When does college football start in 2025? Here's what you need to know

It’s that time of year again, as the 156th college football season is set to get underway, ending eight long months of recruiting mania, transfer portal movement, another active coaching carousel, and eager anticipation looking ahead to the second edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Last season, some early action played a direct role in what the postseason looked like, as Florida State’s top 10 ranking quickly evaporated after a loss to Georgia Tech, and as eventual playoff surprise SMU earned a statement win in a Week 0 game.

Here’s what you need to know as another active 2025 college football schedule is set to kick off in the days to come, and what games you should be paying attention to.

When does college football start? What you need to know

Week 0 kicks off with four Power Four teams in the very early action, including two Big 12 rivals set to play their opener against each other on Saturday, August 23 from -- where else? -- Dublin, Ireland.

All times Eastern

Kansas State vs. Iowa State

When does college football start in 2025? What you need to know — Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

12 p.m. on ESPN

Farmageddon renews a historic football rivalry from the Emerald Isle in the home of Ireland’s national rugby team in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Week 0.

Looking at how competitive the Big 12 title picture should be this season, either one of these teams could conceivably play for the conference title at year’s end.

Iowa State did last season, falling short against Arizona State, and while the Cyclones lose two elite receiving targets, they do return quarterback Rocco Becht to lead this offense.

Avery Johnson is back under center, alongside Dylan Edwards in the backfield, both aided by what looks like a strong defensive front for Kansas State.

Iowa State has won four of the last five meetings in this series, and this one should have an impact on what the eventual Big 12 Championship race looks like.

Idaho State at UNLV 4 p.m. on SSSEN
Fresno State at Kansas 6:30 p.m. on Fox
Sam Houston at WKU 7 p.m. on CBSSN
Stanford at Hawaii 7:30 p.m. on CBS

Week 1 college football schedule

The traditional regular season opening weekend in college football begins on Thursday, August 28 with 17 games kicking off, followed by another 11 games on Friday, August 29.

SI presents the full 2025 college football schedule

Saturday, August 30 finds the first full slate of weekly Saturday matchups, including some very impactful early statement games across the country.

Texas at Ohio State

12 p.m. on Fox

A marquee rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinal round features the defending national champion Buckeyes at home in the Horseshoe against the SEC hopeful Longhorns.

Arch Manning finally takes the reins as Texas’ starting quarterback for good, but it’ll be the Longhorns’ defensive front that will be on display early on, featuring a loaded cast of domineering pass rushers against an OSU offense very much in transition.

Ohio State debuts a new quarterback, some new blockers, a new backfield, and replacements in the front seven, but still presents a formidable challenge on the offensive line, in the secondary, and with Jeremiah Smith back as college football’s top receiver.

Alabama at Florida State

3:30 p.m. on ABC

Florida State had an existential crisis last season, collapsing to a 2-10 record that put enormous pressure on Mike Norvell to right the ship, and he responded by adding some quality transfer additions, including quarterback Thomas Castellanos.

FSU’s new quarterback wasted no time getting ready for this game, tripling down on his expectation that the Seminoles will show out in this game and that Alabama isn’t what it used to be without Nick Saban on the sidelines “to save them,” in his words.

Saban’s replacement, Kalen DeBoer, won nine games in his debut last season, a good number for most programs, but not for the Crimson Tide, which expects to be in the playoff every year, especially now that it’s expanded to 12 teams.

DeBoer is under pressure of his own, especially now without playmaking quarterback Jalen Milroe on the field, but with a cast of solid skill players working behind a talented offensive line and the bulk of the Tide’s defense coming back.

LSU at Clemson

7:30 p.m. on ABC

Will the real Death Valley please stand up? A predictable offseason talking point for both teams, each of whom play in stadiums with that nickname, but this time it’s Clemson that has the home-field advantage against its SEC counterpart.

Brian Kelly has never won the first game of a season during his tenure as LSU’s head coach, dropping two against Florida State and then against USC last year, and his team will be up against quite an obstacle in the 2025 debut.

Clemson is the reigning ACC champion and the betting favorite to repeat, returning a quarterback in Cade Klubnik who is coming off a career year, playing behind one of college football’s most experienced lines and with a very promising receiving corps.

But Clemson’s talented defensive front will itself be challenged against an LSU offense that was seventh in FBS in passing last fall and returns quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in tandem with another elite group of field-stretching receivers.

Week 1 also brings us a notable non-conference matchup on Sunday, August 31.

Notre Dame at Miami

7:30 p.m. on ABC

College football’s national title runner-up a year ago, Notre Dame should be in contention to get back to the playoff again this year under fourth-year head coach Marcus Freeman.

Riley Leonard is out of the picture, but the Fighting Irish return arguably college football’s top backfield with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price back after combining for 1,871 yards last fall, and with some talented receivers looking to test the deep field.

That’s something they could do against a Hurricanes defense that allowed more than 30 points in five games against ACC opponents a year ago, and could be a weakness on a roster that otherwise has potential to challenge Clemson for the conference title.

But all eyes will be on Carson Beck, the two-year starting quarterback at Georgia who surprised everyone by transferring to Miami, giving this offense a huge upgrade after losing Cam Ward, who led the nation’s top-ranked offense a year ago for the Canes.

Bill Belichick makes his college football debut on Monday, September 1 in primetime.

TCU at North Carolina

When does college football start in 2025? What you need to kno — Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

8 p.m. on ESPN

One of college football’s most surprising coaching moves ever and one of the sport’s biggest mysteries heading into the 2025 season... How will Belichick perform?

The eight-time Super Bowl champion is regarded as the single greatest head coach in NFL history, but he’s never coached a down in the collegiate ranks.

Is this going to blow up in his face, like Urban Meyer’s venture into the NFL? Or could he actually revolutionize the sport, as he intends to?

North Carolina’s roster is in transition and it’s still anyone’s guess what this team looks like, especially against a TCU squad that won 9 games a year ago and returns its starting quarterback.

College Football Playoff schedule 2025

Fri., Dec. 19 First Round Game

Sat., Dec. 20 First Round Game
Sat., Dec. 20 First Round Game
Sat., Dec. 20 First Round Game

Quarterfinal Round

Wed., Dec. 31 Cotton Bowl
Thurs., Jan. 1 Orange Bowl
Thurs., Jan. 1 Rose Bowl
Thurs., Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl

Semifinal Round

Thurs., Jan. 8 Fiesta Bowl
Fri., Jan. 9 Peach Bowl

Mon., Jan. 19 National Championship