2026 East Carolina Football Schedule: Games, Kickoff Times and Key Matchups

Posted on by USA Sportz
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A road trip to Alabama opens the year. The Appalachian State rivalry follows a week later. And back-to-back Thursday night road games in October test depth in a real way. That is the shape of the 2026 East Carolina Football Schedule.

2026 East Carolina Football Schedule

2026 East Carolina Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location Time (ET) TV
Sat, Sep 5at Alabama Crimson TideBryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL12:00 PMABC
Sat, Sep 12Appalachian State MountaineersDowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC12:00 PMESPNU
Sat, Sep 19at Old Dominion MonarchsS.B. Ballard Stadium, Norfolk, VA6:00 PMESPN+
Sat, Sep 26NC Central EaglesDowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC4:00 PMESPN+
Sat, Oct 3—OFF——
Sat, Oct 10Rice Owls (Homecoming)Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NCTime TBATV TBA
Thu, Oct 15at UAB BlazersProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL7:30 PMESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Oct 22at Memphis TigersSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN7:30 PMESPN2
Sat, Oct 31Temple OwlsDowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NCTime TBATV TBA
Fri, Nov 6USF BullsDowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC7:30 PMESPN2
Sat, Nov 14at Charlotte 49ersJerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NCTime TBATV TBA
Sat, Nov 21at Army Black KnightsMichie Stadium, West Point, NY12:00 PMCBSSN
Sat, Nov 28Florida Atlantic OwlsDowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NCTime TBA (or Fri., Nov. 27)—
Sat, Dec 5American ChampionshipSite, City TBD8:00 PMABC

Last updated

How the season opens

  • Road game at Alabama on Sept. 5
  • Appalachian State at home the next week
  • Trip to Old Dominion on Sept. 19
  • NC Central at home on Sept. 26

East Carolina Pirates football starts with one of the toughest non-conference openers in the country. After that, the Appalachian State rivalry arrives at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. A road game in Norfolk and a home date against NC Central then round out the first month.

Homecoming and the Thursday night grind

  • Bye week on Oct. 3
  • Rice for Homecoming on Oct. 10
  • Thursday night at UAB on Oct. 15
  • Thursday night at Memphis on Oct. 22

The open date gives the roster a short reset. From there, the East Carolina AAC schedule delivers two short-week road games in a row, both at 7:30 p.m. ET. That stretch tests depth as much as talent.

Closing stretch

  1. Temple at home on Oct. 31
  2. USF under the lights on Nov. 6
  3. Road trip to Charlotte
  4. Road trip to Army at Michie Stadium
  5. Florida Atlantic at home to close the regular season

Temple and USF give Greenville two more home dates before the final road swing. The regular season then ends against Florida Atlantic, though the official date may land on either Nov. 27 or Nov. 28. If East Carolina reaches the American Championship, that game is set for Dec. 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does East Carolina open the 2026 season?
Saturday, Sept. 5 on the road at Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium, 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

When is East Carolina vs Alabama 2026?
It is the season opener — Saturday, Sept. 5 in Tuscaloosa, 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

How many home games are on the schedule?
Six at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium: Appalachian State, NC Central, Rice, Temple, USF and Florida Atlantic.

What is the toughest stretch of the year?
The back-to-back Thursday night road games at UAB and Memphis (Oct. 15 and Oct. 22), along with the opener at Alabama.

Where is the full East Carolina Football Schedule listed?
The complete 2026 East Carolina Football Schedule with dates, times and TV info is in the table above.

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