season. His first campaign as the team’s starter was a major success, particularly after returning from an early-season injury. From Week 5 through the end of last season, Alejado ranked fourth in the FBS with an 89.7 PFF passing grade while pacing all quarterbacks with 25 big-time throws.
However, last season’s win over Stanford was a different type of game for Alejado. A year ago, 25 of his 27 completions traveled under 10 yards in the air. He also will be without top receiver Jackson Harris, who transferred to LSU. Second-leading receiver Pofele Ashlock is back with the team, but his status for this game is very much in doubt due to injury. Those two accounted for over 53% of Alejado’s yards last season as well as 75% of his touchdowns. If Ashlock does end up missing this game, Alejado will have to find a way to manufacture enough offense, as he did in Hawaii’s victory over the Cardinal last season.
Matchup to watch when Stanford has the ball (Max): Can Hawaii force Stanford to rely on its passing game?
The best part of Stanford’s offense is junior running back Micah Ford. He led the Cardinal with 635 rushing yards as a sophomore, while his 560 yards after contact were seventh in the ACC.
Outside of him, Stanford doesn’t have much to write home about on offense. Davis Warren is at quarterback after struggling as Michigan’s starter in 2024 and not playing a snap last year. The offensive line allowed the second-worst knockdown rate in the Power Four last year (20.4%), and the Cardinal lost their three top receivers from 2025.
While Hawaii’s pass defense was strong last year, the Rainbow Warriors had more issues stopping the run. They were 106th in EPA per run allowed and 79th in yards per carry allowed (5.0). Hawaii also only returns two starters from its front six and didn’t do much to replace the departed players in the portal.
Score Predictions
Stanford’s run game and defense lead to the Cardinal exacting revenge on Hawaii and handing Tavita Pritchard his first victory as Stanford’s head coach.
Dalton: Stanford 23, Hawaii 16
Ashlock’s availability is the biggest question mark in this game. If he is out, the Rainbow Warriors could have a hard time finding major offensive output. Combined with the fact that Hawaii generally doesn't play as well on the road, Stanford has a ripe opportunity to avenge last year’s loss.
Jacksonville State @ North Dakota State (5:30 PM ET, CBS Sports Network)
Storyline to know: North Dakota State makes its debut as an FBS program against one of Conference USA’s best teams
North Dakota State makes its highly anticipated jump up to the FBS after being the most successful program in FCS history. The Bison’s 10 FCS national championships are four more than any other school, winning five over the last nine years. They now look to prove that they can immediately compete at the FBS level as a new member of the Mountain West conference.
Their first game comes against Jacksonville State, who themselves made the leap to the FBS back in 2023. The Gamecocks have been very successful across their three seasons in Conference USA, winning the conference in 2024 and prevailing in at least nine games over all three years. They enter 2026 as one of the top contenders to win the conference once again.
Matchup to watch when Jacksonville State has the ball (Max): Will the Gamecocks’ run game be as effective without Cam Cook?
Jacksonville State had one of the most prolific rushing attacks in the country last year. Its 3,588 total rushing yards were second in the FBS to only Navy, while the team’s 2,360 yards after contact were the most in the nation.
However, star running back Cam Cook transferred to West Virginia after leading the country with 1,650 rushing yards. The Gamecocks may rely more on quarterback Caden Creel, who was third among all quarterbacks in America with 1,152 yards on the ground. Redshirt sophomore Khristian Lando takes over at running back after running for 201 yards as Cook’s backup.
North Dakota State was one of the better teams in the FCS last year at stopping the run, ranking 12th in yards allowed per attempt (4.2) and 21st in EPA per run allowed. However, the Bison return only three players to their front seven who played 300 snaps last year. Their new faces will need to bring their hard hats in order to make Jacksonville State rely on its passing game, something it’s not comfortable doing.
Matchup to watch when North Dakota State has the ball (Dalton): Can the Gamecocks’ run defense be the key to their defensive success?
Jacksonville State boasted one of the best run defenses in Conference USA last season. The Gamecocks ranked among the top three teams in the conference in rushing yards per game allowed, yards per carry allowed and explosive run rate allowed. Their experienced back seven, including returning starting linebackers Walker O’Steen and Mac Sanders, were a big reason they gave up the the fewest yards after contact per carry in the conference as well.
North Dakota State will feature quarterback Nathan Hayes in his first career start, so the Bison are surely going to feature the run game to shield him from high-pressure situations. The good news is that Hayes himself has averaged 6.2 yards per carry in his career, and running back DJ Scott compiled over 500 yards last season in a reserve role. The Bison also boast an experienced offensive line led by FCS All-American Griffin Empey.
This game should be a fun battle in the trenches to watch as North Dakota State tests its physical ability at the FBS level.
Score Predictions
Max: North Dakota State 28, Jacksonville State 21
The Bison triumphantly announce their arrival to the rest of the Mountain West by taking down one of Conference USA’s best teams.
Dalton: North Dakota State 24, Jacksonville State 20
This could be a defensive slugfest after both teams lost premier offensive playmakers this offseason. North Dakota State’s experienced unit leads the way to victory in a physical game.
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