Week 5 of the 2026 college football season is packed from Thursday night through a deep Saturday slate, with games spread across just about every major network and streaming outlet.
The action starts Thursday, Oct. 1, with Western Kentucky at New Mexico State at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, followed by North Texas at Tulsa at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Friday, Oct. 2 brings another short but busy window. Pittsburgh visits Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on ESPN, Liberty plays at Delaware at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, Penn State travels to Northwestern at 7 p.m. on Fox, and Montana State heads to Idaho for a 9:30 p.m. ESPN kickoff.
Saturday, Oct. 3 is the full showcase, beginning with a crowded 11 a.m. slate. Alabama visits Mississippi State on ABC, Navy meets Air Force on CBS, Michigan takes on Minnesota on Fox, and Notre Dame plays at North Carolina on ESPN. Also in that first wave: Central Florida at Houston on ESPN2, Middle Tennessee at Kansas on ESPNU, Stanford at Wake Forest on ACC Network, West Virginia at Iowa State on TNT, Syracuse at Connecticut on CBS Sports Network, Boston College at SMU on The CW, and Michigan State at Wisconsin on Big Ten Network.
The 11:45 a.m. window belongs to Vanderbilt at Georgia on SEC Network.
The afternoon opens with Florida at Missouri at 2:30 p.m. on ABC, Ohio State at Iowa on CBS, Auburn at Tennessee on ESPN, Virginia at Florida State on ESPN2, Louisville at North Carolina State on ACC Network, California at UNLV on CBS Sports Network, and Wyoming at North Dakota State on The CW. Samford at UAB is set for 2:30 p.m. with no TV listed and will stream on ESPN+.
Marshall visits James Madison at 2:45 p.m. on ESPNU, Maryland plays at Nebraska at 3 p.m. on Fox Sports 1, Kentucky visits South Carolina at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network, and Purdue heads to Illinois at 3:15 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
Later on Saturday, Oregon State is at Colorado State at 5 p.m. on USA Network. The 6 p.m. window features BYU at TCU on ESPN, Arkansas at Texas A&M on ESPN2, and Louisiana-Monroe at South Alabama with no TV listed and streaming on ESPN+.
The evening slate is loaded. Miami visits Clemson at 6:30 p.m. on ABC, Texas Tech plays at Colorado at 6:30 p.m. on Fox, Washington faces USC at 6:30 p.m. on NBC, Temple is at South Florida at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU, and Utah State is at Boise State at 6:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. McNeese at LSU follows at 6:45 p.m. on SEC Network.
At 7 p.m., Indiana is at Rutgers on Big Ten Network. The late-night stretch closes with Baylor at Arizona State at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN, Eastern Washington at Cal-Davis at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2, and Texas State at San Diego State at 9:30 p.m. on The CW.
In Other News...
Former Auburn Captain Rips Shane Beamer Over SEC Discipline Drama
South Carolinas handling of Dylan Stewarts outburst against Alabama has become a bigger talking point than the game itself, and former Auburn captain Chandler Wooten has jumped right into the middle of it. After the EDGE was suspended indefinitely by Shane Beamer, Wooten publicly said the punishment did not go far enough, adding another layer to a situation that already put the Gamecocks under an uncomfortable spotlight.
It was the kind of incident that can linger long after the final whistle, especially when it involves on-field punches, an argument with coaches and a head coach trying to manage the fallout in public. For Auburn fans, Wootens criticism also lands with some weight because he knows the SEC landscape well, and his comments only deepen the sense that South Carolina is dealing with more than a simple discipline issue. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Delivered In Prime Time When Denver Needed Him Most
Bo Nix has already given Denver a signature moment this season, and he did it under the lights when the Broncos needed it most. In Sunday nights 30-26 win over the Rams, the former Auburn quarterback threw two touchdown passes and then finished the job himself with a game-winning sneak in the closing seconds, capping a comeback that had the stadium leaning on every snap.
Nix talked afterward about the comeback and the final drive, the kind of postgame reflection that usually follows a young quarterbacks first true late-game test. Denver gets a short turn of the page now, with the 49ers up next, but this was the sort of prime-time finish that can change how a team and a quarterback carry themselves the rest of the way. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns First Road Test Comes With Real SEC Pressure
Auburns first true road test of the season comes with plenty of familiar SEC weight, and it lands in a place that holds some added meaning for head coach Alex Golesh. The Tigers are set to visit No. 17 Tennessee, a team that is trying to steady itself after a recent loss to Texas, and the trip sends Golesh back to Knoxville, where he previously worked as the Volunteers offensive coordinator.
The matchup also puts Auburn in front of another true freshman quarterback, Tennessees Faizon Brandon, which gives the Tigers a new version of a challenge they have already seen recently. For Auburn, it is the kind of early conference road game that can shape the mood around a season, especially with the noise, speed and pressure that come with playing in the SEC away from home. [Read more 🡒]