Developing storyline

College football's Week 0 season-opening games

Programs across college football kick off the 2026 season in Week 0, with dramatic comebacks, first-time starters, and depth-chart battles setting an early tone before Week 1.

3 stories21 sourcesUpdated Aug 30, 2026

In this storyline:Florida State Seminoles football Jacksonville State Gamecocks football Michigan State Spartans football North Dakota State Bison football Portland State Vikings football UC Davis Aggies football

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total articles across this storyline · last 72h

Key developments

Aug 30, 2026
North Dakota State opens its FBS era with a 33-7 win over Jacksonville State behind first-time starting quarterback Nathan Hayes.
8 sources on this →
Aug 30, 2026
UC Davis erases a 21-point halftime deficit to beat Portland State on a late touchdown pass to Laviel Pickett.
6 sources on this →
Aug 29, 2026
Florida State, Michigan State, UCF, Florida and Florida A&M release Week 0 depth charts ahead of their season openers.
8 sources on this →

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Sports

NDSU steamrolls Jacksonville State in FBS opener

North Dakota State opened its FBS era with a 33-7 win over Jacksonville State, featuring a first-time starting quarterback Nathan Hayes and a standout defensive effort that produced key turnovers as the program looks ahead to the Mountain West move and a large, energized home crowd. Separately, U-32 High School is building a younger, veteran-guided squad after a 2025 positive showing, with just three seniors and a strong junior contingent prepping for a season opener against Fair Haven and an extended rebuild underway.

8 sources

Sports

UC Davis rallies past Portland State in opener

UC Davis erased a 21-point halftime deficit to defeat Portland State in the season opener, with Treynor Cleeland throwing two TD passes and Jordan Fisher scoring twice. The comeback was sealed by a 22-yard game-winning pass to Laviel Pickett with 27 seconds left.

6 sources

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Sports

Week 0 depth charts released across programs

Across college football, teams released season depth charts ahead of Week 1, with Florida State sticking close to its projections while adjusting at tight end and QB3, Michigan State elevating Brennan Parachek to top tight end and moving Kayd Coffman to QB3, and UCF naming James Madison transfer Alonza Barnett III as the starting quarterback as it enters Scott Frost’s second season. Florida posted its final offensive depth chart ahead of its opener, and Florida A&M highlighted Jacksonville-area talent at the top of its depth chart.

8 sources