The Northern Iowa Panthers have announced their 2026 football schedule, which features five home games and 11 contests overall.
The Panthers begin the campaign on September 5 at Eastern Washington, marking their first trip to Cheney since 2016. UNI then returns to the UNI‑Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on September 12 to host Drake in its home opener.
The Panthers wrap up non-conference play on September 19 with a road trip to Iowa, their lone FBS opponent of the season, before opening MVFC action on September 26 at home against Illinois State. UNI enters its second open date on October 3.
Conference play resumes on October 10 when the Panthers host North Dakota, followed by consecutive road matchups at Youngstown State on October 17 and Southern Illinois on October 24. UNI returns home on October 31 to face Indiana State.
The Panthers open November with a home matchup against South Dakota State on November 7 before closing the regular season with back‑to‑back road games: November 14 at South Dakota and November 21 at Murray State.
Below is Northern Iowa’s complete schedule for the 2026 season, plus a link to its schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:
2026 Northern Iowa Football Schedule
08/29 – OFF
09/05 – at Eastern Washington
09/12 – Drake
09/19 – at Iowa
09/26 – Illinois State*
10/03 – OFF
10/10 – North Dakota*
10/17 – at Youngstown State*
10/24 – at Southern Illinois*
10/31 – Indiana State*
11/07 – South Dakota State*
11/14 – at South Dakota*
11/21 – at Murray State*
* MVFC contest.
Northern Iowa finished the 2025 season 3-9 overall and 1-7 in conference play. The 2026 season will be the second for UNI under head coach Todd Stepsis.
Only 11 games
Wow
Pardon me John for using word fan.
If I were a Northern Iowa Fan, I would accept 11 game schedule in 2026 because of North Dakota State leapfrog to FBS settled in Mountain West Conference.
Megan Franklin is a shit athletic director. How do you not land a sixth home game? I’ll tell you. You sit around with months to fill a spot on the schedule and do nothing.
August 29, Week 1…You couldn’t get a home-and-home signed with Incarnate Word? UIW has two spots open in their schedule to start 2026. The Cardinals are not going to wait until Week 3 to start the year. If that was explored and not possible, UNI couldn’t buy a home game with San Diego? Buy a home game or do a home-and-home with East Texas A&M?
October 3, Week 6… You couldn’t get a border state game with Lindenwood? Offer a home-and-home?
I knew she was gonna be terrible right away. How? She could have hired anybody after Mark Farley left a 24-year hole. Who’s she hire? A non-scholarship coach from Drake, Todd Stepsis. Where did Megan Franklin come from? Drake. Lazy or nepotism hire. Neither is good.
Sorry, I think Stepsis is in over his head. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is a far cry from the Pioneer League. This isn’t gonna get better. In fact, I would not be surprised if Northern Iowa ends up in the Pioneer League also within the next five years. President Mark Nook needs to get this fixed or maybe he should go too.
Jason It’s OK not to be a fan of Megan Franklin unfortunately what you called her was totally unacceptable.
Next time this happens your post will definitely not go through.
I really care about you Jason & last thing I want to see you in hot water.
Furthermore, I was never a fan of Aaron Rodgers when he played for Packers.
Rodgers might have tormented My Bears however Rodgers tormented his own team Packers much more than beating the Bears & it was very sad to see Packers who really thought highly of Rodgers however he was no fan front office structure plus selfishness, fame & fortune destroyed Rodgers’s career in Green Bay & his animosity with him & Mike McCarthy cost Packers becoming a dynasty & never cared about Matt LeFleur either.
I’m not a fan of Megan Franklin…she’s an airhead! She’s not been around even two years and I’ve not heard anybody say she is competent. And if anyone says, “She just signed Kyle Green to replace Ben Jacobson as the men’s basketball coach.” Come on. That totally fell into her lap. That was no work of her own. Green called UNI showing interest, NOT the other way around.
She was actually recorded as offering the football head coach position to another guy. Then why is Todd Stepsis the head coach? Because she welched. The other guy’s lawyer brings up a lawsuit and they settled out of court. UNI Board of Regents were not happy. But that’s okay, the taxpayers got to pay for Megan’s blunder.
As for your comment, Dan, I don’t care if you think you care about me. You don’t know me. I AM a fan of Northern Iowa. I wear their emblem on my left shoulder. Don’t preach to me. You’ve never heard unacceptable, like I did this afternoon calling the local radio station, destroying her for over twelve minutes.
Jason I am not a fan of Aaron Rodgers he is a crybaby & selfish hypocrite & he might one a lot of games with Packers unfortunately dislikement of Packers front office & two head coaches Mike McCarthy & Matt LeFleur & fame & fortune derailed such an excellent career for Green Bay Quarterback.
I accept you not being a fan of Megan Franklin & I hope you accept me not being a fan of Aaron Rodgers plus I am a Chicago Bears fan & I was very frustrated that he tormented his own team Packers which he did more harm to than beating the Bears.
If losing teams can have problems so can winning teams like when Aaron Rodgers was with Green Bay.
At Quarterback for Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Fraudgers
Lied to Packer Nation!!!
Wisconsin’s biggest RIP OFF!!!
Dan can you stop with the stupid talk already? You ramble on about crap that has nothing to do with the subject. Enough of your a fan, what the heck does Aaron Rogers have to do with any of this? Can someone please make him stop! Freedom of speech is one thing, but have it to do with the subject
Illininoles97 Aaron Rodgers is public enemy #1 to Packers Fans & State of Wisconsin.
If Jason Groomes can share his unhappiness towards Megan Franklin, Dan can show his unhappiness towards Aaron Rodgers or Aaron Fraudgers.
I cried when Rodgers or Fraudgers showed his unhappiness towards Packers which was extremely unusual & he destroyed entire Packers organization like a white tornado.
Again Illininoles97 You need to mind your own business & please stop butting in on other people problems.
I showed my displeasure with Megan Franklin because she has to do with Northern Iowa, being their Athletic Director. So it’s 100% pertaining to my original comment.
NOBODY give’s a rat’s rear(didn’t swear, but don’t push me – no more promises) about your feeling of Aaron Rodgers. It has nothing to do with my comment or Northern Iowa. It matters only to you. So if anyone should mind their own business, butting in to other conversations – IT’S YOU!!!. You comment more jibberish than anyone on multiple stories than anyone else on this site. Honestly, it gets tiresome and old because you contribute virtually nothing on any subject.
You already said you’re not a fan of Northern Iowa…yet half of the posts on this story/thread are yours. “Quit butting in?” If only you could accept your own advice.
Will they beat last year’s record? Questionable.
Hope for the best that Panthers have a winning season in 26.
Why was my post not posted?
It was held for moderation due to the cuss word.