College football today features a massive Week 1 schedule with ranked teams, rivalry matchups and plenty of games across the FBS and FCS. Fans searching for college football scores, the CFB schedule, NCAA football today and where to watch college football have a full slate of action to follow.
Saturday, Sept. 5, brings 15 AP Top 25 teams into action, including defending national champion Indiana, No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Texas and several other ranked programs.
With games spread across FOX, ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, FS1, Big Ten Network and streaming services, there is no shortage of college football games today.
College Football Today: Top Games to Watch
One of the biggest games on the early college football schedule is No. 6 Indiana against North Texas at noon ET on FOX. Indiana enters the season as the defending national champion and unveiled its championship banner at Memorial Stadium before kickoff.
Nick Marsh provided an early highlight with a one-handed touchdown catch, giving Indiana an early advantage.
No. 1 Ohio State also begins its Week 1 action at 12:30 p.m. ET against Ball State on Big Ten Network. The Buckeyes enter the season with enormous expectations as they attempt to remain among the nation’s top programs.
No. 13 Alabama faces East Carolina at noon ET on ABC, while No. 23 Houston takes on Oregon State at noon ET on ESPN.
College Football Games Today
The afternoon window is loaded with nationally ranked teams.
No. 2 Oregon faces Boise State at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS in one of the most intriguing games on the college football schedule today. Boise State has a history of challenging major programs, making this a matchup worth watching.
No. 5 Texas plays Texas State at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Texas begins another highly anticipated season with plenty of attention surrounding its quarterback situation and overall championship ambitions.
No. 18 Penn State meets Marshall at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, with Matt Campbell beginning his tenure as the Nittany Lions’ head coach.
No. 20 Tennessee plays Furman at 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+, while No. 22 Iowa faces Northern Illinois at 4:15 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
College Football Games Tonight
The evening brings several major games to the college football games tonight schedule.
No. 8 Texas A&M takes on Missouri State at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, while No. 12 Texas Tech hosts Abilene Christian at the same time on FS1.
At 7:30 p.m. ET, No. 11 LSU faces No. 10 Clemson on ABC. The matchup carries additional attention because Lane Kiffin makes his LSU debut.
No. 16 Michigan plays Western Michigan at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
No. 14 BYU faces Utah Tech at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
College Football Scores
Several ranked teams already have wins on the board entering Saturday’s action.
No. 7 Miami defeated Stanford 45-6. Malachi Toney delivered one of the week’s biggest individual performances, finishing with 12 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns. He also set a Miami school record for receiving yards in a game.
Quarterback Darian Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns.
No. 10 Oklahoma dominated UTEP 51-0. John Mateer threw three touchdown passes, while the Sooners defense limited UTEP to just 198 total yards.
No. 14 USC shut out Fresno State 39-0. Jayden Maiava threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns, while freshmen Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt each surpassed 100 receiving yards.
No. 21 Utah defeated Idaho 66-14, while No. 25 Missouri beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54-14.
These results are part of the latest NCAA football scores from the opening week.
NCAA Football Today and FBS Action
The NCAA football schedule includes more than 30 FCS-vs.-FBS matchups on Saturday. That creates plenty of potential opportunities for lower-division programs to produce an upset.
College football fans should therefore keep an eye on more than just the AP Top 25. Some of the most interesting results can come from games involving unranked teams and FCS programs.
For fans checking ncaaf scores, ncaa scores and college football scores throughout the day, the Week 1 slate offers games from the afternoon through late evening.
College Football on TV Today
Fans wondering about college football today on TV have several major networks carrying Saturday’s games.
FOX features Indiana vs. North Texas, while ABC carries Alabama vs. East Carolina and LSU vs. Clemson. CBS has Oregon vs. Boise State, and ESPN broadcasts games including Texas vs. Texas State and Texas A&M vs. Missouri State.
NBC carries Michigan vs. Western Michigan, while Big Ten Network features Ohio State vs. Ball State and Iowa vs. Northern Illinois.
Streaming is also part of the schedule, with BYU vs. Utah Tech available on ESPN+.
Where to Watch College Football
The answer to where to watch college football depends on the matchup and television provider. Major games are spread across FOX, ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, FS1, Big Ten Network, SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
Fans looking for what college football games are on today should check the specific network for each matchup because kickoff times and broadcast destinations vary throughout the day.
CFB Rankings
The CFB rankings remain a major storyline during Week 1. The AP Top 25 poll is delayed until Tuesday because the opening week stretches across Labor Day weekend.
After Week 1, the AP rankings are expected to return to their normal Sunday release schedule.
The early results could have a major impact on the national picture, particularly for teams such as Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Indiana and other championship contenders.
College Football Schedule Today
Saturday’s major ranked matchups include:
- Indiana vs. North Texas — Noon ET, FOX
- Alabama vs. East Carolina — Noon ET, ABC
- Houston vs. Oregon State — Noon ET, ESPN
- Ohio State vs. Ball State — 12:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
- Georgia vs. Tennessee State — 3 p.m. ET, SEC Network+
- Oregon vs. Boise State — 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
- Texas vs. Texas State — 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Penn State vs. Marshall — 3:30 p.m. ET, FS1
- Tennessee vs. Furman — 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+
- Iowa vs. Northern Illinois — 4:15 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
- Texas A&M vs. Missouri State — 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian — 7 p.m. ET, FS1
- LSU vs. Clemson — 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
- Michigan vs. Western Michigan — 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC
- BYU vs. Utah Tech — 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+
More College Football Games This Weekend
The college football schedule continues Sunday with three major games.
No. 4 Notre Dame faces Wisconsin at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC at Lambeau Field.
No. 9 Ole Miss meets No. 24 Louisville at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC at Nissan Stadium.
No. 17 Washington takes on Washington State at 4 p.m. ET on NBC.
The Week 1 schedule concludes Monday when No. 19 SMU plays Florida State at 7:30 p.m. ET.
CFB Games Today: What to Watch
The biggest storylines include Indiana beginning its title defense, Ohio State starting its season as the No. 1 team and Oregon facing a dangerous Boise State opponent.
LSU vs. Clemson is another headline matchup because of Lane Kiffin’s first game as LSU coach. Texas and Penn State also begin seasons with significant expectations.
Meanwhile, the early college football scores have already produced several dominant performances, including Miami, Oklahoma, USC, Utah and Missouri.
College Football and the NFL Schedule
While college football dominates the weekend, football fans are also beginning to look ahead to the NFL schedule this week. The transition from college football games to NFL action gives fans another full slate of football to follow as the season moves forward.
For now, however, CFB today remains the main attraction, with ranked teams spread throughout Saturday’s schedule.
Final Takeaway
College football today offers one of the busiest schedules of the early 2026 season. From Indiana and Ohio State in the afternoon to Oregon, Texas, LSU and Michigan later in the day, fans have plenty of important games to follow.
Whether you’re searching for college football scores, NCAA football scores, the college football schedule, CFB rankings, ncaaf scores or where to watch college football, Week 1 provides a full day of action.
With major games continuing Sunday and Monday, the opening week will give fans an early look at which teams could emerge as serious contenders for the national championship.
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