2026 FBS vs FCS College Football Schedule: Every Game by Conference
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They’re the games that everyone curses, but fans secretly enjoy when their teams play them.
They’re the games against the FCS teams, and they’re supposed to be easy wins.
The idea is to use these games as a break, a paid win to make sure the win total gets to six to become bowl eligible, and to give the home crowd a delightful day at the stadium. But there’s the potential to take on a bigger role going forward.
Next year, the NCAA is looking into expanding the Week 0 slate so teams can expand the season and get two weeks off. The FCS games would be perfect as a tune-up for the big things to follow – schools would be smart to use them that way.
Below is every FBS vs FCS matchup for 2026, along with each team’s first game against an FBS opponent to show how much a Week 0 tune-up could matter.
FBS Games vs FCS Teams in 2026
Key Takeaways
– The ACC has a tough season and needs the FCS games, but most come later on.
– Several Big Ten teams – including most of the big ones – are going without an FCS game this year.
– The Big 12 is still relatively new in its current form. The FCS games still play a big role.
– Yes, several SEC teams still play FCS games late in the year, but two aren’t playing them at all.
– With so much movement, and the addition of North Dakota State and Sacramento State from the FCS, the Group of Six (American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, Sun Belt) conferences have had to scramble a bit.
ACC Games vs FCS Teams
ACC teams get a break. It’s deep this season, several have big rivalry games against SEC teams, and six have to deal with Notre Dame. The games against FCS teams should all be fine, but most come in mid-September or later as more of a break than an early-season tune-up.
Boston College
Maine, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Cincinnati, Sept 5
Cal
Wagner, Sept 19
First FBS Game: UCLA, Sept 5
Clemson
Charleston Southern, Oct 17
First FBS Game: at LSU, Sept 5
Duke
William & Mary, Sept 26
First FBS Game: Tulane, Sept 5
Florida State
Central Arkansas, Sept 26
First FBS Game: New Mexico State, Aug 29
Georgia Tech
Mercer, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Colorado, Sept 5
Louisville
Villanova, Sept. 11
First FBS Game: Ole Miss (in Nashville), Sept 5
Miami
Florida A&M, Sept 10
First FBS Game: at Stanford, Sept 4
NC State
Richmond, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Virginia (in Brazil), Aug 29
North Carolina
ETSU, Sept 12
First FBS Game: TCU (in Dublin), Aug 29
Pitt
Bryant, Sept 26
First FBS Game: Miami University, Sept 5
SMU
UC Davis, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Florida State, Sept 7
Stanford
Elon, Oct 17
First FBS Game: Hawaii, Aug 29
Syracuse
New Hampshire, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Cal, Sept 12
Virginia
Norfolk State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: NC State (in Brazil), Aug 29
Virginia Tech
VMI, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Old Dominion, Sept 12
Wake Forest
Merrimack, Nov 7
First FBS Game: Akron, Sept 3
American Games vs FCS Teams
Instead of playing the FCS games later on in the year, several of the American Conference teams schedule them right away – get a win out of the way.
For many, it’s a big early moment before having to deal with a paycheck-receiving game of their own. And then there’s Tulane, who joins Hawaii as the only Group of Six teams without an FCS game.
Army
Bryant, Sept 5
First FBS Game: USF, Sept 12
Charlotte
Citadel, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Ole Miss, Sept 12
East Carolina
NC Central, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Alabama, Sept 5
Florida Atlantic
Texas Southern, Oct 3
First FBS Game: at Florida, Sept 5
Memphis
UT Martin, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at UNLV, Aug 29
Navy
Towson, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Florida Atlantic, Sept 12
North Texas
Houston Christian, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Indiana, Sept 5
Rice
Houston Christian, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Notre Dame, Sept 12
Temple
Rhode Island, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Penn State, Sept 12
Tulane
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: at Duke, Sept 5
Tulsa
East Texas A&M, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Oklahoma State, Sept 5
UAB
Samford, Oct 3
First FBS Game: at Illinois, Sept 5
USF
Delaware State, Sept 19
First FBS Game: FIU, Sept 5
UTSA
UT-Rio Grande Valley, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Texas State, Sept 12
Big 12 Games vs FCS Teams
Everyone but Oklahoma State plays its FCS game within the first two weeks of the season. Eight teams blow it out right away and use the game as a true tune-up date – perfect for Week 0 next year if the NCAA gets its way.
– 2026 Big 12 Preseason Win Totals
Arizona
Northern Arizona, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at BYU, Sept 12
Arizona State
Morgan State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Texas A&M, Sept 12
Baylor
Prairie View A&M, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Auburn (in Atlanta), Sept 5
BYU
Utah Tech, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Arizona, Sept 12
Cincinnati
Western Carolina, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Boston College, Sept 5
Colorado
Weber State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Georgia Tech, Sept 5
Houston
Southern, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Oregon State, Sept 5
Iowa State
SE Missouri State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Iowa, Sept 12
Kansas
LIU, Sept 4
First FBS Game: Missouri, Sept 12
Kansas State
Nicholls State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Washington State, Sept 12
Oklahoma State
Murray State, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Tulsa, Sept 5
TCU
Grambling State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: North Carolina (in Dublin), Aug 29
Texas Tech
Abilene Christian, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Oregon State, Sept 12
UCF
Bethune-Cookman, Sept 3
First FBS Game: at Pitt, Sept 12
Utah
Idaho, Sept 3
First FBS Game: Arkansas, Sept 12
West Virginia
UT Martin, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Coastal Carolina, Sept 3
Big Ten Games vs FCS Teams
Six Big Ten teams don’t play FCS games. They’re all insane, considering how tough the conference is, and with what several are doing outside of league play.
So give Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA, and USC a wee bit of a break when it comes to their respective slates.
Illinois
Southern Illinois, Sept 19
First FBS Game: UAB, Sept 5
Indiana
Howard, Sept 12
First FBS Game: North Texas, Sept 5
Iowa
Northern Iowa, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Northern Illinois, Sept 5
Maryland
Hampton, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at UConn, Sept 12
Michigan
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Western Michigan, Sept 5
Michigan State
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Toledo, Sept 5
Minnesota
Eastern Illinois, Sept 3
First FBS Game: Mississippi State, Sept 12
Nebraska
North Dakota, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Ohio, Sept 5
Northwestern
South Dakota State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Colorado, Sept 19
Ohio State
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Ball State, Sept 5
Oregon
Portland State, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Boise State, Sept 5
Penn State
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Marshall, Sept 5
Purdue
Indiana State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Wake Forest, Sept 12
Rutgers
Howard, Sept 26
First FBS Game: UMass, Sept 3
UCLA
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: at Cal, Sept 5
USC
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: San Jose State, Aug 29
Washington
Eastern Washington, Sept 19
First FBS Game: Washington State, Sept 5
Wisconsin
Western Illinois, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Notre Dame (in Green Bay), Sept 5
Conference USA Games vs FCS Teams
Most Conference USA teams get paid for playing Power Four teams, and then comes the conference season. All of them need the FCS games to have a real shot at a six-win total and bowl eligibility.
Remember, Delaware, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Missouri State, and Sam Houston are relatively new to the FBS level. Playing FCS teams isn’t always a breather.
Delaware
Merrimack, Sept 3
First FBS Game: at Vanderbilt, Sept 12
FIU
LIU, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at USF, Sept 5
Jacksonville State
Eastern Kentucky, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at North Dakota State, Aug 29
Kennesaw State
West Georgia, Sept 3
First FBS Game: Georgia State, Sept 12
Liberty
Gardner-Webb, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at James Madison, Sept 5
Middle Tennessee
Murray State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Marshall, Sept 12
Missouri State
Lindenwood, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Texas A&M, Sept 5
New Mexico State
Mercyhurst, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Florida State, Aug 29
Sam Houston
Nicholls, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Troy, Aug 29
WKU
Mercyhurst, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Nevada, Aug 29
Independent Games vs FCS Teams
Notre Dame doesn’t do the FCS thing unless it’s something special. UConn has its opener against Lafayette, and then it dives right into the rest of the season against FBS teams.
Notre Dame
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Wisconsin (in Green Bay), Sept 6
UConn
Lafayette, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Maryland, Sept 12
MAC Games vs FCS Teams
The MAC teams really, really need the FCS games. Nine MAC schools get their first FBS games of the year against Power Four schools, with the FCS games almost always coming in the first two weeks.
Considering Sacramento State just joined the FBS and the MAC, It’s impressive that it only has one FCS game, not counting the date with North Dakota State.
Akron
Robert Morris, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Wake Forest, Sept 5
Ball State
Stony Brook, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Ohio State, Sept 5
Bowling Green
Tarleton State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Nebraska, Sept 12
Buffalo
Albany, Sept 3
First FBS Game: at FIU, Sept 12
Central Michigan
Colgate, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at New Mexico, Sept 5
Eastern Michigan
Lindenwood, Sept 26
First FBS Game: Sacramento State, Aug 29
Kent State
Wofford, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at South Carolina, Sept 5
Miami University
Holy Cross, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Pitt, Sept 5
Ohio
Stonehill, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Nebraska, Sept 5
Sacramento State
Missouri Valley State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Eastern Michigan, Aug 29
Toledo
Central Connecticut State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Michigan State, Sept 5
UMass
Sacred Heart, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Rutgers, Sept 3
Western Michigan
Monmouth, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Michigan, Sept 5
Mountain West Games vs FCS Teams
Considering all the moves and losses to the new Pac-12, the Mountain West schedules are a little funky.
Hawaii is too busy to be everyone’s favorite vacation game destination to have any FCS teams on the schedule this year. UNLV has North Dakota State on its schedule in mid-October, but that’s no longer an FCS team.
Air Force
Duquesne, Sept 5
First FBS Game: North Dakota State, Sept 12
Hawaii
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: at Stanford, Aug 29
Nevada
Montana State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Western Kentucky, Sept 5
New Mexico
Mercyhurst, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Central Michigan, Sept 5
North Dakota State
Fordham, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Jacksonville State, Aug 29
Northern Illinois
Illinois State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Iowa, Sept 5
San Jose State
Cal Poly, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at USC, Aug 29
UNLV
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Memphis, Aug 29
UTEP
Texas Southern, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Oklahoma, Sept 5
Wyoming
Northern Colorado, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Colorado State, Sept 5
Pac-12 Games vs FCS Teams
Several of the Pac-12 teams needed to scramble a bit to fill out games, but they all got it done. Fresno State originally had Sacramento State on the slate, but it’s not an FCS game anymore.
Six of the eight teams start out the season with a big FBS game, and some are paycheck games, like Texas for Texas State and Fresno State at USC. Washington is the first FBS game of the season for both Utah State and Washington State.
Boise State
South Dakota, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Oregon, Sept 5
Colorado State
Southern Utah, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Wyoming, Sept 5
Fresno State
No FCS games
First FBS Game: at USC, Sept 5
Oregon State
Montana, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Houston, Sept 5
San Diego State
Portland State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at UCLA, Sept 12
Texas State
Incarnate Word, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Texas, Sept 5
Utah State
Weber State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Washington, Sept 12
Washington State
Duquesne, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Washington, Sept 5
SEC Games vs FCS Teams
The SEC gets knocked for playing FCS games late in the season – Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss all play theirs in November. LSU plays McNeese on October third, and Texas A&M plays Citadel on October 17.
Too much is made out of that – so they all play FCS games late instead of early. It’s not that big a deal. Oklahoma and Texas aren’t playing FCS teams at all this season.
Alabama
Chattanooga, Nov 21
First FBS Game: East Carolina, Sept 5
Arkansas
North Alabama, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Utah, Sept 12
Auburn
Samford, Nov 21
First FBS Game: Baylor (in Atlanta), Sept 5
Florida
Campbell, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Florida Atlantic, Sept 5
Georgia
Tennessee State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Western Michigan, Sept 12
Kentucky
Youngstown State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Alabama, Sept 12
LSU
McNeese, Oct 3
First FBS Game: Clemson, Sept 5
Mississippi State
Tennessee Tech, Nov 21
First FBS Game: ULM, Sept 5
Missouri
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Kansas, Sept 12
Oklahoma
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: UTEP, Sept 5
Ole Miss
Wofford, Nov 21
First FBS Game: Louisville (in Nashville), Sept 5
South Carolina
Towson, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Kent State, Sept 5
Tennessee
Furman, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Georgia Tech, Sept 12
Texas
No FCS Games
First FBS Game: Texas State, Sept 5
Texas A&M
Citadel, Oct 17
First FBS Game: Missouri State, Sept 5
Vanderbilt
Austin Peay, Sept 5
First FBS Game: Delaware, Sept 12
Sun Belt Games vs FCS Teams
Seven Sun Belt teams play their FCS games right away in the hopes of getting an easy first win out of the way, and four others play theirs in Week 2. They all get them out of the way fast.
Appalachian State
Maine, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at East Carolina, Sept 12
Arkansas State
West Georgia, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at Memphis, Sept 5
Coastal Carolina
Fordham, Sept 12
First FBS Game: at West Virginia, Sept 5
Georgia Southern
Charleston Southern, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Clemson, Sept 12
Georgia State
North Carolina A&T, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Kennesaw State, Sept 12
James Madison
Wagner, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Liberty, Sept 5
Louisiana
Lamar, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at USC, Sept 12
Louisiana Tech
Northwestern State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at LSU, Sept 12
Marshall
Gardner-Webb, Sept 26
First FBS Game: at Penn State, Sept 5
Old Dominion
Norfolk State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Virginia Tech, Sept 12
South Alabama
SE Louisiana, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Tulane, Sept 12
Southern Miss
Alcorn State, Sept 5
First FBS Game: at Auburn, Sept 12
Troy
Alabama State, Sept 12
First FBS Game: Sam Houston, Sept 5
ULM
SE Louisiana, Sept 19
First FBS Game: at Mississippi State, Sept 5
Will teams take advantage of the NCAA’s suggestion of doing more with Week 0? College football would be far better if these FCS games were the opening weekend of the season, but for now, it’s up to the FBS to just win these games and move on.
Related: NCAA Wants Bigger Week 0. Here’s Why Every FBS vs FCS Game Should Be There
This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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