Prime 25 nonconference video games within the 2026 FCS season

Before the 2026 FCS soccer season kicks off, let’s spotlight among the finest nonconference video games you’ll be able to’t miss. These matchups might make or break your favourite workforce’s season, both with playoff seeding or bragging rights.

Here are the highest nonconference video games for the 2026 season.

Week 0

• Southern Illinois at West Florida
• Abilene Christian at Lamar
• Central Connecticut State at South Dakota
• Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State
• Monmouth at Tennessee Tech
• Stony Brook at Delaware State
• Alabama A&M vs. Howard at MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta, GA

One of the latest groups to the FCS is West Florida after years of dominating the DII slate. What higher approach for the Argonauts to get used to a brand new stage than with a contending MVFC opponent like Southern Illinois.

Contending is the theme for the remainder of these video games, beginning with Abilene Christian at Lamar in a rematch of a 2025 first-round FCS playoff recreation. South Dakota and Central Connecticut State is one other matchup of two playoff groups from final 12 months, whereas 2025 No. 4 seed Tarleton State faces 2025 SWAC Champion and Celebration Bowl runner-up Prairie View A&M to open the 2026 season. Tennessee Tech is one other playoff workforce beginning its season with a high quality check because it faces Monmouth, one of many first 4 groups out of the playoffs final season.

Two groups that weren’t on the playoff bubble however anticipate to be convention contenders in 2026 are Stony Brook and Delaware State. It’ll be the primary of many nonconference exams for each groups as they appear to show they belong among the many prime groups within the nation.

No listing of nonconference video games in Week 0 can be full with out the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The HBCU contest was usually a standalone FCS recreation earlier than new guidelines allowed extra groups to play in Week 0. In 2026, a gap win will set the tone for Alabama A&M’s or Howard’s season.

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Week 1

• Presbyterian at Mercer
• Delaware State at William & Mary
• South Carolina State vs. Florida A&M at Orange Blossom Classic in Miami, FL

Presbyterian was one of many first groups ignored of final 12 months’s playoffs largely on account of a nonconference win over Mercer final 12 months. This 12 months’s matchup has an added layer as each groups may have new head coaches in 2026.

Speaking of latest head coaches, DeSean Jackson had a superb debut final 12 months at Delaware State in 2025. He led the Hornets to a successful document and second-place end within the MEAC. We’ll get to see early on if Coach Jac’s first 12 months was only a flash within the pan because of a nonconference check in opposition to William & Mary.

The Orange Blossom Classic closes the Week 1 video games as Florida A&M makes its return to Miami. The Rattlers followers all the time present out, however this 12 months the gang might see one other enhance from two-time defending MEAC champion South Carolina State within the constructing.  

FIRST HBCU RANKINGS: See the 2026 preseason HBCU soccer rankings

Week 2

• Stephen F. Austin at Abilene Christian
• Southeast Missouri State at Southern Illinois
• Eastern Washington at South Dakota
• UIW at Northern Arizona

The prime matchup in Week 2 might be when Stephen F. Austin visits Abilene Christian for the varsity’s third matchup within the final two seasons. Last 12 months, the Lumberjacks and Wildcats performed in a one-possession contest within the common season earlier than assembly once more in one other one-possession recreation within the second spherical of the playoffs. 

Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois additionally performed final 12 months, and we ought to be in for an excellent recreation between these annual foes. 

Eastern Washington and UIW are a pair of packages seeking to return to their successful methods after disappointing seasons in 2025. They’ll play two groups that venture to be competing for playoff spots come November in South Dakota and Northern Arizona.

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Week 3

• Dartmouth at Lehigh
• Harvard at New Hampshire
• South Carolina State at Furman
• Stephen F. Austin at Prairie View A&M
• Abilene Christian at Idaho

The Ivy League enters the fray in Week 3 with Darmouth and Harvard dealing with some high quality opponents. The Big Green did not win a share of the Ivy final 12 months, however are perennial contenders atop the convention. Harvard made the playoffs final 12 months earlier than a blowout loss within the first spherical. There’s no higher check for the 2 Ivy League contenders than Lehigh — final 12 months’s No. 5 seed — and a CAA-contending New Hampshire.

We then have final 12 months’s MEAC and SWAC champions each enjoying in-state FCS foes. South Carolina State performs Furman out of the SoCon and Prairie View A&M performs Stephen F. Austin out of the Southland. While nonconference video games do not maintain the identical weight for MEAC and SWAC colleges specializing in the Celebration Bowl, it is all the time good for the expansion of the subdivision when the highest HBCU groups problem themselves with high quality nonconference opponents.

The closing recreation from Week 3 is Abilene Christian at Idaho. It’s the third of 4 appearances for the Wildcats on this listing, as Abilene Christian performs one of the crucial tough nonconference schedules within the FCS. 

The most tough nonconference schedule in FCS soccer belongs to Abilene Christian in 2026

— Stan Becton (@stan_becton) July 16, 2026

Week 4

• UT Martin at Austin Peay
• Mercer at Abilene Christian 

UT Martin is the preseason OVC favourite whereas Austin Peay is anticipated to be contending for the UAC title and in any case a FCS playoff spot. Austin Peay was one of many first groups out of the playoffs final 12 months at 7-5, and as issues at the moment stand, UT Martin is the one nonconference FCS workforce that stands out as a notable win alternative.

Meanwhile, UT Martin enters the Week 4 contest after enjoying back-to-back FBS opponents and proper earlier than convention play. This nonconference battle might go a good distance in direction of seeding and at-large bids.

Mercer and Abilene Christian had been each playoff groups final 12 months, incomes the No. 6 and No. 10 seeds, respectively. Both groups try to take the subsequent leap up tiers within the FCS from groups that ought to have expectations to make the second spherical to groups with expectations to achieve the semifinals. A win right here might be step one.

Week 5

Brown vs. Rhode Island is likely one of the extra underrated rivalries in all of FCS soccer. The two Rhode Island colleges have met over 100 instances and have cut up the final two matchups. Brown’s upset win final 12 months is probably going what saved the Rams from getting a bye in final 12 months’s playoffs. With Rhode Island anticipated to be a top-five FCS workforce this 12 months, the Rams cannot afford a slip up once they play for the Governor’s Cup.

Week 6

• William & Mary at North Carolina Central

The prime nonconference matchup in Week 6 will come from new Patriot League member William & Mary and MEAC member North Carolina Central. NC Central has been a prime program in HBCU soccer this decade and whereas a Celebration Bowl is the objective, it by no means hurts to place your self to the check in opposition to a likely-playoff contending workforce in William & Mary. For the Tribe, NCCU presents a possibility for a high quality nonconference win to impress the committee in case they do not win their new convention in 12 months one.

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Week 7

• Rhode Island at Yale
• Eastern Kentucky at Tennessee Tech

In Week 7 we’ll see Rhode Island and Yale face off in a battle of two groups that gained playoff video games final 12 months. While Yale may have a brand new coach after Tony Reno stepped down, former Lehigh head coach Kevin Cahill did lead his final program to a bye in final 12 months’s playoffs. We additionally will see among the finest quarterback matchups in the entire FCS this season when Rhode Island’s Devin Farrell faces Yale’s Dante Reno.

Closing out the listing is Eastern Kentucky at Tennessee Tech. This might be an opportunity for Eastern Kentucky to land its third win over a SoCon program within the season after dealing with Western Carolina and Chattanooga early within the season. If that is the case, this got here may have severe playoff implications.