2026 College Football Schedule: Early Games Announced

The early slate of games for the 2026 college football season has been announced by NBC and Peacock, and fans can start getting excited for some major matchups featuring Big Ten teams and Notre Dame. Kicking off on August 29th, the USC Trojans will take on the San Jose State Spartans in Week 0, followed by a jam-packed schedule of games in the following weeks.

One highlight to look out for is new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham’s debut with the Wolverines on September 5th as they face off against in-state rival, the Western Michigan Broncos. Whittingham, a seasoned coach from Utah, is aiming to lead the Wolverines back to national championship contention after a 9-4 finish last year. This game will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.

In addition to Big Ten matchups, there are multiple Notre Dame games to look forward to, including their season opener against Wisconsin in the Shamrock Series at Lambeau Field on September 6th. The Fighting Irish will also go head-to-head with Michigan State in a primetime showdown on September 19th, renewing their historic rivalry.

Week 3 promises to be action-packed with a four-game lineup across both NBC and Peacock, culminating in the Notre Dame vs. Michigan State matchup. So mark your calendars and stay tuned for more exciting games as the full Big Ten schedule gets revealed.

For a full list of the announced games, take a look below. And remember, if you’re a fan of college football, NBC and Peacock are your go-to destinations for Big Ten and Notre Dame action all season long.

– Saturday, August 29 — 3 p.m. — San Jose State at USC — NBC, Peacock
– Thursday, September 3 — 8 p.m. — Eastern Illinois at Minnesota — Peacock
– Saturday, September 5 — 7:30 p.m. — Western Michigan at Michigan — NBC, Peacock
– Sunday, September 6 — 4 p.m. — Washington State at Washington — NBC, Peacock
– Sunday, September 6 — 7:30 p.m. — Wisconsin at Notre Dame — NBC, Peacock
– Saturday, September 12 — 3:30 p.m. — Rice at Notre Dame — NBC, Peacock
– Saturday, September 12 — 7:30 p.m. — Iowa State at Iowa — NBC, Peacock
– Saturday, September 19 — 12:30 p.m. — Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin — Peacock
– Saturday, September 19 — 2 p.m. — Southern Illinois at Illinois — Peacock
– Saturday, September 19 — 4 p.m. — Western Kentucky at Indiana — Peacock
– Saturday, September 19 — 7:30 p.m. — Michigan State at Notre Dame — NBC, Peacock
– And more exciting matchups to come!

Don’t miss out on all the college football action this season—tune in to NBC and Peacock to catch your favorite Big Ten teams and Notre Dame in action.