When does college football start?

Tennessee running back Ty Chandler (3) participates in a drill  in Knoxville, Tenn. The Volunteers open the 2017 season in Atlanta against Georgia Tech.

Credit: Calvin Mattheis

Credit: Calvin Mattheis

Tennessee running back Ty Chandler (3) participates in a drill in Knoxville, Tenn. The Volunteers open the 2017 season in Atlanta against Georgia Tech.

It’s almost here.

The college football season kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, when former Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo leads Colorado State against Oregon State.

Saturday, Aug. 26, schedule:

• 2:30 p.m., Oregon State vs. Colorado State
• 3 p.m., Portland State vs. BYU
• 6 p.m., Hawaii at UMass
• 7:30 p.m., South Florida vs. San Jose State
• 10 p.m., Stanford vs. Rice at at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia

The season enters high gear Thursday, Aug. 31, with 15 games - including Ohio State's opener against Indiana (8 p.m.) and Georgia State Stadium's college football debut.

Thursday, Aug. 31, schedule:

• 6 p.m., CBSSN: Florida International at Central Florida
• 6:30 p.m., ACCN: Presbyterian College at Wake Forest
• 7 p.m., ESPN3: Austin Peay at Cincinnati
• 7 p.m., BTN: Buffalo at Minnesota
• 7 p.m., ESPN3: Tennessee State at Georgia State
• 7 p.m., ESPN3: Elon at Toledo
• 7 p.m., ESPN3: Rhode Island at Central Michigan
• 7:30 p.m.: Tulsa at Oklahoma State
• 7:30 p.m., ESPN3: Holy Cross at Connecticut
• 7:30 p.m., PAC12N: North Dakota at Utah
• 8 p.m., ESPN: Ohio State at Indiana
• 8 p.m., SEC: Florida A&M at Arkansas
• 9 p.m., CBSSN: Louisiana Monroe at Memphis
• 9 p.m., ESPN3: Sacramento State at Idaho
• 10:30 p.m., PAC12N: New Mexico State at Arizona State

Eight more games will follow Friday.

Friday, Sept. 1, schedule:

• 6 p.m., CBSSN: Fordham at Army
• 6:30 p.m., ESPN3: Charlotte at Eastern Michigan
• 7 p.m., ACCN: Central Connecticut at Syracuse
• 8 p.m., ESPNU: Navy at Florida Atlantic
• 8 p.m., PAC12: Colorado State at Sports Authority Field in Denver
• 8 p.m., FS1: Washington at Rutgers
• 9 p.m., ESPN: Utah State at Wisconsin
• 9:30 p.m., CBSSN: Boston College at Northern Illinois

Saturday, Sept. 2, will feature some marquis matchups, including some Top 25 teams.

Saturday, Sept. 2, schedule:

• 12 p.m., ESPN: Kent State at Clemson
• 12 p.m., ACCN: Cal at North Carolina
• 2:30 p.m., ABC: Florida vs. Michigan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
• 3 p.m., ESPN: North Carolina State vs. South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
• 3:30 p.m., Fox: UTEP at Oklahoma
• 3:30 p.m., NBC: Temple at Notre Dame
• 6:15 p.m., ESPN: Appalachian State at Georgia
• 7:30 p.m., SEC: Georgia Southern at Auburn
• 7:30 p.m., Fox: Louisville vs. Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
• 8 p.m., ABC: Alabama vs. Florida State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
• 9: 30 p.m., ESPN: LSU vs. BYU at NRG Stadium in Houston

The first full weeked extends to Sunday and Monday.

Sunday, Sept. 3, schedule:

• 7:30 p.m., ABC: West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
• 7:30 p.m., Fox: Texas A&M vs. UCLA

Action concludes on Labor Day (8 p.m., Sept., 4, ABC) with Tennessee and Georgia Tech facing off at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.