When does college football Start? Week 0 Schedule, Top Games, Teams to Watch Out, and More

Let's talk about Week 0. Spring football has ended nationwide, and the college football season is now only three months away. Like last year, the schedule will have a limited number of games in late August, with a few teams participating in "Week 0."

Although most college football fans consider the first Saturday in which nearly every team is in action as the start of the season, the NCAA has pushed forward with multiple teams playing in Week 0 as early as 2017.

Week 0 schedule

On August 26, seven games will take place, with the times still yet to be determined. The SEC, Pac-12, Mid-American Conference and Mountain West will all be in action on that last Saturday in August. Of the seven games, only one will feature a battle between conference foes. Florida International will play Louisiana Tech at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana.

Last season saw 11 games played in Week 0. Northwestern against Nebraska on a neutral field brought the most fireworks, with the Wildcats edging the Cornhuskers 31-28.

Top games and teams to watch

The top Week 0 game is easily Navy versus Notre Dame at Aviva Stadium in Ireland. This clash will mark the eighth college football game in Ireland.

Last season, Ireland featured the epic battle between Northwestern and Nebraska. 2023 will be the third time the Navy Midshipmen and Notre Dame Fighting Irish have played in Ireland, with Notre Dame winning the previous two battles. However, the Notre Dame and Navy rivalry dates back to 1927.

Another game to watch is the San Diego State Aztecs playing host to the Ohio Bobcats.

San Diego State went 7-6 last season, a significant drop off from their 12-2 campaign in 2021. The Aztecs have not posted a losing record since 2009 and are one of the more consistent teams in college football. Meanwhile, Ohio had a fantastic 2022, going 10-4 and beating Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl. Both teams are well-run programs expecting successful seasons.

A team to watch is the USC Trojans. They will face San Jose State in California.

The Trojans return Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and expect to compete for an NCAA title. Williams threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns against five interceptions last season. He added another 382 rushing yards and ten scores. The sky is the limit for the USC offense while Williams remains under center. The Trojans should put up big numbers against an inferior San Jose State defense.