2026 Non-Conference Schedule Thread

[RocknTheSnackBar]

Kutztown's schedule is up and it will be Assumption on Sept. 3 in Worcester.

So no longer just an assumption

[Tdobson]

These are the confirmed non-conference opponents for the 2026 season (dates and times will be finalized as the off-season progresses; the main post will be updated as more non-con games are confirmed):

PSAC EAST

Bloomsburg: TBA
East Stroudsburg: TBA
Kutztown: at Assumption (NE-10) - Week 1
Lackawanna: TBA
Millersville: at Glenville State (MEC) - Week 1
Shepherd: vs Frostburg State (MEC) - Week 1
Shippensburg: at Lincoln (PA) (CIAA) - Week 0
West Chester: at Lincoln (PA) (CIAA) - Week 1

PSAC WEST

California: TBA
Clarion: TBA
Edinboro: TBA
Gannon: TBA
IUP: at Ashland (GMAC) - Week 1
Lock Haven: at AIC (NE-10) - Week 1
Seton Hill: TBA
Slippery Rock: vs Minnesota-Duluth (NSIC) - Week 0

I am intrigued to watch the Rock vs. Deluth game. I think it could be a good game. But then again, it could be a crap shot.

[Fightingscot82]

Edinboro will be hosting Ohio Dominican on Thursday, Sept 3.

[Finchwidget]

https://x.com/UCWV_Football/status/2026024382787678457

Charleston at Cal on September 3rd

[ctrabs74]

https://x.com/UCWV_Football/status/2026024382787678457

Charleston at Cal on September 3rd

So, Charleston is playing at Cal for the second straight season? I would've thought the game would've been in Charleston since last year's game was at Cal.

EDIT: I forgot Cal played at Charleston in 2024 and last year's game was the return of the home-and-home.

[Fightingscot82]

PSAC EAST

Bloomsburg: TBA
East Stroudsburg: TBA
Kutztown: at Assumption (NE-10) - Week 1
Lackawanna: TBA
Millersville: at Glenville State (MEC) - Week 1
Shepherd: vs Frostburg State (MEC) - Week 1
Shippensburg: at Lincoln (PA) (CIAA) - Week 0
West Chester: at Lincoln (PA) (CIAA) - Week 1

PSAC WEST

California: vs Charleston (MEC) - Week 1
Clarion: TBA
Edinboro: vs Ohio Dominican (GMAC) - Week 1
Gannon: TBA
IUP: at Ashland (GMAC) - Week 1
Lock Haven: at AIC (NE-10) - Week 1
Seton Hill: TBA
Slippery Rock: vs Minnesota-Duluth (NSIC) - Week 0

[ESU Warrior]

ESU will play Pace again from what I hear...nothing "confirmed" though

[IUPbigINDIANS]

ESU will play Pace again from what I hear...nothing "confirmed" though

They should just schedule a local high school team.

[Ram040506]

ESU will play Pace again from what I hear...nothing "confirmed" though

I wish ESU would chase a bigger opponent, they've graduated from Pace.

[RocknTheSnackBar]

When you open the season with Pace you're on pace to go 11-0. But yeah, it doesn't move the needle

[ESU Warrior]

I wish ESU would chase a bigger opponent, they've graduated from Pace.

I don't disagree. They have played Wagner and Ferris State and Ohio Dominican not to long ago.

[IUPNation]

I wish ESU would chase a bigger opponent, they've graduated from Pace.

It's a tradition for them to have a patsy to run up the score on the first week but I thought Jimmy would start to move away from it.

[Ram040506]

I don't disagree. They have played Wagner and Ferris State and Ohio Dominican not to long ago.

Yea looks like Ferris in 2018 and Wagner in 2019. Post Covid it's been all Pace though it seems. At this point it feels like this is going to hurt you guys for SOS and playoff tiebreakers.

[Fightingscot82]

OOC games are tough to come by. FCS even at the lowest level (read: NEC) only plays D2 to plug a hole. They focus on mercenary games for big paydays. As one FCS coach told me, "I can spend 150 work hours planning a golf outing that raises $20,000 but I can spent 1/2 work hours agreeing to get my ass kicked by a G5 school for $250,000." For D2 schools, its getting harder to schedule the non-conference games as operational budgets slowly dry up. Taking the travel squad and staff to an away game can cost $5,000 for a day trip and $20,000 for a weekend trip. The days of Portland State flying Edinboro out for a non-conference game are over, same with Youngstown State using us as an early season warm up. You might get a Wagner or New Haven now but maybe D2 needs to start looking down for non-conference games the way FCS does to us.

[Finchwidget]

For what it's worth, Lackawanna has had their 2026 schedule up on their website for a couple weeks now, and they don't have a non-conference game listed. Not to say they couldn't add one later on, and I'm keeping an eye on them in case they do, but I thought I heard someone on this board say that they wouldn't have an OOC game this year, so something to consider.