High 30 nonconference video games within the 2026 FBS season

Before the 2026 school soccer season kicks off, let’s spotlight a few of the greatest nonconference video games you’ll be able to’t miss. These matchups may make or break your favourite crew’s season, both with an impression on the College Football Playoff or bragging rights.

Here are the highest nonconference video games for the 2026 season.

Week 0

• North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin Ireland
• Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State
• Memphis at UNLV

Will Bill Belichick be feeling deja-vu in 2026? It relies upon if he can redeem himself from final 12 months’s season-opener towards TCU, this time throughout the pond in Dublin in Week 0.

The reminiscences proceed in Week 0 as Jacksonville State introduces North Dakota State to the FBS in a rematch of the 2015 FCS championship sport.

Memphis at UNLV is one other attention-grabbing sport as each groups have hopes of profitable their convention championships.

ALMOST TIME: Here’s when the 2026 school soccer season begins

Week 1

• Colorado at Georgia Tech
• Baylor vs. Auburn in Atlanta, Georgia
• Tulane at Duke
• Liberty at James Madison
• Boise State at Oregon
• Clemson at LSU
• Washington State at Washington
• Louisville vs. Ole Miss in Nashville, Tennessee
• Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Week 1 opens with Prime Time in primetime as Coach Deion Sanders returns to town the place he as soon as performed, Atlanta, Georgia, to face Georgia Tech. After a tough first 12 months with out his son at quarterback, Coach Prime will look to get a superb begin to the season towards an always-tough Yellow Jacket squad.

On Saturday, a pair of debuts come to Atlanta as head coach Alex Golesh makes his debut for Auburn whereas quarterback DJ Lagway debuts for Baylor. We’ll additionally see a matchup of the defending American champion Tulane faces ACC champion Duke.

The Group of Five may have an impactful day in retailer as Liberty (CUSA) faces James Madison (Sun Belt) and Boise State (Pac-12) steps as much as face Oregon.

The sport of the week may come Saturday evening as Clemson faces LSU in Lane Kiffin’s debut as head coach of the Tigers. But the motion in Week 1 will not finish there as Sunday continues the enjoyable.

Sunday will see the Apple Cup between Washington State and Washington in an awesome rivalry matchup and two impartial website contests in NFL stadiums. Louisville and Ole Miss will play within the first-ever Music City Kickoff in Nashville in a brand-new Tennessee Titan stadium and Notre Dame heads north to Green Bay to face Wisconsin within the residence of the Packers.

TRANSFERS: FCS transfers who may impression subsequent 12 months’s College Football Playoff race

Week 2

• Ohio State at Texas
• Missouri at Kansas
• Texas State at UTSA
• Georgia State at Kennesaw State
• Iowa State at Iowa
• Tennessee at Georgia Tech
• Arizona State at Texas A&M
• Oklahoma at Michigan
• Memphis at Boise State

The preseason sport of the 12 months is once more Ohio State-Texas. This 12 months the Buckeyes go to the Longhorns after final 12 months’s 14-7 conflict. Expect extra factors as each Julian Sayin and Arch Manning are of their second 12 months because the starter.

Before that sport, Missouri and Kansas meet in a Friday evening rivalry battle. There are numerous rivalries in Week 2 upon taking a deeper look as Iowa and Iowa State battle for the Cy–Hawk Trophy, Georgia State heads up I-75 to face Kennesaw State and Texas State meets UTSA in an in-state battle

Elsewhere, Tennessee heads to Bobby Dodd Stadium for the primary time since 1986 to face Georgia Tech. It’ll be a pivotal sport for the Vols as they give the impression of being to construct momentum for a possible run to Atlanta within the SEC slate.

Fellow SEC groups Texas A&M and Oklahoma additionally face aggressive nonconference groups in Week 2. The Aggies will face Big 12 contender Arizona State whereas the Sooners will face Michigan in a rematch from final 12 months.

Memphis at Boise State is one other sport to observe because it may carry season-long implications for the American and Pac-12.

AWARDS: Way-too-early Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2026 season

Week 3

• Tulane at Kansas State
• Florida State at Alabama
• FIU at Florida Atlantic

All eyes might be in Tuscaloosa as Alabama appears to be like for revenge towards Florida State after the Seminoles laded a 31-17 upset final 12 months.

Tulane and Kansas State might be one other enjoyable sport because the Green Wave after only one possession separated the 2 colleges in a 2024 battle. It might be a resume-boosting win for the American if Tulane knocks off a Big 12 crew.

Finally, FIU and Florida Atlantic meet in a south Florida conflict that may certainly carry bragging rights within the area.

Week 4

• New Mexico at New Mexico State Week 4

An in-state nonconference battle in The Land of Enchantment takes heart stage as New Mexico (Mountain West) faces New Mexico State (CUSA). 

Week 5

• Boise State at Western Michigan

Boise State gained the Mountain West final 12 months. Western Michigan gained the MAC final 12 months. Even although the Broncos at the moment are within the new-look Pac-12, this stays a matchup between two current convention champions. That means a win for both crew may give stated crew a leg up on the remainder of the Group of Five for a playoff spot.

STREAKING: College soccer’s longest lively regular-season win streaks

Week 7

Notre Dame and BYU have been the primary two groups out of the 2025 CFP. If the Fighting Irish or Cougars need their fortunes to vary in 2026, they will possible want a win on this nonconference contest.

Week 10

Miami was No. 10 and Notre Dame was No. 11 within the ultimate CFP rankings in 2025. The distinction in that one spot was a three-point win from the Hurricanes to open final season. Miami meets the Fighting Irish later within the season in 2026, however count on it to hold an analogous CFP weight.

Week 13

• Georgia Tech at Georgia
• South Carolina at Clemson

Week 13 means rivalry week. In the preseason the rivalry sport that seems to have essentially the most playoff implications might be Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. The Georgia Tech-Georgia matchup has been shut in every of the final three years. This sport may knock a crew out of the playoffs or get a crew into the CFP.

Keep a watch out for South Carolina and Clemson too as each groups might be darkish horse playoff candidates.