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St. Louis University High Reveals 2026 Football Schedule—An Early Gauntlet Could Shape the Jr. Bills’ Season

SLUH's newly released slate includes challenging road games, returning matchups and a late-season showdown that could shape SLUH’s postseason path.

Levi Payton

St. Louis University High has released its 2026 football schedule, a slate featuring early road tests, key rival matchups and a closing stretch that could shape the Jr. Bills’ postseason hopes.
St. Louis University High has released its 2026 football schedule, a slate featuring early road tests, key rival matchups and a closing stretch that could shape the Jr. Bills’ postseason hopes. /

If you want to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man—and the St. Louis University High Junior Billiken football program will be battle-tested in 2026.

St. Louis University High (SLUH) recently revealed the dates and opponents for its 2026 slate, and it’s another gauntlet for a team that surged to a 7-0 start last season before dropping its final three games—regular-season losses to Christian Brothers College and Rockhurst, followed by a 28-25 district setback against Lafayette (Wildwood)—and now must replace contributors at several key positions.

The Jr. Bills have big shoes to fill—literally—replacing star quarterback Kyren Eleby (William Woods), along with Keenan Harris (DB, Missouri), Jordan Taylor (RB, Lindenwood), Zach Allen (WR-DB, Lindenwood), Kendall McNutt (LB, Kent State), Albert Reinberg (OL-DL, Cornell) and Sebastian Tate (DL, Indiana State).

The Jr. Bills outscored opponents 260-169 last season.

Early-season stretch brings immediate tests

The 2026 roster will be tested right out of the gate.

Last year’s season opener against St. Ignatius (Illinois) served as a tone-setter, and a similar challenge awaits when the Jr. Bills open the season in Week 1 against Omaha Class A power Creighton Prep on Running of the Bills Night. Unlike St. Ignatius, which finished 2-7 last season, the Junior Jays present an immediate threat after going 10-2 in 2025 and sending 10 players to collegiate programs.

Things won’t get easier in Week 2 at Christian Brothers College. CBC blanked SLUH 37-0 in Week 8 last season and rolled to an 11-0 record before falling to Jackson 45-42. The Cadets have some big holes to fill in their own right, namely at quarterback with the graduation of all-state dual-threat Nick McClellan, but should field another strong squad in 2026.

By the time Week 3 arrives, the Jr. Bills could find themselves building early momentum, regrouping at .500, or searching for a spark—making the upcoming stretch particularly significant.

Chaminade College Prep could quietly become a pivotal matchup. SLUH closed Senior Night in 2025 with a 27-10 victory over Class 5 Chaminade, and the teams meet again in Week 3 at Chaminade in the second of three consecutive road games to open the season’s first month.

SLUH then travels to schedule newcomer St. Dominic in Week 4. The Class 6 Crusaders spent time in the state’s Top 25 rankings in 2025 while compiling a 9-0 regular season that included five wins against teams finishing .500 or better and six against teams with at least five victories, creating the possibility of a future postseason matchup preview.

Midseason matchups feature familiar opponents

Lift for Life Academy returns to the schedule in Week 5. While the Hawks finished with five losses in the regular season, they navigated a demanding schedule against larger schools and surged to the Class 3 championship game, where they fell to Seneca 33-26. SLUH edged Lift for Life 13-12 in a Week 5 thriller last season.

A pair of familiar opponents follows as SLUH hosts De Smet Jesuit on Coaches vs. Cancer Night on Oct. 2 and Vianney on Oct. 9. The Jr. Bills defeated De Smet 31-14 last season and topped Vianney 44-16.

Capping the four-game homestand—and the regular season home slate—SLUH hosts Gateway on Senior Night. Gateway finished 9-1 in Class 4 last season, posting a perfect regular season before falling to Lutheran North 34-0 in district play.

Regular season closes with Rockhurst rematch

SLUH closes the regular season against Rockhurst for the third consecutive year and the second straight time on the road. The Jr. Bills have dropped the previous two meetings—21-11 at home in 2004 and 35-14 on the road in 2025. Rockhurst finished 9-3 last season and is expected to return several top skill players, including quarterback Garret Miller and athlete Cash Lewandowski.

2026 St. Louis University Junior Bills schedule

Times TBA

Aug. 21 — Jamboree at Eureka

Aug. 28 — Creighton Prep

Sept. 4 — at Christian Brothers College

Sept. 11 — at Chaminade College Prep

Sept. 18 — at St. Dominic

Sept. 25 — Lift for Life Academy

Oct. 2 — De Smet Jesuit

Oct. 9 — Vianney

Oct. 16 — Gateway (Senior Night)

Oct. 23 — at Rockhurst

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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