A Monday night road trip to Florida State to open the year. A road test at Louisville right behind it. And a closing stretch that runs through South Bend and Stanford. The 2026 SMU Football Schedule front-loads a difficult opener before settling into a home-heavy middle.
SMU Mustangs football faces two true road games in the first three weeks, then leans on Gerald J. Ford Stadium for much of the ACC slate. Here is the complete 2026 SMU Football Schedule with dates, locations, times and television information.
2026 SMU Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | at Florida State SeminolesDoak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL | 7:30 PM ETESPN | ||
| Saturday | UC Davis AggiesGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | 4:00 PM ETACCNX | ||
| Saturday | at Louisville CardinalsL&N Stadium, Louisville, KY | 3:30 PM ETESPN or ESPN2 | ||
| Saturday | Missouri State BearsGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETESPN network | ||
| Saturday | Boston College EaglesGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | OFF | |||
| Homecoming | ||||
| Saturday | Virginia CavaliersGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | California Golden BearsGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Syracuse OrangeJMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Friday | Virginia Tech HokiesGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | 7:00 PM ETESPN | ||
| Homecoming | ||||
| Saturday | Wake Forest Demon DeaconsGerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN | 7:30 PM ETNBC/Peacock | ||
| Saturday | at Stanford CardinalStanford Stadium, Stanford, CA | Time TBA ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | vs ACC ChampionshipBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 12:00 PM ETABC | ||
A Monday Night Opener, Then a Road Trip to Louisville
SMU opens the 2026 SMU Mustangs football schedule on a Monday night at Florida State, an unusual early-week road test to start the year. UC Davis gives Dallas a home date before the Mustangs head back on the road to face Louisville on September 19 — two true road games in the first three weeks of the season.
That early gauntlet will test SMU’s ability to handle short rest and hostile environments right out of the gate.
A Home-Heavy Middle Stretch
Missouri State and Boston College both visit Gerald J. Ford Stadium before a bye week on October 10. The SMU ACC schedule 2026 then delivers four of five home games — Virginia, California, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest — broken up only by a road trip to Syracuse on Halloween.
Virginia visits for one Homecoming date on October 17, while Wake Forest arrives for the other on November 14. Those home stands give SMU a chance to stack wins and build confidence heading into the final month.
Virginia Tech Under the Lights, Then Notre Dame Looms
A Friday night home game against Virginia Tech opens November, followed by Wake Forest in Dallas. Then SMU vs Notre Dame 2026 closes out the toughest two-week stretch of the season — a Saturday night road trip to Notre Dame Stadium on November 21, broadcast nationally on NBC/Peacock.
That matchup in South Bend stands as the biggest non-conference-style challenge left on the schedule.
Closing at Stanford
The regular season wraps on the road at Stanford on November 28. If SMU is still playing December 5, the Mustangs will be in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
SMU Football Home Games 2026
SMU has eight home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in 2026: UC Davis, Missouri State, Boston College, Virginia, California, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. The mid-season home stretch against Virginia, California and Virginia Tech offers the clearest path to building a strong conference record.
The 2026 SMU Football Schedule starts hard on the road, leans heavily on Dallas in the middle, and finishes with two demanding West Coast and Midwest road trips. How the Mustangs handle the Monday night opener at Florida State, the early trip to Louisville, and the late swing through Notre Dame and Stanford will shape the entire season.
FAQ
When does SMU football play its first game in 2026?
SMU opens the 2026 SMU Football Schedule on the road against Florida State on Monday, September 7, at Doak Campbell Stadium.
When is SMU vs Notre Dame 2026?
SMU vs Notre Dame 2026 is set for Saturday, November 21, on the road at Notre Dame Stadium, kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.
How many home games does SMU play in 2026?
SMU has eight SMU football home games in 2026 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium: UC Davis, Missouri State, Boston College, Virginia, California, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
What is SMU’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
The closing run from Notre Dame (road) to Stanford (road) — November 21 and November 28 — ranks as the toughest stretch on the SMU ACC schedule 2026, alongside the September road trips to Florida State and Louisville.
