2026 Football Schedule Thread

[idkk]

It can't be USC since they plan on playing that game on Week Zero.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024532584835756194

Week Zero is the unofficial name for the weekend of college football games that are played on the Saturday prior to Labor Day weekend. It’s named Week Zero because it falls one week before the majority of college football teams play their first games in Week 1.

Per NCAA Bylaw 17.12.4, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams cannot play their first contest until the Thursday preceding Labor Day, which is August 28 this season. Beginning in 2016, an exception to this rule was added (Bylaw 17.12.4.1) that allows Hawaii and teams that play in Hawaii, plus their opponents, the option to play one week earlier on the Saturday before Labor Day weekend.

College football schedule 2025: The Hawaii Exemption and Week Zero

The college football schedule for 2025 begins with Week Zero action on Saturday, Aug. 23. We also take a look at the Hawaii Exemption.

fbschedules.com

 

[idkk]

I’d want a 2 to 2.5M game guarantee to take that kind of beating first game out.

The biggest guarantees are just under $2M. USC paid Missouri State $1.15M and Georgia Southern $1.3M last year.

 

[BuckeyeHornetFan]

The biggest guarantees are just under $2M. USC paid Missouri State $1.15M and Georgia Southern $1.3M last year.

I didn’t make any claims as to what the average or largest game guarantee was. I simply stated what I’d seek in order to take that beating first game out.

That said, Alabama reportedly paid Utah State 1.9 in 2022. So seeking 2 to 2.5 isn’t all that absurd.

 

[SDHornet]

Availability will drive our non-conference schedule for these first couple of years. After that we will no doubt see a lot more regional flavor on the schedule.

 

[idkk]

I didn’t make any claims as to what the average or largest game guarantee was. I simply stated what I’d seek in order to take that beating first game out.

That said, Alabama reportedly paid Utah State 1.9 in 2022. So seeking 2 to 2.5 isn’t all that absurd.

Like I said, the highest guarantees are just under $2M.

 

[BuckeyeHornetFan]

Like I said, the highest guarantees are just under $2M.

Like I said, I never made an argument against that. You continue to miss that point.

And that’s just the highest guarantee to date. There’s no cap. Another point you aren’t considering.

The 1.9M guarantee is the highest until it isn’t anymore.

 

[idkk]

Like I said, I never made an argument against that. You continue to miss that point.

And that’s just the highest guarantee to date. There’s no cap. Another point you aren’t considering.

The 1.9M guarantee is the highest until it isn’t anymore.

They're not going up because P4 need less G6 games now. Less of an incentive to pay up more than they need to. With most P4 conferences going to 9 conference games and some requiring 10 total P4 games (so 1 OOC has to be P4), the scheduling opportunities are decreasing.

 

[idkk]

SJSU @ USC confirmed. They will also be playing 13 games (5 OOC, 8 Conference), so they're not dropping any of the OOC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026752292544790944

All but certain that NDSU and Sac will play each other now.

Likely OOC is now:

FCS home game
@Fresno
vs. NDSU (home or away?)
TBD G6 or 2nd FCS

 

[LoveSacState]

The schools that are eligible for a 13 games because they visit Hawaii

Team​	Will Travel to Hawaii?​	Eligible for 13th Game?​
New Mexico State	Yes	Yes
UMass	Yes	Yes
Air Force	Yes	Yes
San Jose State	Yes	USC week 0
UNLV	Yes	Yes
New Mexico	Yes	Yes

So they could play any of these teams plus NDSU. Question is would any of these schools make us pay them a hefty sum to play a 13th game as they don’t actually need too… or would the MAC help us out and have UMass schedule us out of conference and we could schedule NDSU too.

 

[FootballAlum84]

looks like NDSU is off the table also unless they decide they want 13 games. Take note that they are playing 3 FCS still and two of them on the road!

I don’t believe ours would be on the road, but I bet we end up with two FCS games

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026732907893498225

 

[idkk]

looks like NDSU is off the table also unless they decide they want 13 games. Take note that they are playing 3 FCS still and two of them on the road!

I don’t believe ours would be on the road, but I bet we end up with two FCS games

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026732907893498225

From what I've seen this is wrong (like a lot of these CFB accounts on X often are), they aren't keeping any of the previously scheduled FCS games. This is from a local reporter:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026403334391795726

 

[idkk]

The schools that are eligible for a 13 games because they visit Hawaii

Team​	Will Travel to Hawaii?​	Eligible for 13th Game?​
New Mexico State	Yes	Yes
UMass	Yes	Yes
Air Force	Yes	Yes
San Jose State	Yes	USC week 0
UNLV	Yes	Yes
New Mexico	Yes	Yes

So they could play any of these teams plus NDSU. Question is would any of these schools make us pay them a hefty sum to play a 13th game as they don’t actually need too… or would the MAC help us out and have UMass schedule us out of conference and we could schedule NDSU too.

UMASS currently has 13 games on their schedule, with 2 FCS opponents. They could theoretically drop one.

 

[Kadeezy]

Weekly Projected Ideal Schedule....

Date	Opponent	Location	Conference
8/29/26 (Week 0)	North Dakota State	Away	Non-Conference
9/5/26	Mississippi Valley State	Home	Non-Conference
9/12/26	Fresno State	Away	Non-Conference
9/19/26	Youngstown State	Home	Non-Conference
9/26/26	BYE
10/3/26	Toledo	Home	MAC
10/10/26	Central Michigan	Away	MAC
10/17/26	Eastern Michigan	Home	MAC
10/24/26	Bowling Green	Away	MAC
10/31/26	BYE
11/7/26	Kent State	Home	MAC
11/14/26	Akron	Away	MAC
11/21/26	Ball State	Home	MAC
11/27/26 (Fri)	Ohio	Away	MAC

 

[HeavyistheClown]

Weekly Projected Ideal Schedule....

Date	Opponent	Location	Conference
8/29/26 (Week 0)	North Dakota State	Away	Non-Conference
9/5/26	Mississippi Valley State	Home	Non-Conference
9/12/26	Fresno State	Away	Non-Conference
9/19/26	Youngstown State	Home	Non-Conference
9/26/26	BYE
10/3/26	Toledo	Home	MAC
10/10/26	Central Michigan	Away	MAC
10/17/26	Eastern Michigan	Home	MAC
10/24/26	Bowling Green	Away	MAC
10/31/26	BYE
11/7/26	Kent State	Home	MAC
11/14/26	Akron	Away	MAC
11/21/26	Ball State	Home	MAC
11/27/26 (Fri)	Ohio	Away	MAC

Will get killed week 0, 2, 5, & 6.

 

[OldSchoolHornet]

Will get killed week 0, 2, 5,& 6

I'm not saying you're wrong but if you were wrong about week 5 or 6 and we won the rest of our games I'd consider the season a success

 

[BuckeyeHornetFan]

Will get killed week 0, 2, 5, & 6.

They shouldn’t, if this new HC is truly as qualified and as good as some think.

NDST is overrated, too. Their system worked tremendously at FCS where the vast majority of programs lacked the depth of skill talent and overall team speed to combat and counter their physical bully ball style on both sides of the ball. They are a poor man’s version of Wisconsin (under Alvarez, Bielema, and Chryst), who was always physically imposing and competitive but never really had the high ceiling of a truly elite program.

They’ll likely fare well in the weak MW, which really isn’t a big step up from the MVC or Big Sky, but I just don’t see them competing consistently well against legit FBS programs that have equal or better talent.

We shall see.

 

[OldSchoolHornet]

I'm not betting on the HC...I'm counting on the staff he put together. I'm not sure why Coach Carter has never been a FBS coordinator, but it makes me wonder.

 

[Hornet25]

Dr. Wood said he expects the team to be competitive in 2027. Zo is going to be judged on his recruiting by the Athletic Department and he didn't have a chance to recruit as an FBS team this year.

He's offered a lot of high level local talent recently. Time will tell if he can seal the deal. It should only take 1 or 2 kids choosing the "home" team to open up the gates. I have no doubt Marion could have done it.

Being that Zo is a recruiter, I'm personally curious if his coordinators and staff are strong enough to prop him up. If I'm not mistaken, this staff has more coaches with P4 experience than last years. Will that be a difference maker?

 

[idkk]

I'm not betting on the HC...I'm counting on the staff he put together. I'm not sure why Coach Carter has never been a FBS coordinator, but it makes me wonder.

His whole FBS career has been working under Brent Brennan at both SJSU and Arizona. His forte is recruiting. Carter's first FBS (and D1 football of any kind) job was at SJSU under Brennan after he completed his bachelor's degree later in life (2016 from CSU East Bay) after being a HS and JuCo HC for years.

He was a defense guy before getting offered that gig with SJSU, so he had to switch gears. Brennan put him at RB coach due to Carter's background in track. He was at SJSU for Brennan's whole tenure and added assist. HC and recruiting coordinator along the way. There were no real opportunities on that staff for him to become a coordinator. If he wanted that experience, he probably should have jumped at some point, but I think he just wanted to eventually become a HC again.