College Football Week 0 Recap: North Carolina Stuns TCU, Virginia Dominates NC State

College football returned Saturday with five games involving teams from the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12. North Carolina delivered the biggest surprise of August 29, defeating TCU in Ireland, while Virginia overwhelmed NC State in an early ACC matchup.

USC, Florida State and Stanford also opened the 2026 season with victories. No SEC or Pac-12 teams played Saturday.

North Carolina 15, TCU 10

North Carolina opened Bill Belichick’s second season with a gritty defensive victory, holding TCU scoreless for the final 49 minutes of a rain-soaked game at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

The Horned Frogs established a 10-3 lead during the first quarter, but the Tar Heels answered with a Jaylen McGill touchdown before taking control through defense, field position and fewer mistakes.

A mishandled TCU snap produced a safety in the second quarter, giving North Carolina a 12-10 halftime advantage. The Tar Heels added a field goal in the third quarter and protected the five-point margin the rest of the way.

North Carolina forced three turnovers on downs and recovered a TCU fumble. The Tar Heels also ended a streak in which TCU had scored at least 28 points in 30 consecutive regular-season nonconference games.

Billy Edwards Jr. completed 9 of 18 passes for 152 yards in his first start for North Carolina. TCU quarterback Jaden Craig finished 20 of 32 for 175 yards, but the Horned Frogs committed 11 penalties for 100 yards and failed to capitalize on Jeremy Payne’s 142 rushing yards.

TCU’s final mistake came on an offsides penalty that allowed North Carolina to retain possession and run out the clock.

Turning point: TCU’s bad snap through the end zone gave North Carolina a safety and a lead it never surrendered.

Star of the Game: North Carolina’s defense, which held TCU scoreless after the opening quarter and repeatedly delivered on fourth down.

Gamble Guy – LOST (Had TCU -9.5)

Virginia 34, NC State 8

Virginia produced Saturday’s most convincing Power Four performance, scoring the first 24 points and limiting NC State to 168 total yards before a sellout crowd at Scott Stadium.

Quarterback Beau Pribula controlled the game with both his arm and legs. He completed 9 of 11 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 15 times for 110 yards.

Virginia amassed 413 yards, including 258 on the ground, and held the ball for more than 38 minutes. The Cavaliers converted all four of their fourth-down attempts and closed the afternoon with a 23-play possession that consumed more than 12 minutes.

NC State did not record its first first down until its fourth possession and managed only 83 yards before halftime. Starting quarterback CJ Bailey completed 12 of 23 passes for 84 yards with an interception.

Virginia defensive back Brandyn Hillman contributed two takeaways as the Cavaliers forced two first-half turnovers and built a 17-0 halftime lead. The victory marked an emphatic beginning for a Virginia program attempting to build on its breakthrough 2025 season.

Turning point: Virginia converted NC State’s early offensive failures into a 17-point halftime advantage.

Star of the Game: Beau Pribula, Virginia — 265 total yards and two passing touchdowns.

Gamble Guy – LOST (Had NC State ML)

No. 14 USC 42, San Jose State 26

USC’s rebuilt collection of offensive playmakers delivered immediately as the 14th-ranked Trojans scored on four of their first five possessions and carried a 28-0 lead into halftime.

Jayden Maiava completed 25 of 29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also scored on a one-yard run during USC’s opening possession.

Trent Mosley emerged as an immediate receiving threat in his Trojans debut, catching seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt added a touchdown reception, while Riley Wormley, King Miller and Shahn Alston each scored on the ground.

USC finished with 505 total yards, 29 first downs and more than 37 minutes of possession. The Trojans converted 9 of 13 third-down opportunities.

San Jose State showed resilience after falling behind by four touchdowns. Luke Weaver threw for 234 yards and two scores while adding 42 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Spartans scored 23 points during the fourth quarter, although the late surge never seriously threatened USC’s lead.

The Trojans gained early confidence, but surrendering three fourth-quarter touchdowns will give the coaching staff defensive issues to address before Friday’s game against Fresno State.

Turning point: USC drove 91 yards for a touchdown and then added another score just before halftime, transforming a 14-0 advantage into a 28-0 lead.

Star of the Game: Jayden Maiava, USC — 286 passing yards and three total touchdowns.

Gamble Guy – WON (Had San Jose +39)

Stanford 37, Hawaii 27

Stanford survived a remarkable Hawaii comeback and scored two touchdowns during the final two minutes to win Tavita Pritchard’s debut as head coach.

The Cardinal appeared comfortable after building a 23-7 advantage, but Hawaii erupted for 20 fourth-quarter points. The Rainbow Warriors moved ahead 27-23 and threatened to complete the largest fourth-quarter comeback in program history.

Stanford quarterback Davis Warren responded with his best possession of the night. He completed all five of his passes for 58 yards on the decisive drive, which ended when Micah Ford scored on a two-yard run with 1:41 remaining.

Hawaii still had an opportunity to answer, but quarterback Micah Alejado lost a fumble. Tevarua Tafiti returned it 31 yards for the game-clinching touchdown.

Warren completed 22 of 34 passes for a career-high 310 yards and one touchdown without committing a turnover. Ford rushed for 99 yards and scored three touchdowns, while JonAnthony Hall led Stanford with 81 receiving yards.

Alejado passed for 269 yards for Hawaii, which outscored Stanford 20-14 in a frantic final quarter but could not complete its comeback.

Turning point: Warren’s perfect passing on Stanford’s late go-ahead drive restored order after Hawaii took a four-point lead.

Star of the Game: Micah Ford, Stanford — 99 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Florida State 34, New Mexico State 17

Florida State used a balanced offense and a strong run defense to earn a comfortable season-opening victory at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The Seminoles generated 419 yards, split between 217 rushing and 202 passing. They scored on all six of their trips inside the New Mexico State red zone and held the Aggies to only 47 rushing yards.

Quarterback Ashton Daniels completed his Florida State debut with 202 passing yards. He scored on a four-yard run and connected with Samuel Singleton Jr. for a touchdown shortly before halftime.

Ousmane Kromah powered the Seminoles’ running game with 115 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 52-yard fourth-quarter run. Singleton scored twice—once as a receiver and once as a runner—while Gabe Panikowski converted field goals from 43 and 41 yards.

New Mexico State remained within 27-17 during the fourth quarter behind quarterback Trey Hedden, who passed for 272 yards. Florida State answered with a 90-yard drive capped by Kromah’s one-yard touchdown, ending any realistic comeback threat.

The Seminoles also recorded three sacks and forced an interception.

Turning point: Florida State answered New Mexico State’s third-quarter field goal with a 12-play touchdown drive that restored a two-score lead.

Star of the Game: Ousmane Kromah, Florida State — 115 rushing yards and one touchdown.

What Saturday’s Results Mean

North Carolina earned the weekend’s most valuable victory by beating a Big 12 opponent away from home, while Virginia made an immediate statement inside the ACC. USC’s offense looked capable of supporting a playoff run, although its late defensive lapse deserves attention.

Florida State handled its season-opening assignment with balance and efficiency. Stanford’s victory was less comfortable, but Warren’s composure during the decisive drive gave Pritchard a successful start to his tenure.

Only five games involving major-conference programs appeared on the August 29 schedule. The SEC and rebuilt Pac-12 did not have teams in action, while most programs will begin their seasons during the larger Week 1 schedule.

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