The College Football season has arrived as Week 0 kicks off on Saturday, beginning what should be another thrilling season. The Week 0 slate doesn't provide a major top 25 clash, but there are several games with big stakes for the upcoming season. Heading into the weekend, here's a look at the biggest games of the weekend.
Predicting Week 0's biggest games
North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin Ireland
Saturday, 12AM (ET), ESPN
Last season, Sonny Dykes’ Horned Frogs destroyed UNC 48-14 in the opener in Chapel Hill. Based on the expectations surrounding Bill Belichik’s second season, another beat down could well be incoming.
The Tarheels made an interesting move in the offseason, bringing Offensive Coordinator Bobby Petrino to try and breathe some life in the Tarheels’ attack. UNC finished 16th in the ACC in points per game, averaging less than 20 per contest. Petrino has been able to manufacture offensive production from lesser rosters in the past, and will be counted on to do the same for Carolina.
Wisconsin transfer QB Billy Edwards, Jr. will be the trigger man for Belichick’s revamped offense, and Petrino has shown the ability to work with quarterbacks at a high level. Edwards was injured for most 2025, but had one year as a starter at Maryland, where he threw for nearly 3,000 yards with fifteen touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Defensively Carolina was middle of the pack in 2025, finishing 8th in scoring defense giving up 24.5 points per game. This should be Belichick's calling card, and improvement will be necessary.
For TCU, Sonny Dykes spent the offseason, re-tooling his offense from Kendall Briles high-flying tempo attack to a more run-centered scheme that will attempt to help the defense by limiting opponents’ possessions. The goal is to improve the Big 12’s 9th ranked defense, surrendering 25.3 points per game.
TCU’s dynamic QB, Josh Hoover, is now an Indiana Hoosier. He will be replaced by Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, who was massively productive as a first-team All Ivy League QB. Craig has prototypical size at 6’3 230 and the possibilities are fascinating under new OC Gordon Sammis from UConn, where they averaged 35ppg and led the nation in fewest turnovers.
Things have gone so badly in Chapel Hill for Bill Belichick. It is possible that his 2026 Tarheels could be improved, and still take a 20 point loss in this game. Sometimes when a slide starts, it’s hard to stop.
I’ll take the Horned Frogs, but I'm interested to see if Carolina looks improved.
N.C. State at Virginia
Saturday, 3:30PM(ET), ESPN
Tony Elliott did a masterful job last season, leading the Cavaliers to the ACC Championship Game and ultimately finishing 11-3 and ranked for the first time in over two decades. With only 8 returning starters, Elliott will have his work cut for him in 2026.
With QB Chandler Morris out of eligibility, the Cavs' offense will be led by Missouri transfer Beau Pribula. While Pribula flashed occasionally in Columbia, his pocket passing will need to improve in UVA’s more pro-style attack.
Defensively, with five returnees, Virginia will look to give Pribula more opportunities and build on 2025’s second-ranked scoring defense in the ACC.
For the Wolfpack, Dave Doeren brings back 9 total starters, including outstanding quarterback C.J. Bailey. While NC State will have to withstand the transfer losses of RB Hollywood Smothers (Texas) and WR Noah Rogers (Alabama), the cupboard is not bare on that side of the ball. In addition to Bailey the Wolfpack return WR Keenan Jackson and three starters on the OL, which could make C.J. Bailey even more dangerous than last year. Expect Doeren to lean heavily on his star quarterback to try and improve on the league’s 8th best scoring offense.
Defensively, the Wolfpack return an experienced secondary, but very little up front. If NC State is to have a big year, they’ll need much improvement on the 12th ranked ACC scoring defense. Doeren reached into the portal for the American Conference’s 2025 sack leader Harvey Dyson III of Tulane and filled in with more front 7 help.
The Wolfpack won at home last year in a tight game. Expect another tight one here. With C.J. Bailey triggering the attack the Wolfpack could be one of the surprise teams in the ACC this year.
Give me NC State...I'm smelling an upset
Memphis at UNLV
Saturday, 10PM(ET), ESPN
The Memphis Tigers not only lost Head Coach Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas, they lost 21 of 22 starters from last year’s AAC Championship Game squad. New boss Charles Huff is literally starting from scratch and luckily for him Memphis is one of the few G6 teams financially equipped to do that.
Offensively, the Tigers will be led by a transfer QB…either Air Noland (Ohio State, South Carolina) or Markus Stokes (DII West Florida). Both are intriguing prospects, but the offense will likely lean on talented RB and Ohio State transfer Dallas Hayden.
Defensively, Huff brought plenty of ammunition with him from Southern Miss and will look to field a competitive unit immediately. The defensive line has the potential to be one of the AAC’s best, and they’ll need that against UNLV’s stout rushing attack.
For the Rebels, Dan Mullen will also start this season with a transfer signal-caller….Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma, Auburn), or Alex Orji (Michigan). Mullen will lean on the run and a stable of solid backs to drive his offense that averaged nearly 450 yards per game in 2025.
Defensively, UNLV must improve on the 28 points per game surrendered last season. UNLV will operate fast offensively, and put pressure on the opponent, but shootouts are a hard philosophy to live by if UNLV is going to be a contender for the G6 playoff spot.
Expect a slow start in Vegas, but the offenses will find their footing eventually. I believe UNLV will announce itself as a legitimate G6 playoff contender at home in this one.
Runnin' Rebels pull away.
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