College football games on television this weekend (Sept. 2-6)
Week 0 was just the appetizer for the main course. With Thursday serving as the launch pad for a long Labor Day weekend, college football gets flat out serious about its start, thanks to some terrific Week 1 matchups.
Thursday night, No. 4 Ohio State is at Minnesota in an early Big Ten matchup on Fox. Or you can flip over to the SEC Network and watch Josh Heupel’s debut as Tennessee’s head coach with the Volunteers playing host to Bowling Green. That game also is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff.
On Friday, No. 10 North Carolina is at Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on ESPN. That’s the same North Carolina that features a probable Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Sam Howell. That’s the same Virginia Tech that features a head coach on the hot seat in Justin Fuente.
Saturday affords us several Top 25 matchups:
▪ No. 19 Penn State is at No. 12 Wisconsin at noon on Fox. It’s a key game for Penn State, what with the Nittany Lions trying to rebound from a 4-5 COVID-19 influenced season. Wisconsin is also looking for a return to Badger bully ball after going just 4-3 a year ago.
▪ Defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Alabama opens its 2021 campaign against No. 14 Miami in Atlanta. Bryce Young takes over as Nick Saban’s quarterback. Despite losing Heisman winner Devonta Smith and star running back Najee Harris, Bama has plenty of weapons at Young’s disposal. Miami has its hands full for the 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC.
▪ Last season’s Big Ten surprise, No. 17 Indiana, opens at No. 18 Iowa at 3:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. The Hoosiers went 6-2 last season with upset wins over Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin. After losing its first two games in 2020, Iowa reeled off six straight victories. Kirk Ferentz begins his 50th season as the Hawkeyes’ coach. Or so it seems. (The real number is 23.)
▪ Steve Sarkisian makes his Texas head coaching debut when the No. 21 Longhorns take on No. 23 Louisiana at 4:30 p.m. on Fox. Sarkisian may have preferred an easier opening foe. Billy Napier’s Ragin’ Cajuns were 10-1 last season, including a victory at Iowa State. More success and Napier is likely to snare a Power Five job in 2022.
▪ The weekend’s true marquee matchup has No. 3 Clemson meeting No. 5 Georgia for an epic opener in Charlotte. Both teams will be prime contenders for College Football Playoff spots. One will start the year 0-1. It’s a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC.
It’s not a top 25 matchup, but Louisville vs. Ole Miss on Monday night in Atlanta figures to attract some attention in the commonwealth. ESPN has that 8 p.m. kickoff.
And Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang comprise the SEC Network crew for Saturday’s Kentucky-ULM opener at noon.
Here are this weekend’s college football games on television:
Note: All times are p.m. and EDT. And this year we are including games being streamed on ESPN Plus in the listings.
Thursday, Sept. 2
- 6:00 - Temple at Rutgers postponed (Big Ten)
- 7:00 - Coastal Carolina 52, The Citadel 14 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:00 - UCF 36, Boise State 31 (ESPN)
- 7:30 - Appalachian State 33, East Carolina 19 (ESPNU)
- 7:30 - UC Davis 19, Tulsa 17 (ESPN Plus)
- 8:00 - Western Kentucky 59, UT Martin 21 (ESPN Plus)
- 8:00 - Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31 (Fox)
- 8:00 - Tennessee 38, Bowling Green 6 (SEC)
Friday, Sept. 3
- 6:00 - Virginia Tech 17, North Carolina 10 (ESPN)
- 7:00 - Charlotte 31, Duke 28 (CBS Sports)
- 7:00 - Wake Forest 42, Old Dominion 10 (ACC)
- 9:00 - Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 (ESPN)
- 9:00 - South Dakota State 42, Colorado State 23 (FS1)
Saturday, Sept. 4
- 12:00 - Oklahoma 40, Tulane 35 (ABC)
- 12:00 - Penn State 16, Wisconsin 10 (Fox)
- 12:00 - Kentucky 45, ULM 10 (SEC)
- 12:00 - Rutgers 61, Temple 14 (Big Ten)
- 12:00 - Boston College 51, Colgate 0 (ACC)
- 12:00 - Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14 (ESPN)
- 12:00 - Holy Cross 38, UConn 28 (CBS Sports)
- 12:00 - Kansas State 24, Stanford 7 (FS1)
- 12:00 - Army 43, Georgia State 10 (ESPNU)
- 12:00 - Nebraska 52, Fordham 7 (Big Ten)
- 2:00 - Arkansas 38, Rice 17 (ESPN Plus)
- 3:30 - Alabama 44, Miami 13 (ABC)
- 3:30 - Cincinnati 49, Miami (O) 14 (ESPN Plus)
- 3:30 - Iowa 34, Indiana 6 (Big Ten)
- 3:30 - Marshall 49, Navy 7 (CBS Sports)
- 3:30 - Maryland 30, West Virginia 24 (ESPN)
- 4:00 - Mississippi State 35, Louisiana Tech 34 (ESPNU)
- 4:00 - Missouri 34, Central Michigan 24 (SEC)
- 4:00 - Pittsburgh 51, UMass 7 (ACC)
- 4:00 - Texas 38, Louisiana 18 (Fox)
- 7:00 - Auburn 60, Akron 10 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:00 - South Carolina 46, Eastern Illinois 0 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:00 - Syracuse 29, Ohio 9 (CBS Sports)
- 7:00 - Purdue 30, Oregon State 21 (FS1)
- 7:00 - Texas Tech 38, Houston 21 (ESPN)
- 7:00 - Baylor 29, Texas State 20 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:00 - Memphis 42, Nicholls 17 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:00 - SMU 56, Abilene Christian 9 (ESPN Plus)
- 7:30 - Georgia 10, Clemson 3 (ABC)
- 7:30 - Florida 35, FAU 14 (SEC)
- 7:30 - UTSA 37, Illinois 30(Big Ten)
- 7:30 - Northern Illinois 22, Georgia Tech 21 (ACC)
- 8:00 - Texas A&M 41, Kent State 10 (ESPNU)
- 8:00 - East Tennessee State 23, Vanderbilt 3 (ESPN Plus)
- 8:30 - UCLA 38, LSU 27 (Fox)
- 10:30 - Nevada 22, California 17 (FS1)
- 10:30 - BYU 24, Arizona 16 (ESPN)
- 10:30 - San Diego State 28, New Mexico State 10 (CBS Sports)
Sunday, Sept. 5
- 7:30 - Notre Dame 41, Florida State 38 (OT) (ABC)
Monday, Sept. 6
- 8:00 - Louisville vs. Ole Miss (ESPN)
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 10:15 AM.
