6 College Softball Games Fans Should Watch on Opening Weekend

The day all beloved softball fans have been waiting for is finally here. The college season kicks off this weekend at various locations across the nation, and there are already several hot matchups that fans won’t want to miss.

Here are six must-see games to tune into.

No. 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. No. 2 Texas Longhorns, Feb. 6, 6:05 p.m. CT

Opening the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, TX, this top-ranked matchup has the potential to start the season in a pitcher’s duel. If reigning national champion Teagan Kavan faces the three-time NFCA First Team All-American Jordy Frahm, the bats on both sides will need to come prepared.

The Longhorns will debut seven freshmen and three transfers on route to grabbing a second-straight title, while the Cornhuskers welcome back several returners and will attempt to go even further than their 43-15 record, which was the best winning percentage since the team went 44-12 in 2006.

Opening Weekend in the Lone Star State. pic.twitter.com/Qp5ABwPgu6
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) February 2, 2026

No. 4 Tennessee Lady Vols vs. No. 5 Oregon Ducks, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. CT

Two more top-ranked teams will battle early this season at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.

Tennessee was inches away from making it to the finals of the WCWS, but Texas battled through to take the 2-0 win. Ace Karlyn Pickens is back for her senior season after putting up an impressive 1.17 ERA and 306 strikeouts, while a powerful freshman class is expected to make the offense deeper.

As for Oregon, they return massive talent and were able to replace the production of graduating seniors Paige Sinicki, Kai, and Kedre Luschar with some of the best players in the portal. Addison Amaral, Elon Butler, and Amari Harper join the squad to make the Ducks’ 54-10 2025 season replicated in 2026.

No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 17 Arizona Wildcats, Feb 6, 5 p.m. CT

At the Candrea Classic, the Sooners will face the Wildcats in a three-game series over the weekend.

For the first time since 2021, Oklahoma won’t enter the season as the defending national champions, but with transfer pitcher Sydney Berzon leading the way, plus a top-ranked freshman class, Gasso’s squad has a new feel.

As for the Wildcats, 10 players left after an upsetting loss to Ole Miss at home in the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Caitlin Lowe and her staff hit the transfer portal hard to make replacements for starters Dakota Kennedy and Kaiah Altymeyer, and ended up having a major offseason with five stellar grabs.

AZ for Week 1 🌵

🔗» https://t.co/Th2U6csZ7g pic.twitter.com/eaBL2aFdPz
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 4, 2026

No. 6 Florida State Seminoles vs. Iowa Hawkeyes, Feb. 6, 4:30 p.m. CT

The Seminoles host the JoAnne Graf Classic to begin the season and will face a completely new Iowa Hawkeyes team. Newly-appointed head coach Stacy May-Johnson lost five outstanding players to the transfer portal, but worked to gain six, plus welcomed seven incoming freshmen.

Florida State, on the other hand, lost a large chunk of its roster due to graduation, but welcomes nine freshmen who will make up nearly half the roster.

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes, Feb 6, 7 p.m. CT

There’s nothing better than a heated Big Ten matchup to start the season. At the Paradise Classic in Boca Raton, Fla, Shonda Stanton’s offense will have a new look as the Hoosiers lost program record-holders Taylor Minnick and Bri Copeland.

As for the Buckeyes, they had a phenomenal first season under head coach Kirin Kumar and will try to expand on their NCAA Tournament appearance and the offense that led the country with 2.45 homers per game.

The feeling when it’s 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 ‼️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/QrgEsco5wU
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) February 2, 2026

No. 10 Florida Gators vs. Michigan Wolverines, Feb. 7, 11:30 a.m. CT

The USF Rawlings Invitational features the Big Ten Tournament Champions, Michigan, and the Gators, who are fresh off another Women’s College World Series appearance.

Despite the Gators losing top bats like Kendra Falby, Korbe Otis, Reagan Walsh, and Mia Williams, Taylor Shumaker is back after setting the program single-season record in total bases during her rookie year.

For Michigan, Erin Hoehn is the new ace of the circle, while the Wolverines return the majority of their offensive production.