Jul. 24—SIOUX FALLS — 'Week 0' isn't a new frontier in college football.
But teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference are embracing the first chance to get on the field for 2026, which means the opening games of the new season are coming sooner on the calendar.
Eight of the nine Missouri Valley teams are playing on the first weekend of the season, a week before the traditional Labor Day weekend start as in past seasons. (Only Northern Iowa is not in action for Week 0 this year.) Seven of the eight MVFC schools in action on the opening weekend are playing fellow Division I schools.
"I'm a huge supporter of not only starting earlier but getting the season done earlier," UND coach Eric Schmidt said. "There's no reason not to. Especially with everything that happens at the end of the season with championship games and trying to get kids into school. College football has always been a New Year's Day-ish postseason sport, where the season is coming to a close. I think it makes sense for these (players) as far as their schedules go, as well."
Schmidt noted that the last weekend in August is expected to become the new opening week for both FBS and FCS college football in the future, so FCS teams are getting a taste of what the schedule is expected to be going forward. That is a potential downside for the FCS: whatever standalone spotlight they've gotten in the past with their games is likely to be short lived as the FBS moves more games to Week 0, as well, making room for the expanded postseason at the end of the year.
#Football #games #opening
But teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference are embracing the first chance to get on the field for 2026, which means the opening games of the new season are coming sooner on the calendar.
Eight of the nine Missouri Valley teams are playing on the first weekend of the season, a week before the traditional Labor Day weekend start as in past seasons. (Only Northern Iowa is not in action for Week 0 this year.) Seven of the eight MVFC schools in action on the opening weekend are playing fellow Division I schools.
"I'm a huge supporter of not only starting earlier but getting the season done earlier," UND coach Eric Schmidt said. "There's no reason not to. Especially with everything that happens at the end of the season with championship games and trying to get kids into school. College football has always been a New Year's Day-ish postseason sport, where the season is coming to a close. I think it makes sense for these (players) as far as their schedules go, as well."
Schmidt noted that the last weekend in August is expected to become the new opening week for both FBS and FCS college football in the future, so FCS teams are getting a taste of what the schedule is expected to be going forward. That is a potential downside for the FCS: whatever standalone spotlight they've gotten in the past with their games is likely to be short lived as the FBS moves more games to Week 0, as well, making room for the expanded postseason at the end of the year.
#Football #games #opening
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