The Bowling Green Falcons have canceled their future football game on the road against the Arizona State Sun Devils, the school announced Friday.
Bowling Green and Arizona State were scheduled to play at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., on Sept. 5, 2026. The contract for the football contest, which was agreed to back in 2016, includes a cancellation fee of $1.25 million unless there is a mutual agreement in writing to cancel the game.
According to its press release, the Arizona State game was canceled by Bowling Green in order to facilitate the move of a previously scheduled home contest against the Saint Francis U. Red Flash on Sept. 12, 2026. The Falcons will now open the 2026 season at home against Saint Francis on Sept. 5.
Additionally, Bowling Green announced that it will travel to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., on Sept. 12, 2026. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Below is the announcement from Bowling Green:
Bowling Green announced today a future football matchup with Nebraska, set for Sept. 12, 2026, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
To accommodate the meeting with the Huskers, BGSU’s 2026 home contest against Saint Francis has been moved to Sept. 5, 2026, at Doyt Perry Stadium. Additionally, BGSU’s previously scheduled 2026 game (Sept. 5) against Arizona State has been mutually dropped to facilitate the Saint Francis game shift and will not be rescheduled.
Bowling Green is also slated to travel to face the Iowa State Cyclones on Sept. 19, 2026, which was previously announced. That game remains unchanged.
With three games scheduled, the Falcons now need one additional non-conference opponent to complete their slate in 2026.
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Bowling Green wanted an easier team to play against same with Nebraska.
Funny, but dropping ASU for UNL probably made the Falcons more money. Especially since travel costs to Lincoln will be less as well.
Bowling Green vs USC, since they both have one opening left, not to mention USC schedules non-con opponents last minute.
BG already two OOC away games scheduled for 2026 (both money games). Will depend on if they want/need a third road money game, or are working a home and home with another G5 team to have six home games in 26
@Phil MAC teams have no problem going to 3 P4 teams, (I'm looking at you Kent State) I see no problem with them going to SC.
ASU vs USC would make a bit more sense though
Stanford and USC each need a noncon game in 2026, and both have Sep. 12 and 19 open.
As an Arizona State Fan if I had one Power 4 team that I would like Sun Devils to play it would be USC Trojans which happen to be My favorite rivalry in PAC 10 & later PAC 12.
Dan, sorry to say this but Arizona State-USC is not and hasnever been a rivalry
Why would Arizona St. agree to mutually drop the game? They just lost $1.25M!!
Sometimes the canceling team assists in locating a replacement.
With Saint Francis going Division III, is there a chance Bowling Green reconsiders the ASU game?