The anticipation for the 2024 college football season is already building as fans look forward to the excitement following Michigan’s thrilling victory in last year’s College Football Playoff. The upcoming season is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, August 24, in “Week Zero,” with most Division I programs starting the following week.
The Week Zero lineup includes several notable matchups:
– Aer Lingus College Football Classic: No. 10 Florida State vs. Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
– McNeese at Tarleton State at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
– Montana State at New Mexico at 4 p.m. ET on FS1
– FCS Kickoff: North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri State at 7 p.m. ET at Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama on ESPN
– MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Norfolk State vs. Florida A&M at Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
– SMU at Nevada at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network
The subsequent week will mark the start of Week 1 on August 31, coinciding with Labor Day weekend. Key matchups during the season opener include:
– Thursday, August 29: North Carolina at Minnesota at 8 p.m. ET on Fox and North Dakota State at Colorado at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
– Friday, August 30: TCU at Stanford at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
– Saturday, August 31: Aflac Kickoff Game featuring No. 14 Clemson vs. No. 1 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia at 12 p.m. ET on ABC, along with No. 8 Penn State at West Virginia at 12 p.m. ET on Fox and several other exciting contests.
– Sunday, September 1: Orange Blossom Classic with North Carolina Central vs. Alabama State at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, and the Vegas Kickoff Classic featuring No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 Southern California at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
– Monday, September 2: Boston College at No. 10 Florida State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
As the season progresses, fans can also look forward to key nonconference games early in September, including Texas at Michigan and Alabama at Wisconsin.
The 2024 season will also introduce the College Football Playoff’s 12-team format. Significant dates for the playoff include:
– First round: Week of December 21, hosted by the higher-seeded teams
– Quarterfinals: Fiesta Bowl on December 31 and Peach, Rose, and Sugar Bowls on January 1
– Semifinals: Orange Bowl on January 9 and Cotton Bowl on January 10
– National Championship Game: January 20, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The 2024 championship marks the first occasion the venue will host the title game twice. Michigan claimed the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2024, continuing the legacy of the playoff’s storied history.