The annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic is today, and with it comes the return of college football.
This afternoon, the North Carolina Tar Heels and TCU Horned Frogs will open their respective 2026 campaigns — and the NCAA season as a whole — in Dublin, Ireland.
It’s the second season in a row that UNC and TCU meet in Week 1. Last year, as Bill Belichick made his UNC head coaching debut, the Horned Frogs won in a massive 48-14 victory. Belichick’s second year as head coach at UNC begins today.
Watch UNC vs. TCU for free
- When: Aug. 29, 12 p.m. ET
- Where: Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland)
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- Channel: ESPN
Last season, the Tar Heels finished 14th in the ACC with a 4-8 record. TCU finished in the middle of the pack, 9th in the Big 12 with a 9–4 record, but were ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll at the end of the season.
If you want to tune in to today’s college football season opener, here’s what you need to know.
UNC vs. TCU Ireland game time
Today’s (Aug. 29) UNC vs. TCU game is scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time in Dublin).
How to watch UNC vs. TCU for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the UNC vs. TCU season opener for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes ESPN as part of its 125+ channels.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
