STAMFORD, Conn. – Aug. 26, 2026 – The No. 14 USC Trojans host the San Jose State Spartans this Saturday, Aug. 29, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock to kick off NBC Sports’ 2026 Big Ten Football schedule. Coverage begins with Big Ten College Countdown at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
USC returns 15 starters from last season, tied for the most of any team in the FBS. Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 3,711 yards (5th in FBS) and 24 touchdowns in 2025 as the Trojans boasted the No. 1 total offense and passing offense in the Big Ten. Lincoln Riley enters his fifth season as USC’s head coach and welcomes a top recruiting class. USC also added defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, who was TCU’s head coach for over 20 years and a former national coach of the year.
The Spartans enter their third season under head coach Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest coach in Navy history. San Jose ranked second in the Mountain West in passing offense last season. The Trojans won the most recent meeting, 56-28, in the 2023 season opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The season-opening matchup will be called by NBC Sports’ Big Ten Saturday Night team of Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), and Kathryn Tappen (sidelines). Terry McAulay serves as the rules analyst.
Big Ten College Countdown
NBC Sports’ Big Ten College Countdown studio show begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday (NBC and Peacock). The Big Ten College Countdown team features host John Fanta alongside analysts Chris Simms, Joshua Perry, college football insider Nicole Auerbach, and betting analyst Connor Rogers.
Big Ten College Countdown will lead into Big Ten games on NBC/Peacock. In addition, College Countdown will lead into Notre Dame Football games on NBC/Peacock.
College Football Programming on NBC Sports NOW:
Beginning Monday, Aug. 31, NBC Sports NOW, NBC Sports’ free 24/7 streaming channel, will debut a new Monday-Friday lineup of shows, including Fanta in 60, a fast-paced sports and entertainment show hosted by John Fanta and sports betting analyst Jay Croucher, Mondays from 6-7 p.m. ET. Fanta will cover a combination of sports and pop culture conversations, speak with guests, and take viewer voicemails. The show will cover multiple sports, betting and fantasy analysis, with guests including talent from across the NBC Sports and entertainment roster, as well as current and former athletes and coaches.
Rushing the Field returns for its third season, with new episodes featuring Nicole Auerbach and Joshua Perry airing Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET. Auerbach and Perry will break down the biggest stories and discuss the latest news and trends in college football.
Big Ten Football Highlights Factory will air Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET, featuring highlights from every Big Ten Football game of the season, including matchups featuring some of the top teams in the nation, from Ohio State and Michigan to Oregon and USC.
NBC Sports’ 2026 Big Ten and Notre Dame Football games announced to date:
Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Platform(s) |
Sat., Aug. 29 | 3 p.m. | San Jose State at USC | NBC, Peacock |
Thurs., Sept. 3 | 8 p.m. | Eastern Illinois at Minnesota | Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Western Michigan at Michigan | NBC, Peacock |
Sun., Sept. 6 | 4 p.m. | Washington State at Washington | NBC, Peacock |
Sun., Sept. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Wisconsin at Notre Dame (Lambeau Field) | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 12 | 3:30 p.m. | Rice at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Iowa State at Iowa | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 19 | 12:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin | Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 19 | 2 p.m. | Southern Illinois at Illinois | Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 19 | 4 p.m. | Western Kentucky at Indiana | Peacock |
Sat., Sept. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Michigan State at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Oct. 10 | 3:30 p.m. | Stanford at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Oct. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | USC at Penn State | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Nov. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Miami at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Nov. 14 | 3:30 p.m. | Boston College at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Sat., Nov. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | SMU at Notre Dame | NBC, Peacock |
Fri. Nov. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Minnesota at Wisconsin | NBC, Peacock |
Peacock will simulstream all of NBC Sports’ college football games and studio shows airing on the NBC broadcast network this season, including Big Ten Saturday Night and Notre Dame Football home games.
In addition to Big Ten football, Peacock’s sports programming features live coverage of the NFL, including Sunday Night Football, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Big Ten basketball, BIG EAST basketball, Big 12 basketball, Notre Dame Football, Premier League, golf, NBA and WNBA, and much more.
To learn more about how to watch Big Ten Football on Peacock and how to sign up, click here.
--NBC SPORTS--
