The 2026 Big Sky football schedule is set, and the conference grows to 13 football-playing schools with the arrival of Southern Utah and Utah Tech, giving the West its biggest FCS league and one of the toughest weekly gauntlets in the subdivision. Montana and Montana State remain the national headliners, but the depth now runs top to bottom. Below is the full 2026 membership, how the conference season is structured, the road to the FCS bracket, and a free printable standings tracker to follow the race all fall.
- Teams: 13 football-playing members
- Conference games: 9 per team (one team plays eight due to the odd number of schools)
- Season window: August 29, 2026 to November 21, 2026
- Postseason: Champion earns the FCS playoff automatic bid
- Last updated: July 30, 2026
2026 Big Sky Conference Schedule
Every 2026 Big Sky conference game, week by week. Conference play opens Aug 29 and runs through the final weekend on November 21. Non-conference dates fill in around these matchups, and kickoff times plus TV are confirmed closer to each weekend.
| Week | Conference Games (Away at Home) |
|---|---|
| Week 0 Aug 29 | Idaho at Cal Poly Southern Utah at Montana Eastern Washington at Northern Arizona Weber State at Northern Colorado UC Davis at Portland State Montana State at Utah Tech |
| Week 1 Sept 26 | Cal Poly at Eastern Washington Northern Arizona at Montana State Utah Tech at Northern Colorado Idaho State at Southern Utah Montana at UC Davis Portland State at Weber State |
| Week 2 Oct 3 | Weber State at Cal Poly Montana State at Idaho Northern Arizona at Idaho State Northern Colorado at Montana Eastern Washington at UC Davis Southern Utah at Utah Tech |
| Week 3 Oct 10 | Northern Colorado at Eastern Washington Cal Poly at Idaho State Montana at Northern Arizona Utah Tech at Portland State Idaho at Weber State |
| Week 4 Oct 17 | Montana State at Eastern Washington Idaho at Montana Portland State at Northern Arizona Cal Poly at Northern Colorado UC Davis at Southern Utah Idaho State at Weber State |
| Week 5 Oct 24 | Utah Tech at Cal Poly Southern Utah at Idaho Portland State at Idaho State Weber State at Montana State Northern Colorado at UC Davis |
| Week 6 Oct 31 | Montana at Eastern Washington Cal Poly at Montana State Idaho at Portland State Northern Arizona at Southern Utah Idaho State at Utah Tech UC Davis at Weber State |
| Week 7 Nov 7 | Northern Arizona at Cal Poly Eastern Washington at Idaho Montana State at Idaho State Portland State at Montana Northern Colorado at Southern Utah Utah Tech at UC Davis |
| Week 8 Nov 14 | UC Davis at Idaho Idaho State at Montana Weber State at Northern Arizona Montana State at Northern Colorado Southern Utah at Portland State Eastern Washington at Utah Tech |
| Week 9 Nov 21 | Portland State at Eastern Washington Idaho at Idaho State Montana at Montana State Northern Colorado at Northern Arizona Cal Poly at UC Davis Utah Tech at Weber State |
2026 Big Sky Members
Southern Utah and Utah Tech are new for 2026; Cal Poly and UC Davis compete as football-only affiliates.
| School | Location | Nickname | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly Mustangs | San Luis Obispo, CA | Mustangs | Alex G. Spanos Stadium |
| Eastern Washington Eagles | Cheney, WA | Eagles | Roos Field |
| Idaho Vandals | Moscow, ID | Vandals | Kibbie Dome |
| Idaho State Bengals | Pocatello, ID | Bengals | Holt Arena |
| Montana Grizzlies | Missoula, MT | Grizzlies | Washington-Grizzly Stadium |
| Montana State Bobcats | Bozeman, MT | Bobcats | Bobcat Stadium |
| Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | Flagstaff, AZ | Lumberjacks | Walkup Skydome |
| Northern Colorado Bears | Greeley, CO | Bears | Nottingham Field |
| Portland State Vikings | Portland, OR | Vikings | Hillsboro Stadium |
| Southern Utah Thunderbirds | Cedar City, UT | Thunderbirds | Eccles Coliseum |
| UC Davis Aggies | Davis, CA | Aggies | UC Davis Health Stadium |
| Utah Tech Trailblazers | St. George, UT | Trailblazers | Greater Zion Stadium |
| Weber State Wildcats | Ogden, UT | Wildcats | Stewart Stadium |
2026 Realignment: What Changed
Southern Utah and Utah Tech joined the Big Sky in 2026 from the United Athletic Conference (formerly the WAC), pushing the league to 11 full-time members plus football-only affiliates Cal Poly and UC Davis. That is 13 teams playing conference football, a first for the modern Big Sky.
How the 2026 Big Sky Season Works
The 2026 Big Sky football schedule gives each team 9 conference games (one team plays eight due to the odd number of schools) between August 29, 2026 and November 21, 2026. Programs fill the rest of the schedule with non-conference opponents, and the league standings decide the automatic playoff bid plus seeding for teams in the hunt for at-large spots. Kickoff times and TV or streaming details are confirmed closer to each weekend.
Big Sky and the FCS Playoffs
The Big Sky champion earns the conference automatic bid into the 24-team FCS playoff, and the league routinely places several teams in the bracket through at-large selection. Montana, Montana State, UC Davis, and Eastern Washington have all been recent playoff hosts, so the top of the standings usually maps directly onto national seeding and home-field advantage in the postseason. You can print the full postseason field with our 2026 FCS playoff bracket.
How to Watch Big Sky Football in 2026
Big Sky games are carried across ESPN platforms, including ESPN+, along with regional and conference streaming outlets. Exact network and start time for each game are confirmed in the weeks before kickoff, so bookmark this page and check back as the matchups firm up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams are in the Big Sky for 2026?
13 teams play Big Sky Conference football in 2026. Southern Utah and Utah Tech are new for 2026; Cal Poly and UC Davis compete as football-only affiliates.
How many conference games does each Big Sky team play?
Each team plays 9 conference games (one team plays eight due to the odd number of schools) in 2026, with non-conference dates added around them. FCS programs may now play a full 12-game regular season.
When does the 2026 Big Sky season start and end?
The 2026 Big Sky season runs from August 29, 2026 through the final regular-season weekend on November 21, 2026, ahead of the FCS playoffs.
How does the Big Sky make the FCS playoffs?
The Big Sky champion earns an automatic bid into the 24-team FCS playoff bracket, and additional teams can reach the field as at-large selections.
Is there a printable Big Sky schedule and standings tracker?
Yes. A free printable PDF standings tracker is available above, with every 2026 member listed and blank columns to fill in conference and overall records all season.
More 2026 FCS Coverage
Explore the rest of our FCS hub: the 2026 FCS football schedule and conference guide, the printable 2026 FCS playoff bracket, and every notable 2026 FCS vs FBS matchup.
