The 2025 college football season will kick off 150 days from now on Saturday, Aug. 23, as Week 0 action gets things underway. There are four matchups taking place on the opening weekend, headlined by the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin.
Last season, Florida State’s miserable 2-10 campaign kicked off with a surprising loss to Georgia Tech, a matchup that had a major impact on both programs. SMU also started its run to the College Football Playoff in Week 0 with a win over Nevada.
Here are the games to watch during the 2025 Week 0 slate, including a pivotal conference matchup and the debut of three new coaches.
Iowa State vs. Kansas State (Ireland)
The Big 12 rivalry, affectionately dubbed “Farmageddon,” will take place in Dublin, Ireland, to kick off the 2025 season with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Led by coaches Chris Klieman and Matt Campbell, the pair sit as perennial conference championship contenders with exciting young quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Avery Johnson. Iowa State has won four of the last five matchups, making this a pivotal game that could shake up the Big 12 title and CFP races.
Stanford at Hawaii
The Cardinal head into their first game of the season in transition after Troy Taylor was fired on March 25 for misconduct. Hawaii nearly reached a bowl game under coach and program legend Timmy Chang. Redshirt freshman quarterback Micah Alejado is expected to take the reins of the Run-And-Shoot offense after the graduation of mainstay Brayden Schager.
Fresno State at Kansas
The Bulldogs and Jayhawks both kick off anticipated seasons with expectations of contending for their respective conference. Kansas ended 2024 as one of the hottest teams in the Big 12 with three straight wins against ranked opponents. With quarterback Jalon Daniels back, a resurgence is in sight. Fresno State hired Matt Entz, who was a championship-winning coach at North Dakota State before taking an assistant job at USC.
Sam Houston at Western Kentucky
The Bearkats break in a new coach as Phil Longo takes over a 10-win roster left by K.C. Keeler. Western Kentucky breaks in a new QB/OC transfer combo: quarterback Maverick McIvor and offensive coordinator Rick Bowie both came to the program from Abilene Christian.
In addition to the FBS matchups, there are four matchups involving FCS opponents:
- FCS Kickoff: UC Davis vs. Mercer
- MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Southern vs. NC Central
- Tarleton at Portland State
- UIW at Nicholls
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