The Florida State Seminoles have added the Central Arkansas Bears to their 2026 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the football game contract with Florida State University was obtained from the University of Central Arkansas via a state open records request. The contract was executed on March 8, 2024.
Florida State will host Central Arkansas at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. The Seminoles will pay the Bears a $450,000 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract.
The 2026 Florida State-Central Arkansas game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Central Arkansas is a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Bears finished the 2024 season 6-6 overall and 3-5 in UAC action.
Central Arkansas is the fourth non-conference opponent for Florida State’s football schedule in 2026. The Seminoles are scheduled to visit the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sept. 19 and will close the season at home against the in-state rival Florida Gators on Nov. 28.
Florida State is also scheduled to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Tallahassee on a date to be announced.
In ACC action in 2026, Florida State is currently set to host Clemson, NC State, SMU, and Virginia and travel to Boston College, Louisville, Miami (FL), and Pitt.
Florida State is the second scheduled non-conference opponent for Central Arkansas for the 2026 season. The Bears are also set to host the North Dakota State Bison at Estes Stadium in Conway, Ark., on Sept. 12.
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Florida State needs all the wins it can get these days
Even a Syracuse Fan wants to wish Florida State to win games & this is time you want a team like Syracuse to be victorious over them when Florida State is at its best.
I would always cheer for Syracuse over Florida State.
I guess I could see them scheduling an FCS Team. I say they go 7-5 this year, however I don’t see why the Big 10 or SEC would take them?
Both Big Ten & SEC would be way too much competition for Florida State.
I wouldn´t necessarily say both Dan, definitely the SEC might be too much for them but except for Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon, the B1G is easily worse than the Big 12 and on par with or even worse than the ACC.
I am not going to be concern about it have a safe & happy day my friends.
You too.