College football season is officially back as Saturday kicks off the 2026 college football season with the Week 0 games beginning. The schedule in Week 0 is slimmer than we'll see the rest of the season, but the drama and storylines have the potential to make it an incredible weekend. From coaches starting the season on the hot seat to games with potential CFP stakes, you won't want to miss the Week 0 games.
Bill Belichick's UNC return, major Week 0 matchups and the 5 biggest stories to watch
Will North Carolina show improvement after last year's embarrassment against TCU?
Bill Belichick arrived in college football with the Tar Heels declaring they were the 33rd NFL team, and when North Carolina marched down the field on it's opening drive, it looked like they may be a good team. Instead, TCU ended up embarrassing North Carolina before the Tar Heels went on to finish the season just 4-8 (2-6) while failing to produce a single NFL Draft pick. Making matters worse, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick has been out with health concerns, and won't be in Ireland for the opener.
If North Carolina doesn't show improvement, starting with this game against TCU, Bill Belichick will land on the hot seat given all the resources poured into the program, and the distractions that have come with the Belichick hiring. The Tar Heels were far less active in the Transfer Portal this offseason, instead bringing in a massive freshman class, but Belichick's long-term bet may not come to fruition if this is another disastrous season.
How does Mike Norvell kick off a season on the hot seat?
Mike Norvell begins the 2026 season on an incredibly hot seat after a 2-10 season in 2024 and a 5-7 season in 2025. Florida State is a program that should be competing for the ACC every season, and if Mike Norvell struggles to get above .500 for the third straight season, a change will have to be made. Beating New Mexico State should be a free win for the Seminoles, but struggling or losing would be alarming for Norvell's future in Tallahassee.
Who emerges as the early Group of 5 Playoff favorite
While the matchup won't get many headlines, UNLV and Memphis facing off to start the season can instantly impact the race for the College Football Playoff. Both teams are on the shortlist to win their respective conferences, and this game could be a great building block for their resumes.
Dan Mullen has built a roster filled with former Power 4 players, headlined by Jackson Arnold, that has the talent to dominate the Mountain West. Charles Huff replaces Ryan Silverfield at Memphis and has an incredible roster for the Group of 5 himself. Opening the season with a game this big is a risk for both teams, but it makes for a great matchup with high stakes early in the year.
Can Tavita Pritchard kick off his Stanford tenure with a win?
Stanford spent last season with an interim head coach after Troy Taylor was fired in the Spring, allowing GM Andrew Luck the entire season to pick his head coach. The former Cardinal teammate landed on his former teammate Tavita Pritchard, hiring the Commanders QB Coach to take over as head coach. The Cardinal lost to Hawaii in the season opener last season, and Stanford fans will be hoping he can show instant signs of improvement with a win this season.
Davis Warren, starting at quarterback, won't be the most encouraging coming off his struggles at Michigan and missing last season with a torn ACL. The offense will need to run through outstanding running back Micah Ford coming off his breakout season. Pritchard is going to be judged on the success of his offense, and it may not have the firepower to build excitement in Year 1.
Will Virginia or NC State emerge as an early ACC dark horse?
The best matchup of Week 0 comes as ACC foes Virginia and NC State battle in a Non-Conference game. While the game won't count towards the conference standings, it'll show a lot about where each team stands as potential contenders in the ACC.
The Transfer Portal was hard on NC State as the offense was stripped of stars like Jacarrius Peak, Hollywood Smothers, Terrell Anderson, and Noah Rogers. The good news for Dave Doeren is that quarterback CJ Bailey stayed with the Wolfpack, giving the team a potential Heisman candidate leading the offense.
Virginia nearly won the ACC Championship Game and made the College Football Playoff, but an overtime loss to Duke crushed both dreams. The Cavaliers' offense will look different as Beau Pribula takes over at quarterback with Chandler Morris out of eligibility. The key to success this season for UVA banks on Pribula putting it all together, as he showed great flashes at Missouri, but needs to become more consistent.
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