KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has released its week-by-week composite schedule for the 2026 NCAA Division II football season. All ten MIAA football programs will open the season with non-conference opponents — four of which appeared in the final 2025 Division II Top 25 rankings, with two others receiving votes.

The 2026 campaign officially kicks off on Thursday, August 27, and concludes with the final regular season contests on Saturday, November 14. Across 12 weeks, the schedule features 63 MIAA matchups and 19 non-conference contests. Northwest Missouri is the only member to retain an open date to schedule another non-conference opponent.
 
“The MIAA non-conference football schedule features games against top-ranked opponents from seven different NCAA Division II conferences during the first three weeks of the 2026 season,” explained MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy. “This adds to the excellent student-athlete experience in the MIAA and creates great matchups for Division II football fans to watch and enjoy.” 
 
No. 6-ranked Pittsburg State opens its 2026 season at home on Thursday, August 27. The Gorillas will take on the top-ranked and four-time NCAA Division II National Champions, Ferris State, who finished 16-0 in the 2025 season, after beating Harding 42-21 in the Division II National Championship game. The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs come out of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The defending MIAA Co-Champion Pitt State will continue home-field advantage into week two, hosting Emporia State on September 5 before heading to Livingston to take on the Tigers of West Alabama of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) on September 12. The Gorillas finished their 2025 campaign in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs (37-21 loss to National Runner-Up Harding) with a record of 10-3 overall. 
 
No. 17-ranked Northwest Missouri, the other MIAA Co-Champion from the 2025 season, opens its schedule on the road against Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday, August 29. The Javelinas went 5-6 last season, competing in the Lone Star  Conference (LSC), while the Bearcats finished 8-1 in the MIAA and 9-3 overall with an appearance in the Division II playoffs. The Bearcats currently have a bye in week two before hosting Washburn at home on September 12.
 
Central Oklahoma will travel down to Fort Worth, Texas, for a meeting with NAIA’s Texas Wesleyan on Thursday, August 29, before the Bronchos’ home opener against NCAA Division I member Central Arkansas on September 12. The Bronchos finished behind MIAA Co-Champions Pitt State and Northwest Missouri at the conclusion of the 2025 season with a record of 6-5. 
 
Central Missouri begins its 2026 season on the road versus No.11-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) on Thursday, August 29. The Thunderwolves went 10-2 last season with a trip to the Division II playoffs, while the Mules ended the season 5-6 overall. The Mules return to Warrensburg in week two to host Missouri Western on a Thursday night (September 3) before hosting non-conference opponent Delta State of the GSC on September 12. The Mules will have a bye in week four before continuing their MIAA schedule.
 
Emporia State also starts the 2026 season on Thursday, August 27, with plans to head North to Minot, ND, to face the Minot State Beavers of the NSIC. The Hornets, who finished seventh in the MIAA with a record of 5-6 in the 2025 season, will stay on the road to face Pitt State at the Jungle in week two. The Hornets will finally return to their own Welch Stadium in week three to host GLIAC opponent, Michigan Tech, on September 12.
 
Both Missouri Southern and Fort Hays State open the 2026 season on the road in Texas before hosting more non-conference opponents at home. Tigers will head to San Angelo, Texas, to take on Angelo State of the LSC on Thursday, August 27. The Lions will travel to Wichita Falls, Texas, to face Midwestern State, also a member of the LSC, on Saturday (August 29). Week two brings an 11th-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo to Hays on a Thursday night (September 3) and the Upper Iowa Peacocks, who received votes in the final 2025 Division II football ranking, to Joplin on Saturday, September 5. 
 
The Ichabods of Washburn University begin their schedule on the road versus the Truman State Bulldogs, who finished 8-4 in the 2025 season as a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). Washburn returns to Topeka for their home opener against Colorado School of Mines of the RMAC on September 5, before they begin MIAA play at Northwest Missouri on September 12. 
 
Missouri Western and Nebraska Kearney both host tough non-conference opponents out of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) to open their 2026 seasons. The Griffons face No. 25-ranked Augustana and the Lopers host Wayne State on Thursday, August 27. Both teams will play on a Thursday night (September 3) again in week two with Missouri Western facing the Mules in Warrensburg and Nebraska Kearney taking on in-state rivals, No. 23-ranked Chadron State of the RMAC. The Griffons will continue on the road in week three to take on another non-conference opponent, Missouri S&T of the GLVC, on September 12. 
 
The 2026 MIAA season kicks off with the Association’s Annual Football Media Day, set for Monday, July 27, on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. Head Coaches and student-athletes from all ten MIAA football member institutions will travel to Topeka to participate in 15-minute press conferences, which will be broadcast live, exclusively on The MIAA Network.
 
To view the complete week-by-week schedule for the 2026 MIAA football season, click here. All 19 non-conference matchups for the upcoming season are listed below.
Football fans can stay up to date with the latest MIAA news by visiting TheMIAA.com and following @TheMIAA on Facebook and X. 
 
2026 NON-CONFERENCE CONTESTS
 
 WEEK ONE 
[Thursday, August 27]  
Augustana @ Missouri Western  
Fort Hays State @ Angelo State  
Central Missouri @ Colorado State-Pueblo  
Emporia State @ Minot State  
Wayne State @ Nebraska Kearney 
Ferris State @ Pittsburg State
Central Oklahoma @ Texas Wesleyan*  
 
[Saturday, August 29]  
Northwest Missouri @ Texas A&M-Kingsville  
Missouri Southern @ Midwestern State  
Washburn @ Truman State  
 
 WEEK TWO 
[Thursday, September 3]  
Colorado State-Pueblo @ Fort Hays State  
Nebraska Kearney @ Chadron State  
 
[Saturday, September 5]  
Colorado School of Mines @ Washburn
Upper Iowa @ Missouri Southern  
 
 WEEK THREE 
[Saturday, September 12]  
Missouri Western @ Missouri S&T  
Michigan Tech @ Emporia State  
Delta State @ Central Missouri  
Pittsburg State @ West Alabama
Central Oklahoma @ Central Arkansas^
 
*NAIA Member
^NCAA Division I Member