When Does College Football Start 2025? Key Dates & Schedule

By Sarah Miller · March 24, 2029

College football for the 2025 season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 30, 2025, with early kickoff games starting as soon as Thursday, August 28. The official start marks the beginning of Week 1 of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) season, featuring major conference teams and high-profile matchups.

When Does College Football Start in 2025?

The 2025 NCAA college football season officially kicks off on August 30, 2025, with several marquee games scheduled across the country. However, the first games will be played on Thursday, August 28, continuing the tradition of opening the season with a primetime matchup, likely part of the ESPN College Football Opening Kickoff series.

Key Dates for the 2025 College Football Season

First Games: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Regular Season Start: Saturday, August 30, 2025
Conference Play Begins: Early September 2025
Championship Week: December 6–7, 2025
New Year's Six Bowls: January 1–2, 2026
National Championship Game: January 19, 2026

Major Conferences and Their 2025 Schedules

Each Power Five conference—now expanded to include new members—will release full schedules by early 2025. Fans can expect traditional rivalry games, cross-division matchups, and new inter-conference challenges due to realignment.

Power Five Conference Start Dates

SEC: First game expected August 30; full slate begins Labor Day weekend
Big Ten: Conference games begin September 6; non-conference openers August 30
ACC: Full schedule starts August 30; ACC Network features early games
Big 12: Kickoff weekend includes multiple ranked teams in neutral-site games
Pac-12: Final season before dissolution; last games in November 2025

Team	Conference	First Game Date	Opponent	Location	Broadcast
Georgia Bulldogs	SEC	Aug 30, 2025	Vanderbilt	Athens, GA	SECN
Ohio State Buckeyes	Big Ten	Sep 6, 2025	Western Michigan	Columbus, OH	ABC
Clemson Tigers	ACC	Aug 30, 2025	Furman	Clemson, SC	ACCN
Texas Longhorns	SEC	Sep 6, 2025	TCU	Austin, TX	ESPN
Oregon Ducks	Big Ten	Aug 30, 2025	Portland State	Eugene, OR	BTN
Alabama Crimson Tide	SEC	Sep 6, 2025	Mississippi State	Tuscaloosa, AL	SECN

Table data source:1, 2, 3

The table above highlights early-season matchups for top-ranked programs in 2025. Notably, Georgia and Clemson open at home on August 30, while Ohio State and Texas delay their conference debuts until September 6. Broadcast distribution reflects media rights deals, with SEC and Big Ten games heavily featured on ESPN and ABC. This scheduling pattern allows networks to stagger high-audience games across weekends.

Non-Conference Openers and Neutral-Site Games

Many top teams begin the 2025 season with high-stakes non-conference matchups, often held at neutral sites to maximize exposure and revenue.

Notable Early-Season Matchups

Florida vs. Miami (Aug 30): Camping World Stadium, Orlando – ABC broadcast
Notre Dame vs. Tennessee (Sep 6): Nissan Stadium, Nashville – NBC
USC vs. LSU (Aug 30): Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas – ESPN
Oregon vs. Ohio State (Sep 13): Potential top-5 clash in Columbus

These early games serve as de facto playoff qualifiers, with the College Football Playoff committee placing increased weight on strength of schedule from Week 1.

How Realignment Impacts the 2025 Season

The 2025 season will be historic due to major conference realignment. The Pac-12 dissolves after this season, with most teams joining the Big Ten and Big 12. Meanwhile, the Big 12 expands to 16 teams, and the SEC adds Oklahoma and Texas.

Realignment Effects

Increased Rivalries: New matchups like Texas vs. USC and Oregon vs. Ohio State become annual events
Broadcast Revenue Growth: Expanded media deals with ESPN, Fox, and NBC boost team payouts
Playoff Access: More conference champions gain paths to the 12-team playoff
Scheduling Complexity: Cross-coast travel impacts player recovery and fan attendance

Frequently Asked Questions About College Football 2025

When does the 2025 college football regular season start?

The 2025 college football regular season officially begins on Saturday, August 30, 2025, with preliminary games starting on Thursday, August 28. Most teams will kick off their schedules during the weekend of August 30–September 1.

What time is the first college football game in 2025?

The first college football game of the 2025 season is expected to be played on Thursday, August 28, at approximately 7:30 PM ET, likely broadcast on ESPN. The exact time and matchup will be confirmed in spring 2025.

When is the 2025 college football national championship game?

The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game is scheduled for Monday, January 19, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This concludes the 12-team playoff format introduced in 2024.

Which teams are predicted to be top contenders in 2025?

Early projections list Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon, and Texas as top title contenders for 2025. Factors include returning starters, coaching stability, and recruiting rankings. The expanded playoff format increases opportunities for surprise teams to reach the semifinals.

How many teams will play in the 2025 college football playoff?

The 2025 College Football Playoff will feature 12 teams, up from four in previous years. The top six conference champions earn automatic bids, with the remaining six spots filled by the highest-ranked at-large teams selected by the CFP Committee.