TCU starts its 2026 season before nearly everyone else — Saturday, August 29 against North Carolina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. From there, Sonny Dykes’s Horned Frogs get seven home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium, two byes, and a finish that runs through the Revivalry at Baylor and a Thanksgiving night trip to Texas Tech.
Kickoff times for most Big 12 games are announced 6-12 days out, so check back weekly — this page is updated as times, networks, and results come in.
2026 Team Schedule
TCU Horned Frogs Football Schedule
Big 12 · Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth · Sonny Dykes
Preseason AP Rank
No. 25
Off a 9-4 season
Home Games
7
Plus Dublin opener
Season Opener
Aug 29
vs UNC in Dublin, 12 PM ET on ESPN
Circle It
Nov 26
Thanksgiving night at Texas Tech
Full 2026 TCU Football Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Time (ET) / TV |
Result |
| Sat, Aug 29 |
vs North Carolina (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) |
12:00 PM · ESPN |
— |
| Sat, Sept 5 |
Bye week |
— |
— |
| Sat, Sept 12 |
vs Grambling State |
TBA · ESPN+ |
— |
| Sat, Sept 19 |
vs Arkansas State |
TBA · ESPNU |
— |
| Sat, Sept 26 |
at UCF |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 3 |
vs BYU |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 10 |
Bye week |
— |
— |
| Sat, Oct 17 |
at Baylor (The Revivalry) |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 24 |
vs West Virginia |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 31 |
vs Kansas |
TBA |
— |
| Fri, Nov 6 |
at Arizona |
Late night · ESPN |
— |
| Sat, Nov 14 |
vs Kansas State |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 21 |
vs Utah |
TBA |
— |
| Thu, Nov 26 |
at Texas Tech (Thanksgiving) |
TBA · ESPN |
— |
Games That Will Decide TCU’s Season
| Game |
Date |
Why It Matters |
| vs North Carolina (Dublin) |
Aug 29 |
Week 0’s headline game — a ranked win before most teams have played |
| vs BYU |
Oct 3 |
Likely a top-15 opponent in Fort Worth in the Big 12 home opener stretch |
| at Baylor |
Oct 17 |
The Revivalry in Waco, straight off the second bye |
| at Texas Tech |
Nov 26 |
Thanksgiving night in Lubbock against a preseason top-12 team — the whole country watching |
Fast Fact
The Dublin trip earns TCU two bye weeks — one right after Ireland, one before the Baylor rivalry game.
Fast Fact
New offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis takes over an offense replacing quarterback Josh Hoover — the biggest question mark on the roster.
Fast Fact
Five of TCU’s last seven games are at Amon G. Carter Stadium — West Virginia, Kansas, Kansas State, and Utah all come to Fort Worth.
How the Schedule Sets Up
This slate is friendly to a team breaking in a new quarterback: a marquee but winnable opener, two byes, and a home-heavy back half. If the Frogs are 6-2 or better after the Kansas game, the closing stretch — three home dates then Lubbock — decides whether this is a Big 12 title chase. We previewed the Dublin matchup in detail in our TCU vs North Carolina viewing guide, and the FBS scheduling framework behind the international kickoff is governed by the NCAA.
The Bottom Line
TCU enters ranked, rested twice, and mostly at home — but with a new signal-caller and a Thanksgiving finale that could decide the Big 12 race. Bookmark this page — times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.
