Week 0 was an appetizer for the 2026 college football season, but dinner service commences with Week 1 action starting on Thursday, September 3, with 11 games on the schedule tonight.
Starting with kickoff at 6 p.m. ET between UMass vs. Rutgers, there are plenty of ways to watch the college football action ahead of the first full weekend.
Five more games kick off at 7 p.m. ET, led by Akron vs. Wake Forest. The headliner of the night is Coach Prime's Colorado Buffaloes vs. Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. ET. the 9 p.m. ET window sees #21 Utah looking to get their season off to a good start against Idaho.
Below is the full Week 1 college football schedule for tonight's games, how to watch or stream every NCAAF game, and current spreads via PrizePicks Team Picks — now available in 35 states!
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College Football Games Today: Week 1 Schedule, TV Channels & Spreads
All game times are in Eastern Time. Spreads and winner payouts are live on PrizePicks Team Picks as of posting, but are subject to change.
Payouts below — like 3.44x — represent real-money multipliers on correct picks on PrizePicks Team Picks at the time of writing. For example, a $10 entry on Colorado to win at a 2.94x multiplier would pay out $29.40 if you're right.
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How to Watch NCAAF Game Tonight – Thursday, September 3
You will need Big 10 Network to watch the early kickoff between UMass and Rutgers, as well as the 9 p.m. kickoff between UAB and Illinois. Meanwhile, Peacock will carry Eastern Illinois vs. Minnesota.
The ACC Network is your home for Akron vs. Wake Forest, while the SEC Network will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff traveling to #25 Missouri.
The other six games will require some form of access to ESPN. You’ll find the Colorado vs. Georgia Tech showdown on ESPN, while ESPNU will air Idaho vs. Utah. The other four contests of the night, all at 7 p.m. ET, will be found on ESPN+ or ESPN Unlimited.
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Week 1 NCAAF Spreads, Winners, Payouts Today on PrizePicks
Only five of the 11 games on Thursday night feature spreads. Colorado travels to Georgia Tech as underdogs, with the Yellow Jackets favored by 6.5 points.
#21 Utah is the largest favorite on the board on Thursday night, as the Utes are favored by 33.5 points over Idaho. Rutgers is not far behind, favored over UMass by 30.5 points.
The rest of Week 1 is on the PrizePicks board now. In eligible states, you can make picks on college football winners, spreads, and totals. Then add Player Picks to the same lineup for bigger potential payouts.
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More Thursday College Football Picks & Predictions Today
Need some expert picks and predictions before you lock in your college football lineup? Tap into the Playbook’s Week 1 research from our experts:
UMass vs. Rutgers prediction, spread & picks – 6 p.m. ET
Akron vs. Wake Forest prediction, spread & picks – 7 p.m. ET
Colorado vs. Georgia Tech prediction, spread & picks – 8 p.m. ET
UAB vs. Illinois prediction, spread & picks – 9 p.m. ET
Best Week 1 CFB DFS picks for PrizePicks – Thursday, 9/3
Week 1 CFB TD scorer predictions for Thursday
Stay locked in on the Playbook college football home for daily picks, predictions, spreads, and game previews throughout the 2026 college football season
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