The 2026 UAB Football Schedule runs 12 regular-season games with six home matchups at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. UAB opens the season on the road at Illinois in Week 1 on Thursday, September 3 at 9:00 PM ET on Big Ten Network, then hosts UL Monroe at home on Saturday, September 12 at 3:30 PM ET on ESPN+. The American Conference announced kickoff times and television assignments for the first three weeks and key prime-time games on May 27, with conference games landing on CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN networks, and ABC.
2026 UAB Blazers Football Overview
Trent Dilfer returns as the UAB head coach in 2026. The Blazers compete in the American Conference (AAC) with a bye on Saturday, October 24 on the slate and a regular season that closes with the road trip to North Texas on Saturday, November 28.
2026 UAB Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu, Sep 3 | @ Illinois Fighting Illini | 9:00 PM | Big Ten Network |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | vs UL Monroe Warhawks | 3:30 PM | ESPN+ |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | @ Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns | 8:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| 4 | Fri, Sep 25 | vs Navy Midshipmen | 7:00 PM | ESPN |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | vs Samford Bulldogs | TBD | ESPN+ |
| 6 | Sat, Oct 10 | vs Memphis Tigers | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Thu, Oct 15 | vs East Carolina Pirates | 7:30 PM | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| BYE | Sat, Oct 24 | Open Date – Bye Week | – | – |
| 9 | Sat, Oct 31 | @ South Florida Bulls | TBD | TBD |
| 10 | Sat, Nov 7 | vs Charlotte 49ers | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | @ Temple Owls | TBD | TBD |
| 12 | Sat, Nov 21 | vs UTSA Roadrunners | TBD | TBD |
| 13 | Sat, Nov 28 | @ North Texas Mean Green | TBD | TBD |
All times Eastern. Bold entries are network-confirmed from the May 27, 2026 American Conference broadcast release. Most remaining games will be announced about 12 days before kickoff. The conference’s Black Friday flex window (Nov 27/28) finalizes specific game selections by October 11.
More 2026 College Football Resources
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub (printable PDFs by team and conference)
- All American Conference Team Schedule PDFs
2026 UAB Football FAQ
Who is UAB’s head coach in 2026?
Trent Dilfer returns as the UAB head coach in 2026.
How many home games does UAB have in 2026?
UAB Blazers have six home games on the 2026 schedule, all played at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
When is UAB’s bye week in 2026?
UAB has a bye on Saturday, October 24 on the 2026 schedule.
When will UAB’s remaining game times and TV channels be announced?
Remaining American Conference game times and TV assignments are announced about 12 days before each game. CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN family, ABC, and the league’s Thursday and Friday primetime slots are already locked in from the May 27 broadcast release.
When are UAB’s Thursday and Friday primetime games in 2026?
UAB has three weeknight games in 2026: Thursday, September 3 at Illinois (9:00 PM ET on Big Ten Network), Friday, September 25 vs Navy (7:00 PM ET on ESPN), and Thursday, October 15 vs East Carolina (7:30 PM ET on ESPN/ESPN2).
