Three straight home games to open the year. A road trip to Cincinnati in late September. And the Sunflower Showdown landing right at Homecoming in mid-October. The Kansas State Football Schedule 2026 builds an early foundation before testing it against a stretch of true road games.
Kansas State Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | Nicholls Colonels | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Washington State Cougars | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | 12:00 PM | TNT/HBO Max |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Tulane Green Wave | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | 12:00 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at Cincinnati Bearcats | Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Houston Cougars | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Kansas Jayhawks (Sunflower Showdown, Homecoming) | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at Arizona State Sun Devils | Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, AZ | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | at Colorado Buffaloes | Folsom Field, Boulder, CO | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at No. 23 TCU Horned Frogs | Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Arizona Wildcats | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | at Iowa State Cyclones | Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | 8:00 PM | ABC |
A Three-Game Home Start, Then a Road Test
Kansas State Football Schedule 2026 opens with three straight home games — Nicholls, Washington State, and Tulane — before the first true road test arrives at Cincinnati on September 26. A bye week on October 3 gives the Wildcats time to recover before the schedule turns back toward Manhattan.
Houston at Home, Then the Sunflower Showdown
Houston visits Bill Snyder Family Stadium before the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas arrives on October 17, doubling as Homecoming — one of the more emotionally charged dates on the entire Kansas State Big 12 schedule 2026.
A Grueling Road Stretch Through the West
This is where the schedule turns demanding. A trip to Arizona State opens a two-game road swing that continues at Colorado on Halloween — back-to-back true road games against Big 12 newcomers from the West, a real test of depth and travel.
Oklahoma State at Home, Then TCU and a Closing Road Trip
Oklahoma State returns the Wildcats home before a road trip to No. 23 TCU on November 14 — the toughest ranked test remaining on the schedule. Arizona visits Manhattan before the regular season closes on the road at Iowa State. If Kansas State is still playing December 4, it’s in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between the Arizona State-to-Colorado road swing and the closing trip to TCU, Kansas State’s toughest stretches come almost entirely away from Manhattan. The Kansas State football home games in 2026 build a strong foundation early, but how the Wildcats handle three separate multi-game road trips will decide where this season ends up.
FAQ
Q: When does Kansas State play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: Kansas State Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against Nicholls on Saturday, September 5, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Q: When is Kansas State vs Kansas 2026?
A: Kansas State vs Kansas 2026, the Sunflower Showdown, is set for Saturday, October 17, at home at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, doubling as Homecoming.
Q: How many home games does Kansas State play in 2026?
A: Kansas State has seven Kansas State football home games in 2026 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium: Nicholls, Washington State, Tulane, Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Arizona.
Q: What is Kansas State’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The road swing through Arizona State and Colorado in late October, followed by the November 14 road trip to TCU, makes up the toughest stretch on the Kansas State Big 12 schedule 2026.
