Week 1: Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7, 2026. All times Eastern.
NBC has the most interesting Week 1 lineup of the broadcast networks — a coaching debut, a rivalry that survived realignment, and Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
NBC
| Day | Game | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sat | Western Michigan at Michigan | 7:30 |
| Sun | Washington State at Washington (Apple Cup) | 4:00 |
| Sun | Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Lambeau Field) | 7:30 |
Peacock Exclusive
One Week 1 game appears on Peacock and nowhere else: Eastern Illinois at Minnesota, Thursday at 8:00. It is not on television at all.
Peacock is a standalone subscription, so no cable provider is needed — but you won’t find this one by flipping channels.
Three Games Worth Your Time
Western Michigan at Michigan is Kyle Whittingham’s first game as Michigan head coach, in primetime at the Big House, after Sherrone Moore was fired in December.
The Apple Cup opens the season rather than closing it. Washington went to the Big Ten, Washington State was left behind when the Pac-12 collapsed, and the two schools scheduled the game anyway rather than let a rivalry running since 1900 lapse.
Notre Dame at Lambeau Field is the Shamrock Series, Notre Dame’s travelling neutral-site showcase. Every Notre Dame home game has aired on NBC since 1991, which is why a Notre Dame neutral-site game automatically becomes a network primetime property.
How to Watch
NBC is free over the air with an antenna in most markets. Every NBC game also simulcasts on Peacock, so a Peacock subscription alone covers all three — plus the Minnesota game nobody else carries.
Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream all include NBC in most regions.
The Bottom Line
NBC has three Week 1 games: Michigan in primetime Saturday, then the Apple Cup and Notre Dame at Lambeau on Sunday. Peacock carries all three plus an exclusive, Eastern Illinois at Minnesota on Thursday. Full listings in our Week 1 TV schedule.