The first college football game ever played took place on November 6, 1869. It was between Rutgers University and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The game resembled soccer more than modern football, with 25 players on each team trying to score by kicking the ball into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6-4.

For the current and upcoming college football season, the first games of the 2025 season are scheduled for Saturday, August 23, 2025, which is referred to as "Week Zero" of the season.