UNC Opens 2026 Week 0 With 15-10 Dublin Win as No. 14 USC Rolls 42-26

Q: Why is this weekend's historic international college football kickoff destined to be the final Week 0 spectacle in NCAA history?

This weekend is likely the last true Week 0 in the format fans know because the NCAA is changing the FBS calendar beginning in 2027, effectively folding Week 0 into the regular opening week. Under the current setup, Week 0 exists only through exceptions: games played abroad, Hawaii-related scheduling allowances, or special waivers. That is why North Carolina-TCU in Dublin could headline a small, standalone slate, and why other early games were tied to Hawaii travel or NCAA approval. The limited inventory is what makes the weekend feel special: a handful of nationally televised games with little competition. That structure is set to disappear. The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a standardized 14-week FBS regular season starting in 2027. The season will begin on the Thursday of what is now called Week 0 and run through the Saturday after Thanksgiving, while still allowing up to 12 regular-season games. In practice, the current “early exceptions” weekend becomes the normal start of the season for everyone, not a separate showcase for a few teams. The broader calendar changes reinforce that shift. Teams will get a second bye week, the preseason practice window will be shortened, and the entire season framework will move earlier. So while international openers like Dublin can continue, they will no longer carry the same status as a rare Week 0 event. This weekend’s Ireland kickoff is historic, but it is also the end of Week 0 as a distinct NCAA spectacle.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Aug 30

Eight Week 0 games opened the 2026 college football season, led by Bill Belichick’s North Carolina beating TCU 15-10 in Dublin in the first FBS game of the year.
UNC managed only 322 yards and TCU just 281, with the Horned Frogs failing on two late red-zone fourth downs in an opener that quickly cooled their early Big 12 buzz.
No. 14 USC delivered the cleanest marquee result, piling up 505 yards in a 42-26 win over San Jose State behind Jayden Maiava’s 25-of-29 passing for 286 yards and two touchdowns.
Virginia added an emphatic ACC statement by routing NC State 34-8, while North Dakota State impressed in its FBS debut with a 33-7 win over Jacksonville State.
Elsewhere, Florida State’s 34-17 win over New Mexico State drew little confidence, and Stanford needed 14 points in the final two minutes to escape Hawaii 37-27.