The 2026 college football season has arrived with the first full slate of games in Week 1. None might be bigger for the sport than Clemson's trip to No. 11 LSU. The Battle of Tigers is also a showdown between the old school and new school in college sports.
On one sideline is Dabo Swinney, the longtime Clemson coach who avoids the transfer portal's treasure trove of talent as much as possible and is not afraid to call out rival coaches who tamper with his roster. Then you have Lane Kiffin, the acclaimed Portal King with the No. 1 transfer class at his new job and a bayou full of controversy as he fights the SEC -- and the SEC sues the school -- to play two former NFL players. Everyone is picking a side, and you can be sure even the most casual of fans will be tuned in Saturday night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Elsewhere, five straight days of college football includes No. 9 Ole Miss facing No. 24 Louisville, a squad some believe could be in the ACC and playoff hunt by the end of the year, on Sunday night in Nashville. Saturday doesn't bring us a ranked-against-ranked matchup, but the heat is still turned up. Record-breaking heat in the South promises to test No. 13 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia and No. 20 Tennessee -- and their fans seeking shade.
Four top-25 teams will kick off during the first hour Saturday: Alabama vs. ECU, North Texas at No. 6 Indiana, Oregon State at No. 23 Houston and Ball State at No. 1 Ohio State. On Friday night, No. 10 Oklahoma hosts UTEP, No. 7 Miami travels across the country to face Stanford and No. 14 USC hosts Fresno State.
Stanford and USC already played -- and won -- in Week 1. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports through the holiday weekend for college football coverage across the country. Let's take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 1. 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium: Boise State gave Oregon a scare two years ago, but there's no obvious dimension in which the Broncos can take advantage of the Ducks on a major road trip.
The Ducks boast perhaps the best interior defensive line in college football and will shut down the Boise State running game. Expect a low-scoring affair that ends with a dominant -- if not aesthetically pleasing -- Oregon victory. Pick: Under 51.5 -- Shehan Jeyarajah 7:49 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): LSU has the more talented roster, but with so many new moving parts and a Clemson team also adjusting to a new offense with a new coordinator, starting quarterback and several offensive linemen, don't expect a high-scoring game.
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