TCU Faces North Carolina in Dublin to Open 2026 College Football Season

The 2026 college football season officially begins on Saturday, August 29, with an international kickoff as the TCU Horned Frogs face the North Carolina Tar Heels at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The Week 0 matchup, scheduled for noon ET on ESPN, marks the fifth consecutive season the season opener has been held in Ireland and serves as the first of eight FBS games on the slate.

The game features a significant coaching storyline, as former Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick enters his second season at North Carolina. Belichick's Tar Heels posted a 4-8 record in his debut campaign, including a 48-14 loss to TCU in last year's opener. TCU, led by head coach Sonny Dykes, is coming off back-to-back nine-win seasons and enters as the clear favorite, with multiple sources listing the Horned Frogs as approximately 8.5-point favorites.

A key change for the Horned Frogs is at quarterback, where Harvard transfer Jaden Craig takes over after Josh Hoover departed for Indiana. North Carolina counters with starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and a revamped roster. TCU is expected to be without starting safety Jacob Fields. Forecasts for Saturday call for light rain and a high...