The Duquesne Dukes have added a home contest against the Rio Grande RedStorm, which completes their football schedule for the 2026 season.
The Dukes begin the year on August 29 with their first bye week before opening play on September 5 at Air Force, marking the program’s first meeting with a Mountain West opponent since 2022. Duquesne continues its road swing on September 12 at Youngstown State and travels west again on September 19 for its first‑ever matchup with Washington State.
The Dukes return to Rooney Field in Pittsburgh, Ohio, on September 26 to host Rio Grande (Ohio), an NAIA opponent, in their home opener before entering their second open date on October 3. NEC play begins on October 10 when Duquesne hosts LIU, marking the first of four conference home games.
League action continues on October 17 with a road trip to Stonehill, followed by an October 24 home matchup against Wagner. The Dukes close the month on October 31 at New Haven.
Duquesne returns home on November 7 to face Robert Morris and remains in Pittsburgh on November 14 for a matchup with Mercyhurst. The regular season concludes on November 21 with a road trip to Central Connecticut.
Below is Duquesne’s complete schedule for the 2026 season, plus a link to their schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:
2026 Duquesne Football Schedule
08/29 – OFF
09/05 – at Air Force
09/12 – at Youngstown State
09/19 – at Washington State
09/26 – Rio Grande (Ohio)
10/03 – OFF
10/10 – LIU*
10/17 – at Stonehill*
10/24 – Wagner*
10/31 – at New Haven*
11/07 – Robert Morris*
11/14 – Mercyhurst*
11/21 – at Central Connecticut*
* NEC contest.
Duquesne finished the 2025 season 7-5 overall and 5-2 in NEC action. The 2026 season will be the 22nd for the Dukes under head coach Jerry Schmitt, who holds a 135-92 overall mark at the school.
Rio Grande (Ohio) is at least 1,500 miles away from the Rio Grande River, I wonder why they chose to name their school after a river halfway across the country, but sure.
Who knows. Utah Tech used to be called Dixie State.
And pronounced RYE-oh grand, for whatever reason.
Might have something to do with the fact that is in Rio Grande, OH which was established in 1874
The region of southwestern Utah was known as Dixie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah%27s_Dixie
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As noted already it’s pronounced RYE-oh GRAND in Ohio instead of ree-oh grahn-day. Spelling and pronunciations were in flux in the 1800’s. That’s why there is Owyhee out west named after a old spelling of Hawai’i; or Wichita/Ouachita, and countless other inconsistencies.
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Should I mention Miami, Florida? :)
Only 11 games—-I’m already mad that FCS can play 11 or 12 games. All FBS teams have to play 12, that should be the case for FCS except for the Ivy, which will stubbornly remain at 10.
There is no NCAA-mandated minimum total number of games that FBS teams must play in a regular season. Most schedule and play the maximum of 12 regular-season games (with Hawaii and its opponents allowed a 13th).
However, FBS teams are required to schedule and play at least 60% of their football contests against other FBS opponents AND play at least five regular-season home contests against FBS opponents.
God Bless & thank you for information Kevin enjoy your Easter.