When Does The 2016 College Football Season Start? Opening Games Include Alabama vs. USC Among Others Top Matchups

The 2016 college football season is quickly approaching, and the season openers are packed with 87 games over 11 days across the country and features some major matchups typically reserved for later in the season when the stakes are much, much higher.

This season, Week 1 begins on Friday, Aug. 26 and technically runs until Monday, Sept. 5, Labor Day, with the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide starting their title defense against the rising USC Trojans on Saturday, Sept. 3 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

That same date will host by far the most games with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, UCLA Bruins, LSU Tigers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Clemson Tigers all starting their respective seasons.

However, the season won’t officially kick off in the United States. Hawaii and California will open the new year with a Pac-12 showdown at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

And they aren’t the only programs heading about to start the season. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will square off against the Boston College Eagles on Sept. 3 from Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Even after adjusting from major jetlag as they cross the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans twice in a week, the Warriors will head to Michigan for their second game on Sept. 3.

Here’s some notable games scheduled to take place in Week 1 of the 2016 college football season.

Friday, Aug. 26

Hawaii vs. California, 10 p.m. ET

Thursday Sept. 1

South Carolina at Vanderbilt, 8 p.m. ET

Southern Utah at Utah, 8 p.m. ET

Oregon State at Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET

Friday, Sept. 2

Colgate at Syracuse, 7 p.m. ET

Army at Temple, 7 p.m. ET

Furman at Michigan State, 7 p.m. ET

Northwestern State at Baylor, 7:30 p.m. ET

Colorado State at Colorado, 8 p.m. ET

Kansas State at Stanford, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Sept. 3

Boise State at Louisiana Lafayette, TBD

Georgia Tech at Boston College, 7:30 a.m. ET in Dublin, Ireland

Oklahoma at Houston, 12 p.m. ET

Fordham at Navy, 12 p.m. ET

Bowling Green at Ohio State, 12 p.m. ET

Hawaii at Michigan, 12 p.m. ET

South Alabama at Mississippi State, 12 p.m. ET

Missouri at West Virginia, 12 p.m. ET

Howard at Maryland, 12 p.m. ET

Liberty at Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m. ET

Villanova at Pittsburgh, 1:30 p.m. ET

Rutgers at Washington, 2 p.m. ET

UCLA at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. ET

LSU at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. ET

Richmond at Virginia, 3:30 p.m. ET

Kent State at Penn State, 3:30 p.m. ET

Miami (OH) at Iowa, 3:30 p.m. ET

Murray State at Illinois, 3:30 p.m. ET

Southeastern Louisiana at Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m. ET

Louisiana Tech at Arkansas, 4 p.m. ET

UC Davis at Oregon, 5 p.m. ET

Georgia at North Carolina, 5:30 p.m. ET

Western Carolina at East Carolina, 6 p.m. ET

Florida A&M at Miami, 6 p.m. ET

Rhode Island at Kansas, 7 p.m. ET

Massachusetts at Florida, 7:30 p.m. ET

USC at Alabama, 8 p.m. ET

Northern Iowa at Iowa State, 8 p.m. ET

Fresno State at Nebraska, 8 p.m. ET

Eastern Washington at Washington State, 8 p.m. ET

South Dakota State at TCU, 8 p.m. ET

Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech, 8 p.m. ET

Clemson at Auburn, 9 p.m. ET

Arizona at BYU, 10:30 p.m. ET

Northern Arizona at Arizona State, 10:45 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 4

Notre Dame at Texas, 7:30 p.m. ET

Monday, Sept. 5

Ole Miss at Florida State, 8 p.m. ET