College football’s Week 0 slate may be thin, but it still comes with real upset potential.
With football back and only one top-25 team on the board, the opening Saturday of the 2026 season offers a small but intriguing set of games. And in a sport where chaos is never far away, roster turnover, transfer movement and a record number of FBS head coaches being fired in 2025 have only made the landscape more volatile.
Three matchups stand out as the ones most likely to get weird.
Virginia opens the season with plenty of buzz after a surprise 11-win run last year, a finish that matched the number of victories Tony Elliott had in his first three seasons combined. The Cavaliers reached the ACC Championship, then wrapped up the year by beating Missouri in the Gator Bowl.
But this version of Virginia looks different. Chandler Morris and J'Mari Taylor are gone, along with several other starters, and Missouri quarterback transfer Beau Pribula is now the man running the offense. In his first season as a starter, he threw 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while adding 6 rushing scores.
The Cavaliers are favored by a little more than a field goal in most places, helped by the fact that the game was moved from Rio de Janeiro to Virginia’s home field. Still, North Carolina State has a real case here. CJ Bailey brings experience and is one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks, and Dave Doeren has a reputation for springing an upset or two.
The Wolfpack also already have recent proof they can handle Virginia. They were one of three teams to beat the Cavaliers last season, winning 35-31, and they’ve taken four straight in the series. Virginia will also be without starting wide receiver Rico Flores, while star linebacker Kam Robinson remains questionable.
That combination makes this one feel like a true fight.
Stanford is in a very different kind of spot, trying to climb out of a rut that has stretched seven straight seasons without a bowl game. The Cardinal has not finished with more than four wins in that span, and Andrew Luck has handed the rebuilding job to first-time head coach Tavita Pritchard.
The challenge is steep. Stanford brought in 29 newcomers, only six of them transfers, and quarterback Davis Warren is already under the spotlight. Warren hasn’t played since 2024, when he started nine games for Michigan and threw 9 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
There’s more turnover around him too, with new wide receivers and a defensive scheme change in the mix. Stanford does return 12 starters, but that may not carry as much weight as it normally would given the program’s recent results.
The opener is a rematch with Hawaii, and the Rainbow Warriors already have one win over Stanford in their pocket. Last year’s meeting ended 23-20 when Hawaii hit a field goal as time expired.
Hawaii brings back star quarterback Micah Alejado, who thrived in Timmy Chang’s offense despite dealing with injuries. He completed 285 of 430 passes for 3,106 yards with 24 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. The Rainbow Warriors also added some defensive help and a few more weapons for Alejado.
They’re listed as a slight underdog this time, but with that recent win on the resume, Hawaii has every reason to like its chances.
Late Saturday night, the best upset watch might be in Las Vegas.
Dan Mullen’s first season at UNLV was one of the biggest surprises in the sport, a 10-4 run that marked just the second time in 31 years the program reached double-digit wins. Now the question is whether he can keep it rolling.
The Rebels return only seven starters and have to replace Anthony Colandrea, who transferred to Nebraska. Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit, looks like the next centerpiece, but he’ll be operating behind an offense that is almost completely rebuilt, including three new offensive linemen. Jai'Den Thomas, coming off a 1,000-yard season, may have to shoulder the load early.
Memphis enters with plenty of change of its own after Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas. Charles Huff takes over after five straight bowl trips to open his coaching career, and he’s best known for leading Marshall past No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend in 2022.
The Tigers are almost starting from scratch, with only one starter back and more than 70 new players on the roster. D2 quarterback transfer Marcus Stokes won the job after a breakout year at West Florida, where he was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy.
UNLV has the edge in experience, but Huff’s teams are usually tough and physical. Memphis will need to make the Rebels throw the ball and keep Thomas from taking over on the ground. The Tigers also can’t let Arnold or Alex Orji beat them with their arm.
UNLV is favored by just under a touchdown, but Memphis has won three straight season openers.
In Other News...
Perris Jones Still Represents What Virginia Football Is Really About
Perris Jones has stayed close to Virginia football in a way that goes well beyond his days in the backfield. The former UVA running back has turned his post-playing chapter into something meaningful, writing a book titled Ashes to End Zone that traces his path through college football and the life challenges that have followed. He also made a recent appearance at a book signing at Charlottesvilles Good Feet Store, another reminder that his connection to the program still resonates in the community.
Jones was recognized during Virginias game against NC State through the UVA Football Alumni Clubs Hoos Making a Difference program, a fitting nod for a player who has focused on public speaking and inspiring others since his playing career was cut short. The larger story here is less about what he once did on Saturdays and more about what he continues to represent for the Cavaliers: resilience, perspective and the kind of character Virginia likes to say its football program is built on. [Read more 🡒]
Memphis Could Feel Week 0 Pressure Before Playing A Snap
A little before the season proper gets rolling, the Week 0 spotlight has already started to shape the College Football Playoff conversation, and Virginia is part of that early pressure cooker. The Cavaliers enter the year off an 11-win season, with enough momentum to believe another strong run is possible, even though their regular-season schedule does not include Miami or Louisville.
The immediate intrigue centers on Virginias Week 0 matchup with NC State, a game that could hand either team an early edge in the ACC race and, just as importantly, a useful first impression for playoff voters. With limited CFP spots and style points mattering so much for teams chasing them, a sharp opening performance could carry weight long after the first snap is forgotten. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Opens ACC Play With Early Stakes And Key Availability Concerns
Virginias ACC opener against NC State carries a little extra weight after the game was shifted from Brazil to Scott Stadium, where the Cavaliers will kick off at 3:35 p.m. The matchup brings an early chance to separate in the conference race, with the winner grabbing a useful head start in the standings and a better path toward the ACC championship game.
The availability report gives the game a different look than the one Virginia might have envisioned a few weeks ago. The Cavaliers have multiple players ruled out, including wide receiver Rico Flores Jr., while NC State arrives without seven players but no projected starters missing. Virginia also has a key defensive question hanging over the afternoon as it sorts through who will be available when the ball is finally kicked. [Read more 🡒]