College Football 2016: Who is playing in Week 1?

Jan 9, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of the college football playoff trophy during media day at Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of the college football playoff trophy during media day at Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 College Football season begins during Labor Day weekend. What teams are playing the most intriguing matchups of Week 1 in college football?

The 2016 College Football season for the most part begins on Labor Day weekend. Yes, there will be a neutral site game in Sydney, Australia on Friday, August 26th versus the California Golden Bears and the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, but the bulk of Week 1’s action begins on Labor Day weekend.

On Thursday, September 1st, there will be a slew of games mostly between bottom-tier Power 5 teams and mid-major programs. Interesting games on Thursday are Appalachian State at Tennessee, South Carolina at Vanderbilt, and Oregon State at Minnesota.

Friday, September 2nd has two games of interest. The Colorado State Rams will play their in-state rival in the Colorado Buffaloes at

Sports Authority Field

Mile High Stadium. Is Colorado State ready to make a leap to the Power 5 with a Big 12 invitation?

The best game on Friday is by far and away the Kansas State Wildcats traveling to Palo Alto to take on the Stanford Cardinal. Kansas State is one of the better programs in the Big 12 under Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder. Stanford is the presumed favorite to win the Pac-12 behind junior Heisman hopeful running back Christian McCaffrey.

Saturday, September 3rd is a day to stay on the couch and watch some outstanding college football matchups. Games on Saturday include Oklahoma at Houston, Missouri at West Virginia, UCLA at Texas A&M, LSU versus Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Georgia versus North Carolina at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, USC versus Alabama at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Clemson at Auburn, and Arizona versus BYU at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

Sunday, September 4th offers a television spectacle between two blue blood programs in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish traveling to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns. Labor Day, Monday, September 5th has two of the better programs in the Southeastern United States going head to head in the Ole Miss Rebels taking on the Florida State Seminoles in the Citrus Bowl in neutral site Orlando.

The 2016 NCAA season starts with a bang in Week 1. With so many outstanding neutral site games between so many makers and shakers in the Power 5, it’ll be hard to top this opening weekend in college football.

For more NCAA football news, please check out our NCAA football category page.