Florida State doesn’t wait for Labor Day weekend. The Seminoles open the 2026 season in Week 0, hosting New Mexico State at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 29 – and they’re doing it on The CW, which turns a garnet-and-gold opener into one of the easiest games of the entire weekend to watch for free.
The matchup itself follows a familiar late-August script: a Power Four program shaking off the offseason at home against a Conference USA visitor collecting a guarantee check and a shot at a headline. But the wrapper matters. FSU gets a live evaluation a week before its rivals play, New Mexico State gets a national broadcast window, and anyone with a TV antenna gets Week 0 football at no cost while the same 7 p.m. window’s other game hides on a cable channel.
The chart below has the complete viewing information – including exactly how to watch The CW without paying anyone.
What Time Does New Mexico State vs. Florida State Start?
Kickoff is 7 p.m. Eastern at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. For the Aggies’ home fans in Las Cruces, that’s a 5 p.m. Mountain start; Pacific and Arizona viewers tune in at 4 p.m.
What Channel Is the Game On?
The CW carries the game nationally through its local affiliate stations – the same over-the-air network model as ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. Find your local CW station’s channel number and you’re set.
How to Watch The CW for Free
Three legitimate paths, cheapest first. A digital TV antenna picks up your local CW station over the air at no cost in most U.S. markets. The CW app (and cwtv.com) streams the network’s live sports free with no login. And several live-TV streaming services carry local CW stations – though CW affiliate availability genuinely varies by market and service, so check that your specific market’s station is included rather than assuming every service carries it everywhere.
Where Is the Game Being Played?
Doak Campbell Stadium on Florida State’s Tallahassee campus – one of the sport’s classic venues, opening its 2026 season a week ahead of the crowd.
Why This Game Matters
For Florida State, everything about 2026 is about trajectory, and a clean, healthy Week 0 win sets up the September gauntlet on the Seminoles’ terms. For New Mexico State, these road openers are the program’s business model and occasionally its glory – a competitive night in a famous stadium echoes through recruiting for months. And for viewers, it’s half of a 7 p.m. doubleheader with Hawai’i-Stanford, in the last Week 0 college football will stage.
Quick Answers
Do I need a streaming subscription for this game?
No. An antenna gets your local CW station free, and The CW app streams its live sports at no charge.
Is this a conference game?
No – a non-conference opener between Conference USA’s Aggies and the ACC’s Seminoles. It counts fully toward records and bowl eligibility, like every Week 0 game.
What’s the rest of the day look like?
Eight FBS games from Dublin at noon to Las Vegas at 10 p.m. ET – the full slate is in our Week 0 schedule and TV guide.
The Bottom Line
New Mexico State vs. Florida State kicks off Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. ET on The CW from Doak Campbell Stadium – FSU’s early start to a pivotal season, and the weekend’s most accessible broadcast: free with an antenna, free on The CW app, and on live-TV services where your local CW station is carried.