Top Storylines From the 2026 FOX College Football Friday Schedule Release

As spring practices wrap up and anticipation for the 2026 college football season continues to build, FOX has unveiled its Friday night slate of games for the upcoming year. The 2026 FOX College Football Friday slate features plenty of compelling matchups, and I identified some of those top storylines I’ll be watching ahead of what will most certainly be another raucous and exciting season with at least one or two twists that we won’t believe until they’re revealed. Below are the Friday night games airing on FOX this fall and a look at the biggest things I’ll be watching for. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX How good can USC quarterback Jayden Maiava be? Last season, he quietly put together an impressive campaign, throwing for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. A strong performance against the Bulldogs could quickly push his name into the early Heisman Trophy conversation for 2026. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Mizzou’s Ahmad Hardy is the best running back in the SEC and one of the top Heisman candidates in the country entering 2026. After a breakout freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe with more than 1,300 rushing yards, Hardy proved he could dominate at the highest level by exploding for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns in SEC play last season. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Who will start at quarterback for Texas Tech? That’s one of the biggest questions facing the Red Raiders entering the 2026 season. With presumptive starter Brendan Sorsby currently in rehab for a gambling addiction and backup Will Hammond likely to miss the start of the regular season, head coach Joey McGuire might be forced to turn to his third-string quarterback in a pivotal Big 12 matchup. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX The defending national champions return 2025 Broyles Award-winning defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, who will once again match wits with Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Kelly won the first meeting between the two, leading Ohio State’s offense past the Hoosiers in 2024. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX We’ll know so much more about Penn State head coach Matt Campbell’s first year in Happy Valley, but winning against Northwestern in 2026 is mandatory after the Nittany Lions lost to Northwestern in 2025. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX or FS1 Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has many of the same traits that made former Oklahoma star Kyler Murray so dangerous, and he’ll need all of them against Phil Parker’s Iowa defense. Last season, I called Williams one of the best-kept secrets in the sport. Now, entering 2026, the rest of the country is catching on, and he has the talent to shake up the Heisman race. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Can Purdue climb out of the Big Ten cellar? The Boilermakers haven’t beaten a conference opponent since a 35-31 rivalry win over Indiana in November 2023. Head coach Barry Odom faces mounting pressure to show progress in the toughest conference in college football. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Has Matt Rhule reached his ceiling at Nebraska? Despite back-to-back AP Top 25 finishes and at least seven wins in both 2024 and 2025, the Huskers have yet to break through against elite competition. Nebraska has lost 29 straight games against AP Top 25 opponents, and Illinois could very well be ranked when the two meet this season. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX Can UCLA head coach Bob Chesney replicate his James Madison success with the Bruins? Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti already showed it can be done, arriving from JMU and quickly turning a struggling Big Ten program into a College Football Playoff contender. Chesney, fresh off leading JMU to a CFP appearance, now faces a similar leap. This matchup could be the first step in determining whether UCLA can enter the 12-team playoff conversation in earnest. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX Are the Ducks finally good enough to win a national title? Though I do not expect Michigan State to provide a challenge or a résumé robust enough for me to answer that question, I do expect Dan Lanning’s Oregon team to take care of business against Pat Fitzgerald’s Spartans and continue building momentum toward a playoff run. How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on FOX By the end of this game, we’ll all have a better understanding of what life without Kyle Whittingham looks like for Utah. We’ll know if Utes coach Morgan Scalley is fit to keep the job, and we’ll know something more about how deep the Big 12 is in 2026. How to watch: 9 p.m. ET on FOX Is North Dakota State going to play in it? Not at the moment. Current rules prohibit the Bison from participating in postseason competition as they transition from FCS to FBS. However, if the NCAA’s FBS Oversight Committee passes legislation changing that policy before the season begins, North Dakota State could immediately be in the mix for a title — and perhaps even a College Football Playoff appearance.