2026 UAB Football Schedule: Games, Kickoff Times and Key Matchups

Posted on by USA Sportz
UAB Blazers Football schedule with helmet

A Thursday night road trip to Illinois opens the year. A Friday night home game against Navy follows soon after. And a Thursday night Homecoming date with East Carolina lands in mid-October. That is the shape of the 2026 UAB Football Schedule.

2026 UAB Football Schedule

2026 UAB Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location Time (ET) TV
Thu, Sep 3at Illinois Fighting IlliniGies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL9:00 PMBTN
Sat, Sep 12ULM WarhawksProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL3:30 PMESPN+
Sat, Sep 19at Louisiana Ragin’ CajunsCajun Field, Lafayette, LA8:00 PMESPN+
Fri, Sep 25Navy MidshipmenProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL7:00 PMESPN
Sat, Oct 3Samford BulldogsProtective Stadium, Birmingham, AL3:30 PMESPN+
Sat, Oct 10at Memphis TigersSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TNTime TBATV TBA
Thu, Oct 15East Carolina Pirates (Homecoming)Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL7:30 PMESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Oct 24—OFF——
Sat, Oct 31at USF BullsRaymond James Stadium, Tampa, FLTime TBATV TBA
Sat, Nov 7Charlotte 49ersProtective Stadium, Birmingham, ALTime TBATV TBA
Sat, Nov 14at Temple OwlsLincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PATime TBATV TBA
Sat, Nov 21UTSA RoadrunnersProtective Stadium, Birmingham, ALTime TBATV TBA
Sat, Nov 28at North Texas Mean GreenDATCU Stadium, Denton, TXTime TBATV TBA
Sat, Dec 5American ChampionshipSite, City TBD8:00 PMABC

Last updated

How the season opens

  • Thursday night at Illinois on Sept. 3 (9:00 p.m. ET)
  • ULM at home on Sept. 12
  • Road trip to Louisiana on Sept. 19
  • Navy under the lights on Sept. 25

UAB Blazers football starts with a rare Power Four road test on a Thursday night. After that, ULM visits Protective Stadium. A night game in Lafayette then follows before Navy arrives for a Friday night showcase in Birmingham.

Homecoming and the middle of the slate

  • Samford at home on Oct. 3
  • Road trip to Memphis on Oct. 10
  • East Carolina for Thursday night Homecoming on Oct. 15
  • Bye week on Oct. 24

Samford gives the roster a short home date. From there, the UAB AAC schedule sends the Blazers to Memphis before East Carolina arrives for the third midweek game of the year. The open date then offers a chance to recover.

Closing stretch

  1. Road trip to USF on Oct. 31
  2. Charlotte at home on Nov. 7
  3. Road trip to Temple on Nov. 14
  4. UTSA at home on Nov. 21
  5. Road game at North Texas on Nov. 28

Charlotte and UTSA give Birmingham two more home dates. The regular season then ends in Denton. If UAB reaches the American Championship, that game is set for Dec. 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does UAB open the 2026 season?
Thursday, Sept. 3 on the road at Illinois, Gies Memorial Stadium, 9:00 p.m. ET on BTN.

When is UAB vs Illinois 2026?
It is the season opener — Thursday, Sept. 3 in Champaign, 9:00 p.m. ET on BTN.

How many home games are on the schedule?
Six at Protective Stadium: ULM, Navy, Samford, East Carolina, Charlotte and UTSA.

What is the toughest stretch of the year?
The early run with the Thursday night trip to Illinois and the road game at Louisiana, plus the late road swing through Temple and North Texas.

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

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