A Friday night road trip to Indiana. Penn State visiting Evanston four days later. And road trips to Oregon and Ohio State still to come. The Northwestern Football Schedule 2026 delivers ranked competition on both sides of the ball early and often.
Northwestern Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | South Dakota State Jackrabbits | NW Medicine at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL | 8:00 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 12 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Colorado Buffaloes | NW Medicine at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL | 7:30 PM | FOX or FS1 |
| Fri, Sep 25 | at Indiana Hoosiers | Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Penn State Nittany Lions | Ryan Field, Evanston, IL | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Ball State Cardinals (Homecoming) | Ryan Field, Evanston, IL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | at Michigan State Spartans | Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Ryan Field, Evanston, IL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | at Oregon Ducks | Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Iowa Hawkeyes | Ryan Field, Evanston, IL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at Ohio State Buckeyes | Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | at Minnesota Golden Gophers | Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Illinois Fighting Illini | Ryan Field, Evanston, IL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Big Ten Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
A Bye Week Right After the Opener, Then Two Friday Nights
Northwestern Football Schedule 2026 opens against South Dakota State before an unusually early bye week on September 12. Colorado visits Evanston before the toughest early stretch of the season arrives — back-to-back Friday night games, first a road trip to Indiana, then Penn State visiting Ryan Field just four days later.
Ball State for Homecoming, Then a Road Trip to Michigan State
Ball State gives Evanston a home date for Homecoming before a road trip to Michigan State follows. The Northwestern Big Ten schedule 2026 then offers Rutgers at home before the schedule turns to its most demanding closing stretch.
Oregon, Iowa, and a Trip to Columbus
A road trip to Oregon opens November, one of the toughest true road tests anywhere in the conference. Iowa visits Ryan Field before Northwestern vs Ohio State 2026 sends the Wildcats to Ohio State on November 14 — three ranked opponents inside a three-week span.
Closing on the Road at Minnesota
A road trip to Minnesota opens the final stretch before Illinois closes out the regular season at Ryan Field. If Northwestern is still playing December 5, it’s in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Indiana, Penn State, Oregon, Iowa, and Ohio State, Northwestern faces five ranked opponents scattered across a schedule with almost no lulls once late September arrives. The Northwestern football home games in 2026 include a signature Friday night matchup against Penn State, but the closing three-week gauntlet through Oregon and Ohio State will decide how the season is remembered.
FAQ
Q: When does Northwestern play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: Northwestern Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against South Dakota State on Saturday, September 5, at Martin Stadium.
Q: When is Northwestern vs Ohio State 2026?
A: Northwestern vs Ohio State 2026 is set for Saturday, November 14, on the road at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, with Ohio State hosting.
Q: How many home games does Northwestern play in 2026?
A: Northwestern has seven Northwestern football home games in 2026: South Dakota State, Colorado, Penn State, Ball State, Rutgers, Iowa, and Illinois.
Q: What is Northwestern’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Oregon (road) through Iowa (home) and Ohio State (road) — October 31 through November 14 — is the toughest stretch on the Northwestern Big Ten schedule 2026.
