2026 FBS Independents Football Schedule: Every Week, Every Game

Lafayette at UConn opens the slate quietly on a Saturday afternoon, but the 2026 FBS Independents football schedule finds its real spotlight one day later — No. 4 Notre Dame opens against Wisconsin in a neutral-site game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the first of eight ranked or near-ranked matchups the Irish will play before their season is done. With only Notre Dame and UConn now carrying true FBS Independent status, this schedule reads less like a conference slate and more like two entirely separate seasons running side by side.

Week 1 — 2026 FBS Independents Football Schedule

Week 2 — 2026 FBS Independent Football Schedule

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Week 4 — 2026 FBS Independent Football Schedule

Week 5 — 2026 FBS Independent Football Schedule

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Week 13 — 2026 FBS Independent Football Schedule

Notre Dame vs Miami 2026 Headlines a Brutal Ranked Gauntlet

No. 4 Notre Dame’s non-conference-only schedule reads like a murderer’s row this year. Beyond the Week 1 neutral-site opener against Wisconsin, the Irish face No. 14 BYU on the road in Week 7, host No. 7 Miami in Week 10, and close with No. 19 SMU in Week 12 — three ranked opponents inside a five-week stretch to close the regular season. Notre Dame vs Miami 2026 alone carries real College Football Playoff weight, given both programs’ national title aspirations entering the year.

Two Neutral-Site Games Bookend the Fall

Notre Dame plays two true neutral-site games this season, both carrying real tradition. The Week 1 opener against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field revives a series the two programs haven’t scheduled often, while the Week 9 matchup against Navy in Foxborough continues one of the sport’s longest-running annual rivalries, one that predates almost every conference realignment on this list.

UConn Builds a Manageable Independent Slate

While Notre Dame chases ranked competition nearly every week, UConn’s 2026 slate leans toward Group of Five and lower-tier FBS opponents — Southern Miss, Miami (Ohio), Temple, Air Force, and Wyoming — with a Big Ten crossover against Maryland in Week 2 as its clearest measuring-stick game. It’s a notably different competitive tier from its fellow independent, underscoring just how differently these two programs use their shared classification.

FAQ

Q: When does the 2026 FBS Independent football season start?
A: The 2026 FBS Independent football schedule opens Saturday, September 5, with Lafayette at UConn, followed the next day by No. 4 Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at a neutral site in Green Bay.

Q: What is Notre Dame’s 2026 football schedule?
A: Notre Dame football schedule 2026 includes ranked matchups against No. 14 BYU, No. 7 Miami, and No. 19 SMU, plus neutral-site games against Wisconsin and Navy, closing the regular season at Syracuse.

Q: When do Notre Dame and Miami play in 2026?
A: Notre Dame vs Miami 2026 is set for Saturday, November 7, at 7:30 PM ET on NBC/Peacock, a Week 10 matchup between No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 7 Miami.

Q: What is UConn’s 2026 football schedule?
A: UConn football schedule 2026 includes matchups against Maryland, Syracuse, James Madison, and North Carolina, along with Group of Five opponents like Southern Miss, Air Force, and Wyoming.