2026 Week 1 FCS Football Schedule: Kickoff Times and How To Watch

A comprehensive look at the Week 1 FCS football schedule, including kickoff times and broadcast information for the biggest games of the weekend.

South Carolina State Bulldogs running back Tyler Smith (10) celebrates after a touchdown against the Prairie View A&M Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The season kicked off with a chaotic Week 0, but the Week 1 schedule features a series of potential FCS over FBS upsets and a handful of key non-conference battles that could have postseason ramifications.

There are no Top 25 matchups set for this weekend, but the Week 1 slate is headlined by No. 25 West Florida traveling to Central Arkansas, which sits just outside the FCS Top 25. No. 12 Tennessee Tech heads to face Chattanooga in a SoCon battle, but this game will not count in the conference standings. No. 21 South Carolina State also travels to Miami to face Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic.

Below are the biggest FCS games on the Week 1 schedule, including every matchup that features a Top 25 program.

Thursday, Sept. 3

Lindenwood at Stony Brook (7 pm ET, FloSports)

Bethune-Cookman at UCF (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

UAlbany at Buffalo (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

West Georgia at Kennesaw State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Southern Illinois at Samford (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

UAPB at Missouri (8 pm ET, SEC Network)

Eastern Illinois at Minnesota (8 pm ET, Peacock)

Idaho at Utah (9 pm ET, ESPNU)

Friday, Sept. 4

North Carolina A&T at Georgia State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Indiana State at Purdue (7 pm ET, Big Ten Network)

Long Island at Kansas (8 pm ET, ESPNU)

Saturday, Sept. 5

Bryant at Army (Noon ET, CBSSN)

Lafayette at UConn (Noon ET, WFSB)

No. 5 Tarleton State at Bowling Green (Noon ET, ESPN+)

Stonehill at New Haven (Noon ET, NEC Front Row)

No. 10 Lehigh at Georgetown (12:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

SEMO at Iowa State (1 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 9 Youngstown State at Kentucky (1 pm ET, SEC Network+)

Holy Cross at Colgate (1 pm ET, ESPN+)

Gardner-Webb at Wofford (1:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 6 Rhode Island at Temple (2 pm ET, ESPN+)

Sacred Heart at Monmouth (2 pm ET, FloSports)

Tennessee State at Georgia (3 pm ET, SEC Network+)

Drake at No. 3 Montana (3 pm ET, ESPN+)

Furman at Tennessee (3:30 pm ET, SEC Network+)

Maine at Appalachian State (3:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

The Citadel at Charlotte (3:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

Towson at Navy (3:30 pm ET, CBSSN)

UTRGV at UTSA (3:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 24 Western Carolina at Campbell (3:30 pm ET, FloSports)

Fordham at North Dakota State (3:30 pm ET, MW+)

St. Thomas at No. 8 North Dakota (4 pm ET, ESPN+)

North Alabama at Arkansas (4:15 pm ET, SEC Network)

Alcorn State at Southern Miss (5 pm ET, ESPN+)

Delaware State at No. 17 William & Mary (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

Elon at Davidson (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

Lane College at Alabama State (6 pm ET, SWAC TV)

Norfolk State at Old Dominion (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

Presbyterian at No. 19 Mercer (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

Richmond at Howard (6 pm ET, MEAC Network)

No. 12 Tennessee Tech at Chattanooga (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 18 Villanova at Bucknell (6 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 20 Abilene Christian at Texas Tech (7 pm ET, FS1)

Charleston Southern at Georgia Southern (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Chicago State at UT Martin (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 15 Austin Peay at Vanderbilt (7 pm ET, SEC Network+)

Eastern Kentucky at Jacksonville State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Edward Waters at Jackson State (7 pm ET, HBCU GO)

Houston Christian at Rice (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 23 Idaho State at Utah State (7 pm ET, CBSSN)

Mercyhurst at New Mexico State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Murray State at Middle Tennessee State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Nicholls at Kansas State (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Southeastern Louisiana at South Alabama (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 25 West Florida at Central Arkansas (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Central State at Grambling State (7 pm ET, SWAC TV)

No. 4 Illinois State at Western Illinois (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Kentucky State at Southern (7 pm ET, SWAC TV)

Miles College at Alabama A&M (7 pm ET, SWAC TV)

Northern Iowa at Eastern Washington (7 pm ET, ESPN+)

Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech (7:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

VMI at Virginia Tech (7:30 pm ET, ACC Network)

East Texas A&M at No. 13 Stephen F. Austin (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

Hampton at Maryland (8 pm ET, Big Ten Network)

No. 14 Lamar at Louisiana (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 2 South Dakota State at Northwestern (8 pm ET, Big Ten Network)

Utah Tech at BYU (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

Central Washington at Cal Poly (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 11 South Dakota at Northern Colorado (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

Weber State at Southern Utah (8 pm ET, ESPN+)

Butler at No. 1 Montana State (8:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 22 Northern Arizona at Arizona (9:30 pm ET, ESPN+)

Portland State at San Diego State (9:30 pm ET, USA)

Mississippi Valley State at Sacramento State (10 pm ET, ESPN+)

Morgan State at Arizona (10 pm ET, ESPN+)

No. 7 UC Davis at San Diego (10 pm ET, ESPN+)

Sunday, Sept. 6

Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M (Noon ET, ESPN2)

No. 21 South Carolina State at Florida A&M (3 pm ET, ESPN)

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