A neutral-site opener against Auburn in Atlanta. Two ranked home games in the season’s second half. And a closing stretch that ends on the road in Houston. The 2026 Baylor football schedule opens with real national exposure before settling into Big 12 play.
2026 Baylor Football Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | vs Auburn Tigers (Aflac Kickoff Game) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 3:30 PM | ABC |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Prairie View A&M Panthers | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | 8:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | 4:00 PM | ESPNU |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Colorado Buffaloes | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | at Arizona State Sun Devils | Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, AZ | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | No. 23 TCU Horned Frogs | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at Kansas Jayhawks | David Booth Kansas Mem. Stadium, Lawrence, KS | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Oct 30 | at UCF Knights | Acrisure Bounce House, Orlando, FL | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Iowa State Cyclones (Homecoming) | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at No. 12 BYU Cougars | LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | at Houston Cougars | TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | 8:00 PM | ABC |
A Neutral-Site Opener, Then a Manageable Home Stretch
Baylor opens the 2026 Baylor football schedule far from Waco, facing Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 5. From there, the Bears get three straight home games — Prairie View A&M, Louisiana Tech, and Colorado — before the schedule turns toward the road.
Arizona State, a Bye, Then TCU
A trip to Arizona State opens October before a bye week on October 10 gives Baylor time to recover. No. 23 TCU visits McLane Stadium on October 17 for one of the marquee home dates of the season, before the Baylor Big 12 schedule 2026 sends the Bears on the road to Kansas and then UCF for a Friday night game.
Iowa State, Then BYU and Texas Tech
Iowa State visits for Homecoming on November 7 before Baylor faces its toughest stretch of ranked competition — a road trip to No. 12 BYU followed immediately by No. 8 Texas Tech visiting Waco. Two ranked opponents inside a single week’s turnaround makes this the defining test of the season.
Closing on the Road at Houston
The regular season wraps on the road at Houston on November 28. If Baylor is still playing December 4, it’s in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Auburn, TCU, BYU, and Texas Tech, Baylor faces four marquee opponents spread across a schedule that saves its toughest week — BYU into Texas Tech — for mid-November. The Baylor football home games in 2026 offer real support, but how the Bears handle that back-to-back ranked stretch will decide how the season is remembered.
FAQ
Q: When does Baylor football play its first game in 2026?
A: Baylor opens the 2026 Baylor football schedule against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, September 5.
Q: When is Baylor vs Auburn 2026?
A: Baylor vs Auburn 2026 is the season opener, set for Saturday, September 5, at a neutral site in Atlanta, kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Q: How many home games does Baylor play in 2026?
A: Baylor has seven Baylor football home games in 2026 at McLane Stadium: Prairie View A&M, Louisiana Tech, Colorado, TCU, Iowa State, and Texas Tech.
Q: What is Baylor’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The back-to-back run of BYU (road) and Texas Tech (home) — November 14 and November 21 — is the toughest stretch on the Baylor Big 12 schedule 2026, alongside the season-opening test against Auburn.
