When does the 2024 college football season start? (2024)

The most successful walk-ons in recent college football history

It's never too early to prepare for the next college football season. After Michigan won last year's College Football Playoff title in thrilling fashion, the 2024 season looks to pick up where it left off with exciting action.

You can find information on when the 2024 college football season starts here. This story will be updated if games and times are changed.

When does the 2024 college football season start?

The 2024 season is set to begin onSaturday, Aug. 24in this year's "Week Zero." Most of the nation's Division I programs will start their seasons the following week.

Click or tap here for the full schedule and scores. Here are some of the games currently scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24 inWeek Zero:

  • Aer Lingus College Football Classic:No. 10 Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (in Dublin, Ireland) | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
  • McNeese at Tarleton State | 2:30 p.m. ET| ESPN2
  • Montana State at New Mexico | 4 p.m. ET | FS1
  • FCS Kickoff:North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri State (Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
  • MEAC/SWAC Challenge:Norfolk State vs. Florida A&M (Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
  • SMU at Nevada | 8 p.m. ET |CBS Sports Network
  • Delaware State at Hawaii

The following week begins Week 1 of the 2024 college football season, with most of the games set for Saturday, Aug. 31 during Labor Day weekend. Here are some of the season-opening matchups.

Thursday, Aug. 29

  • North Carolina at Minnesota | 8 p.m. ET | Fox
  • North Dakota State at Colorado | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN
  • Sacramento State at San Jose State | 10 p.m. ET |truTV and Max

Friday, Aug. 30

  • TCU at Stanford | 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

Saturday, Aug. 31

  • Aflac Kickoff Game:No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) | 12 p.m. ET | ABC
  • No. 8 Penn State at West Virginia | 12 p.m. | Fox
  • South Dakota State at No. 17 Oklahoma State | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN+
  • No. 19 Miami (FL) at Florida | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC
  • No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
  • Georgia State at Georgia Tech | 8 p.m. ET | ACC Network
  • Texas A&M-Commerce at San Diego State | 8 p.m. ET |truTV and Max

Sunday, Sept. 1

  • Orange Blossom Classic:North Carolina Central vs. Alabama State (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida) | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN
  • Vegas Kickoff Classic: No. 13LSU vs. No. 23 Southern California (Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada) | 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Monday, Sept. 2

  • Boston College at No. 10 Florida State | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

MORE SCHEDULES:Here's every 2024 HBCU football homecoming and classic in the FCS

Some other early-season nonconference games to watch can be found below:

  • Week 2: Saturday, September 7
    • Texas at Michigan | 12 p.m. ET | FOX
    • Arkansas at Oklahoma State | 12 p.m. ET | ABC
    • Kansas State at Tulane | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2
    • Pittsburgh at Cincinnati| 12 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2
    • Florida A&M at Miami (FL) | 6 p.m. ET | ACC Network
    • UIW at South Dakota State | 7 p.m. ET
    • Colorado at Nebraska | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC
    • Duke's Mayo Classic:NC State vs Tennessee (Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
    • Boise State at Oregon | 10 p.m. | Peaco*ck
  • Week 3: Saturday, September 14
    • Alabama at Wisconsin | 12 p.m. ET | FOX
    • West Virginia at Pitt | 3:30 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2

HISTORY: Best walk-ons in history | Notable firsts and milestones | Unbreakable records

College Football Playoff and New Year's Six bowl games schedule

The 2024 season is the 11th edition of the College Football Playoff, and the first in the 12-team format.

Here are the College Football Playoff dates and schedule for next season. All New Year's Six games are also included:

  • First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 21
    • Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
  • Quarterfinals
    • Fiesta Bowl | Tuesday, Dec. 31
    • Peach Bowl | Wednesday, Jan. 1
    • Rose Bowl | Wednesday, Jan. 1
    • Sugar Bowl | Wednesday, Jan. 1
  • Semifinals
    • Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 9
    • Cotton Bowl | Friday, Jan. 10
  • CFP National Championship Game: Monday, Jan. 20, 2023 (in Atlanta, Georgia)

The title game will be played at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This will mark the first time a location will host the CFP National Championship Game twice.

Michigan won the College Football Playoff National Championship during the 2023-2024 season. Here's a complete history of the CFP title game.

Year
(Game Date)
GameLOCATION
2015No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20Arlington, Texas
2016No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40Glendale, Arizona
2017No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31Tampa, Florida
2018No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23Atlanta, Georgia
2019No. 2 Clemson 44,No. 1 Alabama 16Santa Clara, California
2020No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25New Orleans, Louisiana
2021No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24Miami Gardens, Florida
2022No. 3 Georgia 33,No. 1 Alabama 18Indianapolis, Indiana
2023No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7Inglewood, California
2024No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13Houston, Texas

🏆:Complete college football championship history|Schools with the most titles| Most CFP appearances

Future CFP national championship locations and dates

2025-26: Miami (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida) - Jan. 19

  • First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
    • Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
  • Quarterfinal sites:
    • Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31
    • Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1
    • Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1
    • Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1
  • Semifinal sites:
    • Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8
    • Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9

🏈LATEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS🏈

👀 FOLLOW:Scoreboard | TV schedule |Every poll, explained
📈 AP POLL: AP Top 25 Poll|AP Poll accuracy
🎟️ CFP: CFP rankings | CFP schedule
| 12-team format, explained
🏆 HEISMAN: 2024 contenders | Trophy winners | Teams with most winners

💯 MORE:College GameDay locations| Winningest teams| Coaches with most titles

When does the 2024 college football season start? (2)

College football scores: Top 25 rankings, schedule, results for Week 1

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When does the 2024 college football season start? (3)

The Black Hills Brawl and 10 other most-played rivalries in DII football history

South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State have matched up in DII football more than anyone else. Here's a list of the most-played rivalries in DII football.

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When does the 2024 college football season start? (4)

College football: TV schedule and game times

An updated college football TV schedule for the 2024 season, including weekly results and links to live scoring.

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When does the 2024 college football season start? (2024)

FAQs

When does the 2024 college football season start? ›

Yes, the 2024-25 NFL schedule was released at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

Is the 2024 football schedule out? ›

Yes, the 2024-25 NFL schedule was released at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

Who plays the first college football game in 2024? ›

The USC Trojans and the LSU Tigers face off today for Week 1 of the 2024-2025 NCAA college football season.

What month does college football start? ›

The 2024 season is set to begin on Saturday, Aug. 24 in this year's "Week Zero." Most of the nation's Division I programs will start their seasons the following week.

Where is Game Day 2024? ›

If you're here, you're probably wondering: Where is GameDay this week in 2024? With Week 1 kicking off on Saturday, the show will be in College Station, Texas for Notre Dame and Texas A&M.

What are the Big 10 football schools for 2024? ›

Unlike previous years, the Big Ten will be home to 18 teams when the season officially kicks off: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, defending National Champion Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Where is the 2024 NCAA Championship being played? ›

The 85th annual edition of the tournament began on March 19, 2024, and concluded with the UConn Huskies successfully defending their title to become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2007, defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75–60 in the championship game on April 8, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

What was the first major college football game? ›

Rutgers and New Jersey (later known as Princeton) faced off in what is considered to be the first American football game ever played on Nov. 6, 1869. The game took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with an audience of about 100 on hand, according to Rutgers. Rutgers won 6-4.

Where can I watch SEC football 2024? ›

The SEC moves to ABC

After 28 years with a Game of the Week on CBS, ABC/ESPN now own the SEC's entire lineup. You'll notice the change right from Week 1, when ABC airs a Saturday doubleheader of Miami at Florida (3:30 p.m.) and Notre Dame at Texas A&M (7:30 p.m.).

What are the changes in college football in 2024? ›

The most obvious changes to college football in the 2024 season are the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams from four and the new-look, post-Pac-12 super conferences. When the Week 0 games kick off starting this weekend, other changes will be more subtle, but they will be there.

What is the LSU football schedule for 2024? ›

All times Central.
  • Sunday, Sept. 1: LSU vs. No. ...
  • Saturday, Sept. 7: LSU vs. ...
  • Saturday, Sept. 14: LSU at South Carolina* | 11 a.m. | ABC (Fubo) ESPN+
  • Saturday, Sept. 21: LSU vs. ...
  • Saturday, Sept. 28: LSU vs. ...
  • Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE.
  • Saturday, Oct. 12: LSU vs. ...
  • Saturday, Oct. 19: LSU at Arkansas*
Aug 27, 2024

Why is there a week 0 in college football? ›

Although the FBS football season has traditionally begun on the first Saturday before Labor Day, the NCAA has sporadically awarded waivers for games to be played a week earlier in order to bring a game to a national television audience, or as part of the "Hawaii Rule" that grants teams that play a game in Hawaii, ...

Where will the 2024 Games be held? ›

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest event ever organised in France. The Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024, when Paris will become the centre of the world—the world of sport, and so much more.

Where is the State Games of America in 2024? ›

San Diego, California

The California State Games has been selected to host the 2024 State Games of America in San Diego.

Where are the World Games in 2024? ›

The World Games schedule for 2024, Hong Kong (SAR) | IWGA.

What is the first game of the 2024 NFL season? ›

The Chiefs and Ravens kickoff on Thursday, September 5 at 8:20 p.m. ET. on NBC and Peaco*ck.

When can you buy NFL tickets for 2024? ›

When Can I Buy NFL Tickets in 2024? NFL tickets are available now, and you'll find the widest selection available at Ticketmaster.

Where will the NFL experience be in 2024? ›

The NFL's immersive football festival takes over the Mandalay Bay South Convention Center from Wednesday, February 7 – Saturday, February 10, 2024.

Who are the holdouts in the NFL 2024? ›

  • Jordan Love, QB, Packers.
  • Haason Reddick, Edge, Jets.
  • Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins.
  • Trent Williams, OT, 49ers.
  • Tristan Wirfs, OT, Buccaneers.
4 days ago

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