The 2026 SoCon football schedule is set, and the Southern Conference grows to ten football-playing members with Tennessee Tech arriving from the Ohio Valley. The SoCon is one of the oldest and most tradition rich leagues in the FCS, home to service academies, longtime rivalries, and perennial playoff teams. Below is the full 2026 membership, the week-by-week conference schedule, the road to the FCS bracket, and a free printable standings tracker to follow the race all fall.
- Teams: 10 football-playing members
- Conference games: 8 per team
- Season window: August 29, 2026 to November 21, 2026
- Postseason: Champion earns the FCS playoff automatic bid
- Last updated: July 30, 2026
2026 SoCon Conference Schedule
Every 2026 SoCon 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.
| Date | Conference Games (Away at Home) |
|---|---|
| Aug 29 Sat | The Citadel at Wofford |
| Sept 12 Sat | Furman at Mercer Samford at Tennessee Tech |
| Sept 19 Sat | Wofford at Chattanooga |
| Sept 26 Sat | Chattanooga at The Citadel Western Carolina at ETSU VMI at Samford Tennessee Tech at Wofford |
| Oct 3 Sat | Chattanooga at ETSU Wofford at Furman Mercer at VMI Tennessee Tech at Western Carolina |
| Oct 10 Sat | ETSU at The Citadel Furman at Tennessee Tech Western Carolina at Mercer Samford at Chattanooga |
| Oct 17 Sat | Mercer at Samford VMI at Wofford |
| Oct 24 Sat | Tennessee Tech at The Citadel ETSU at VMI Samford at Furman Chattanooga at Western Carolina |
| Oct 31 Sat | The Citadel at Mercer Tennessee Tech at ETSU Western Carolina at Furman Wofford at Samford VMI at Chattanooga |
| Nov 7 Sat | Furman at The Citadel Samford at ETSU Mercer at Chattanooga VMI at Tennessee Tech Wofford at Western Carolina |
| Nov 14 Sat | The Citadel at VMI ETSU at Wofford Chattanooga at Furman Mercer at Tennessee Tech Western Carolina at Samford |
| Nov 21 Sat | The Citadel at Western Carolina ETSU at Mercer Furman at VMI |
2026 SoCon Members
Tennessee Tech is new for 2026, joining from the Ohio Valley Conference.
| School | Location | Nickname | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga Mocs | Chattanooga, TN | Mocs | Finley Stadium |
| ETSU Buccaneers | Johnson City, TN | Buccaneers | Greene Stadium |
| Furman Paladins | Greenville, SC | Paladins | Paladin Stadium |
| Mercer Bears | Macon, GA | Bears | Five Star Stadium |
| Samford Bulldogs | Birmingham, AL | Bulldogs | Seibert Stadium |
| Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles | Cookeville, TN | Golden Eagles | Tucker Stadium |
| The Citadel Bulldogs | Charleston, SC | Bulldogs | Johnson Hagood Stadium |
| VMI Keydets | Lexington, VA | Keydets | Foster Stadium |
| Western Carolina Catamounts | Cullowhee, NC | Catamounts | E.J. Whitmire Stadium |
| Wofford Terriers | Spartanburg, SC | Terriers | Gibbs Stadium |
2026 Realignment: What Changed
Tennessee Tech joined the SoCon from the Ohio Valley Conference in 2026, giving the league ten football-playing members. The rest of the lineup is unchanged, keeping intact rivalries like Furman-Wofford and The Citadel-VMI.
How the 2026 SoCon Season Works
The 2026 SoCon football schedule gives each team 8 conference games 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.
SoCon and the FCS Playoffs
The SoCon champion earns the conference automatic bid into the 24-team FCS playoff, and the league often places a second team in the bracket as an at-large. Mercer, Furman, and Chattanooga have all been recent playoff teams, so the conference race usually decides multiple postseason spots. You can print the full postseason field with our 2026 FCS playoff bracket.
How to Watch SoCon Football in 2026
SoCon 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 SoCon for 2026?
10 teams play Southern Conference football in 2026. Tennessee Tech is new for 2026, joining from the Ohio Valley Conference.
How many conference games does each SoCon team play?
Each team plays 8 conference games in 2026, with non-conference dates added around them. FCS programs may now play a full 12-game regular season.
When does the 2026 SoCon season start and end?
The 2026 SoCon season runs from August 29, 2026 through the final regular-season weekend on November 21, 2026, ahead of the FCS playoffs.
How does the SoCon make the FCS playoffs?
The SoCon 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 SoCon 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.
