Week 1: Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7, 2026. All times Eastern.
ABC has the best Week 1 lineup of any network, headlined by Clemson at LSU in primetime. All four games are free over the air.
| Day | Game | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sat | East Carolina at Alabama | 12:00 |
| Sat | Baylor vs. Auburn (Atlanta) | 3:30 |
| Sat | Clemson at LSU | 7:30 |
| Sun | Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Nashville) | 7:30 |
The Headline Game
Clemson at LSU on Saturday night is the biggest game of opening weekend. Tiger Stadium is sold out, and it is the first time Clemson has ever played in Death Valley in Baton Rouge.
ABC gets it in the 7:30 window opposite Western Michigan at Michigan on NBC.
Two Neutral-Site Games
Baylor vs. Auburn is the Aflac Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — indoors, climate-controlled, no weather. Louisville vs. Ole Miss is at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, which sits genuinely closer to even than most neutral sites: 175 miles from Louisville, 350 from Oxford.
How to Watch Free
ABC is a broadcast network, so an antenna gets all four games free in most markets — no subscription of any kind.
For streaming, any service carrying local broadcast channels works: Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream all include ABC in most regions. The ESPN App also carries ABC games for authenticated subscribers, since both are Disney properties.
The Bottom Line
ABC carries four Week 1 games: East Carolina at Alabama, Baylor vs. Auburn, Clemson at LSU and Louisville vs. Ole Miss on Sunday night. All are free over the air. Full listings in our Week 1 TV schedule.