For the third consecutive season, United Athletic Conference (UAC) football programs will play a full head-to-head schedule during 2026, with the league ledger consisting of three home games and three road games for each of the seven member institutions of the conference.
The full conference slate has been beneficial for the UAC with five teams garnering invitations to the FCS Playoffs the past two seasons including four teams earning home game duties. This season, UAC co-champions Tarleton State (No. 4) and Abilene Christian (No. 10) both boasted Top 10 seedings following a highly competitive league schedule. The conference saw eight different teams receive votes in the national rankings during the season and consistently saw three teams listed in the Top 25 each week.
While the opening Saturday for college football in 2026 is set for Aug. 29, the UAC is slated to kick-off its 21-game, eight-week gauntlet of head-to-head clashes on Oct. 3 with Eastern Kentucky welcoming North Alabama to Richmond, Ky., for the continuation of a long-storied rivalry. The following Saturday, the remainder of the league gets things rolling as Central Arkansas visits Abilene Christian, Tarleton State travels to Austin Peay and West Georgia heads to EKU. October also features a triple-header of Halloween contests including the Wolves at the Wildcats, Lions versus Bears, and Colonels against Texans.
The home stretch month of November is packed with high-intensity Saturdays full of UAC battles leading up to the FCS regular season finales Nov. 21. One of the final month highlights is Nov. 7 "Lone Star" rematch between co-champions Abilene Christian and Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas. The FCS Playoff field will be selected on Nov. 22 with opening round games of the championship set for Nov. 28.
Featuring an automatic qualifier (AQ) into the FCS playoff each of the past five years, the UAC kicks off its new look era with seven participating institutions: Abilene Christian University, Austin Peay State University, University of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky University, University of North Alabama, Tarleton State University, and University of West Georgia.
2026 United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football Conference Schedule (game times TBA)
Saturday, Oct. 3
North Alabama at EKU
Saturday, Oct. 10
Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian
Tarleton State at Austin Peay
West Georgia at EKU
Saturday, Oct. 17
Abilene Christian at North Alabama
Austin Peay at West Georgia
Central Arkansas at Tarleton State
Saturday, Oct. 24
Austin Peay at North Alabama
Tarleton State at West Georgia
Saturday, Oct. 31
West Georgia at Abilene Christian
North Alabama at Central Arkansas
EKU at Tarleton State
Saturday, Nov. 7
Abilene Christian at Tarleton State
EKU at Austin Peay
West Georgia at Central Arkansas
Saturday, Nov. 14
Abilene Christian at Austin Peay
Central Arkansas at EKU
North Alabama at West Georgia
Saturday, Nov. 21
EKU at Abilene Christian
Austin Peay at Central Arkansas
Tarleton State at North Alabama
Saturday, Nov. 28 - FCS Playoffs (First Round)