Your in-person 2026 college football schedule

[CHIP72]

The college football season is arriving this week and that means many of us will be going to various games over the next 4+ months. This thread is an opportunity for everyone to share which games they plan to attend during the 2026 season.

Here's my personal, planned schedule (all times Eastern):

DEFINITE/LIKELY GAMES
08/27 (Thu): Lafayette at Georgetown, 7:00 PM
09/05 (Sat): Lehigh at Georgetown, 12:30 PM
09/12 (Sat): Penn State at Temple, 12:00 PM
11/07 (Sat): Temple at Navy, 3:30 PM
11/21 (Sat): Penn at Princeton, 12:00 PM

OTHER POSSIBLE GAMES
09/19 (Sat): Dartmouth at Lehigh, 12:00 PM (may be staying in Lansdale that weekend, which might provide an opportunity to attend)
10/03 (Sat): West Chester at East Stroudsburg, 1:00 PM (probably have a family commitment that day, but this is a possibility if I don't)
10/03 (Sat): Richmond at Lafayette, 12:30 PM (see West Chester/East Stroudsburg game above)
10/03 (Sat): Fordham at Lehigh, 12:00 PM (see West Chester/East Stroudsburg and Richmond/Lafayette games above)
10/10 (Sat): Syracuse at Virginia, time TBA (may take a day trip to Charlottesville that day, and if this is an early afternoon game, I may attend)
10/24 (Sat): Lehigh at Villanova, 3:30 PM (plan to attend Bucks/76ers NBA game that night and might try the tight time-wise doubleheader)

In addition to games listed above, select DI-AA/FCS and/or D2 playoff games involving teams I follow that take place near the DC area (on 12/5 or 12/12) or near the Lehigh Valley (on 11/28) are also possibilities.

Finally, I plan to attend three Philadelphia Eagles NFL games this fall (11/1 at Washington, 11/8 vs N.Y. Giants, and 12/13 vs Indianapolis) and possibly a fourth game (10/18 vs Carolina).

Which college football games do you plan to attend during the 2026 season?

[Fightingscot82]

Well, unfortunately for me, the time-honored PSAC tradition of 12:00pm Saturday kickoffs is a direct conflict with my 8 and 10 year olds on the local football & cheer team.

DEFINITE/LIKELY GAMES
I don't think anybody on here wants the rundown of the Avonworth Eagles 130-pound max youth football team. Until the season is over in mid-October, I'll be watching games via streaming. Even with them being off Labor Day weekend, there aren't games for me to attend as Edinboro plays Thursday night and Slippery Rock is off.

11/07 (Sat): Edinboro at Slippery Rock, 4:00 PM

OTHER/POSSIBLE GAMES
10/24 (Sat): Gannon at Edinboro, 12:00 PM (provided my kids team doesn't make the playoffs)
10/24 (Sat): Lock Haven at Slippery Rock, 1:00 PM (see above)
10/31 (Sat): Seton Hill at Edinboro, 12:00 PM
11/14 (Sat): Shippensburg at Edinboro, 12:00 PM (may try to make a combo trip of Edinboro/SRU)
11/14 (Sat): Lackawanna at Slippery Rock, 1:00 PM (see above)

Local high school team is defending PIAA 3A champs so I'll get several of their games in as well. Last year a friend gave me his Pitt vs Miami tickets and that was a tough watch (both the cold and Pitt's defense unable to stop Miami and their 30 year old QB).

[Big__Tasty]

This is a transition year for me after watching my son play high school football the last 4 years and win state championships the last two. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I'll be at every Lock Haven game this season (home and away) with the exception of the away games at AIC and possibly Gannon. Both are a pretty good haul from Delaware. IUP and Seaton Hill are also pretty far, but I have a lot of relatives in Indiana who I will visit the weekends of those two games.

I absolutely can't wait for Saturday to see his first college game. He's not starting at LB, but it sounds like he will be getting some PT. He's also on the kickoff team.

[Fightingscot82]

This is a transition year for me after watching my son play high school football the last 4 years and win state championships the last two. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I'll be at every Lock Haven game this season (home and away) with the exception of the away games at AIC and possibly Gannon. Both are a pretty good haul from Delaware. IUP and Seaton Hill are also pretty far, but I have a lot of relatives in Indiana who I will visit the weekends of those two games.

I absolutely can't wait for Saturday to see his first college game. He's not starting at LB, but it sounds like he will be getting some PT. He's also on the kickoff team.

Congrats to your son. The 5 in 5 rule is going to be great for younger players getting playing time.

[IUPNation]

Weeeellll…I was hoping to go to IUP’s visit to beautiful Chester County but I have family wedding the same day at White Manor Country Club at 5.

Maybe the following week when IUP visits Shippensburg.

[TheBigCat2192]

I'd like to make it to a Bloomsburg game this year, as it has been more than 10 years since I've seen one in person, but I'm not sure that any of the home dates are a realistic possibility for me with a recent change in my work schedule. Depending on how the team looks, the easiest chance to see them may actually be November 7th at KU (I expect the Huskies to lose but it's a comparable drive to BU). I also have a non-PSAC date penciled in to see Ohio State play against Kent State, as my father is from Ohio and went to a lot of Buckeyes games when he was younger, but never found a chance to take the family out there due to his work. The family has put the effort in to find time to make this trip since he is getting close to retirement age; it's kind of like a gift, and also the best chance to make a memory because you never know what may happen tomorrow.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Weeeellll…I was hoping to go to IUP’s visit to beautiful Chester County but I have family wedding the same day at White Manor Country Club at 5.

Maybe the following week when IUP visits Shippensburg.

When you start to recommend restaurants in D2 towns ... you know you've been to far too many D2 games. Believe me, it's not easy finding any to recommend in several of our towns (talking about you, California). You been to one Dairy Queen you've been to them all.

That said, if you do go to Ship, the University Grille is a good stop. Ship69 pointed me there a couple years back and I make it a regular stop now. It's the steakhouse of the Wyndham downtown. Close by is the King Street Diner (if you want something faster and on the greasy side).

[RocknTheSnackBar]

The college football season is arriving this week and that means many of us will be going to various games over the next 4+ months. This thread is an opportunity for everyone to share which games they plan to attend during the 2026 season.

Here's my personal, planned schedule (all times Eastern):

DEFINITE/LIKELY GAMES
08/27 (Thu): Lafayette at Georgetown, 7:00 PM
09/05 (Sat): Lehigh at Georgetown, 12:30 PM
09/12 (Sat): Penn State at Temple, 12:00 PM
11/07 (Sat): Temple at Navy, 3:30 PM
11/21 (Sat): Penn at Princeton, 12:00 PM

OTHER POSSIBLE GAMES
09/19 (Sat): Dartmouth at Lehigh, 12:00 PM (may be staying in Lansdale that weekend, which might provide an opportunity to attend)
10/03 (Sat): West Chester at East Stroudsburg, 1:00 PM (probably have a family commitment that day, but this is a possibility if I don't)
10/03 (Sat): Richmond at Lafayette, 12:30 PM (see West Chester/East Stroudsburg game above)
10/03 (Sat): Fordham at Lehigh, 12:00 PM (see West Chester/East Stroudsburg and Richmond/Lafayette games above)
10/10 (Sat): Syracuse at Virginia, time TBA (may take a day trip to Charlottesville that day, and if this is an early afternoon game, I may attend)
10/24 (Sat): Lehigh at Villanova, 3:30 PM (plan to attend Bucks/76ers NBA game that night and might try the tight time-wise doubleheader)

In addition to games listed above, select DI-AA/FCS and/or D2 playoff games involving teams I follow that take place near the DC area (on 12/5 or 12/12) or near the Lehigh Valley (on 11/28) are also possibilities.

Finally, I plan to attend three Philadelphia Eagles NFL games this fall (11/1 at Washington, 11/8 vs N.Y. Giants, and 12/13 vs Indianapolis) and possibly a fourth game (10/18 vs Carolina).

Which college football games do you plan to attend during the 2026 season?

Kind of ambitious to plan three games knowing you probably won't get to any of them

[Tdobson]

Well, unfortunately for me, the time-honored PSAC tradition of 12:00pm Saturday kickoffs is a direct conflict with my 8 and 10 year olds on the local football & cheer team.

DEFINITE/LIKELY GAMES
I don't think anybody on here wants the rundown of the Avonworth Eagles 130-pound max youth football team. Until the season is over in mid-October, I'll be watching games via streaming. Even with them being off Labor Day weekend, there aren't games for me to attend as Edinboro plays Thursday night and Slippery Rock is off.

11/07 (Sat): Edinboro at Slippery Rock, 4:00 PM

OTHER/POSSIBLE GAMES
10/24 (Sat): Gannon at Edinboro, 12:00 PM (provided my kids team doesn't make the playoffs)
10/24 (Sat): Lock Haven at Slippery Rock, 1:00 PM (see above)
10/31 (Sat): Seton Hill at Edinboro, 12:00 PM
11/14 (Sat): Shippensburg at Edinboro, 12:00 PM (may try to make a combo trip of Edinboro/SRU)
11/14 (Sat): Lackawanna at Slippery Rock, 1:00 PM (see above)

Local high school team is defending PIAA 3A champs so I'll get several of their games in as well. Last year a friend gave me his Pitt vs Miami tickets and that was a tough watch (both the cold and Pitt's defense unable to stop Miami and their 30 year old QB).

Fighting Scot, I take it you live somewhere in or near Avonworth? I grew up not far from there: Avalon, so I know the area well.

I am surprised that Avonworth won it all last year.

[Fightingscot82]

Fighting Scot, I take it you live somewhere in or near Avonworth? I grew up not far from there: Avalon, so I know the area well.

I am surprised that Avonworth won it all last year.

Yes, I live in Ben Avon Heights right by Shannopin Country Club. The line with Avalon (probably considered Avalon Heights) is basically down the street. Avonworth has doubled in size in the last 15 years and left Northgate in the dust. All the Ohio Township growth has made it an attractive location for folks moving to Pittsburgh and wanting that subdivision life. That's helped Avonworth quite a bit and the youth organization is creating a strong pipeline to the high school. Unfortunately, Northgate is struggling. The youth football program folded and Avonworth folks didn't want to ask permission for those kids to join the Avonworth organization. I watched the Avonworth team the last few years and last year's team was the most dominant I've ever seen at any level. Moreso than the early 90s IUP teams. Their better players sat most of the second half except for the WPIAL and PIAA games. I watched them just dominate Aliquippa at The Pit. Such a fun year.

[IUPNation]

When you start to recommend restaurants in D2 towns ... you know you've been to far too many D2 games. Believe me, it's not easy finding any to recommend in several of our towns (talking about you, California). You been to one Dairy Queen you've been to them all.

That said, if you do go to Ship, the University Grille is a good stop. Ship69 pointed me there a couple years back and I make it a regular stop now. It's the steakhouse of the Wyndham downtown. Close by is the King Street Diner (if you want something faster and on the greasy side).

Thanks for the heads up!

[IUPNation]

If you are going to a game at Walk On U…The WC has a plethora of choices to eat. Market and Gay Streets have so many restaurants it’s a bit overboard. I like Opa…It’s Greek. Limoncello is a big favorite but I have eaten at the one by me in Lionville and not the original in The WC.

Sedona Taphouse has been good. 9 Prime was good if you want upscale…

[CHIP72]

Weeeellll…I was hoping to go to IUP’s visit to beautiful Chester County but I have family wedding the same day at White Manor Country Club at 5.

I seriously considered attending IUP/West Chester myself. IUP games that don’t require tons of driving from the DC area are few and far between, and I’ll already be near West Chester earlier in the day when I go to Penn State/Temple at 12 PM in Philadelphia. However, a friend of mine who is a big Penn State fan is attending with me, and we decided to use Amtrak rather than pay $50 to park for PSU/TU.

[CHIP72]

For the umpteenth time in a row, a conflict will prevent me from attending Bloomsburg at Shepherd. That also happened in 2020 (pandemic), 2022, and 2024. Ugh.

[Ship69]

Thanks for the heads up!

If it looks like you'll get to the Ship game, let me know and maybe we can exchange greetings. Haven't finalized my game plans this year. Given the new coach and a team of half freshmen this season, it might be even a more brutal IUP game than usual for Ship. The casino off I-81 also has a restaurant, but I haven't eaten there.