Of the roughly 890 games scheduled across the 138 FBS programs in 2026, only ten involve a Power Four team traveling to a Group of Six venue.
That’s just 1.12 percent of the season’s total slate. Even with the number dipping from recent years, many Power four programs continue to build these trips into their future schedules.
Listed below are the ten P4‑at‑G6 matchups in 2026, ranked by the largest seating‑capacity disparities — most of which feature a stadium downsizing for the visiting team (calculated using the standard capacity for each venue).
(10) CALIFORNIA at UNLV – Oct. 3
Seating capacity difference: +12,572
California Memorial Stadium holds 52,428, compared to Allegiant Stadium’s 65,000‑seat capacity. The Golden Bears have recent experience in a Group of Six environment, having traveled to San Diego State just last season. Looking ahead, Cal’s next scheduled trip to a smaller venue comes in 2029, when the Bears visit Wyoming.
(9) SYRACUSE at UCONN – Oct. 3
Seating capacity difference: -6,784
Syracuse’s home venue, the JMA Wireless Dome, seats 42,784 for football, while UConn’s Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field holds 36,000. The Orange have recent experience in a Group of Six setting, having traveled to UNLV in 2024. Looking ahead, Syracuse is scheduled to visit UConn in 2027 and will head to Toledo in 2029.
(8) MARYLAND at UCONN – Sept. 12
Seating capacity difference: -10,185
SECU Stadium, located on the University of Maryland campus, seats 46,185, compared to UConn’s 36,000‑seat facility. The Terrapins last visited a Group of Six venue in 2022, when they faced Charlotte at Jerry Richardson Stadium. At present, Maryland has no future games scheduled against another Group of Six opponent.
(7) NORTH CAROLINA at UCONN – Nov. 7
Seating capacity difference: -14,500
North Carolina’s Kenan Memorial Stadium seats 50,500, while UConn’s home venue holds 36,000. The Tar Heels made a recent trip to a Group of Six stadium last season, facing Charlotte at Jerry Richardson Stadium, which seats just 15,314. At present, North Carolina has no additional future games scheduled at Group of Six venues.
(6) HOUSTON at GEORGIA SOUTHERN – Sept. 26
Seating capacity difference: -14,700
Houston’s TDECU Stadium isn’t oversized, seating 39,700, while Georgia Southern’s Paulson Stadium comes in at 25,000. The Cougars made a recent trip to a Group of Six venue last season when they visited Oregon State. Looking ahead, Houston has future Group of Six matchups scheduled against UNLV in 2028 and Boise State in 2030
(5) ARIZONA at WASHINGTON STATE – Sept. 26
Seating capacity difference: -17,830
Arizona’s Casino Del Sol Stadium seats 50,782, compared to the 32,952‑seat capacity of Martin Stadium at Washington State. The Wildcats’ most recent trip to a Group of Six venue came in 2022, when they visited San Diego State. Looking ahead, Arizona is slated for multiple future G‑6 trips: Colorado State next season, Hawai‘i in 2029, Air Force in 2031, and Wyoming in 2033.
(4) OKLAHOMA STATE at TULSA – Sept. 5
Seating capacity difference: -22,305
Oklahoma State’s Boone Pickens Stadium has undergone several capacity changes over the years, currently seating 52,305, while Tulsa’s H.A. Chapman Stadium holds 30,000. The Cowboys last visited a Group of Six venue in 2024, when they traveled to Tulsa. The in‑state programs are set to meet in Tulsa again in 2028 and 2030.
(3) TEXAS TECH at OREGON STATE – Sept. 12
Seating capacity difference: -24,681
Texas Tech’s Galaxy Stadium seats 60,229, compared to the 35,548‑seat capacity of Oregon State’s Reser Stadium. The Red Raiders’ most recent trip to a Group of Six venue came in 2024, when they visited Washington State. Looking ahead, Texas Tech’s next scheduled trip to a smaller G‑6 stadium is set for 2032, when the program travels to UTEP.
(2) BYU at COLORADO STATE – Sept. 19
Seating capacity difference: -25,573
LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo seats a robust 62,073, compared to the 36,500‑seat capacity of Colorado State’s Canvas Stadium. BYU made a recent trip to a smaller Group of Six venue last season when it traveled to face East Carolina. Looking ahead, the Cougars have future G‑6 road games scheduled at Northern Illinois in 2030 and Troy in 2035.
(1) PENN STATE at TEMPLE – Sept. 12
Seating capacity difference: -38,710
Penn State’s massive home venue, Beaver Stadium, seats an astounding 106,304, the largest capacity on this list. The contrast with Temple’s home setup would be even more dramatic if the Owls didn’t play at Lincoln Financial Field, which holds 67,594. The Nittany Lions’ most recent trip to a Group of Six venue came in 2015, when they faced Temple. At present, Penn State has no future games scheduled against G‑6 opponents.
View Comments (10)
To no surprise, there’s no SEC team on this list. Only P4 conference without a G6 riad trip.
Many G6 teams want to avoid having more SEC fans for example Georgia, Tennessee, Texas & Alabama at campus stadium that are capacity 50,000 or less.
In all fairness, Missouri did travel to UMass last year. I don't foresee any power 4 team making that trip in the future.
I think G6 teams would be more than happy to take the money of SEC fans.
It's the SEC teams that aren't going to schedule those games.
In fairness - Oregon State was a Power conference team when Texas Tech entered into the home-and-home contract in around 2018.
Dan NW-IL-MI,
Hi Dan,
I would agree with U if...
U gave me documented Teams "Many G6 teams want to avoid having more SEC fans for example...".
U gave zero Dependent Conference teams who didn't want to be part of 2026's "1.12 percent of the season's total slate."
All that visiting team revenue goes to the Dependent 6 Uni..
All the Fans who tune in to the game benefits both teams.
All the Trust Four Media attention focussed on this novel '1.12 percent of this season's slate' will benefit both teams.
It's a Win-Win Deal, unlike the common reverse practice we overwhelmingly see.
Fargo resident here. I've been telling everyone big schools aren't coming to Fargo for NDSU football games when we have an 18,700 capacity stadium but nobody believes me. They think Its because people are scared of the Bison. (They aren't scared)
I agree with this. I wish NDSU nothing but success as they join division one, but with a stadium that small, it's going to be hard to attract quality opponents. You're probably looking at playing a whole lot of road games.
Crazy that this is our third straight year playing at a G6 team. Especially with all the recent success. I hope most G6 games are home games from now on. I don’t really even want to do home and homes unless it’s a major historic rival like Utah State, Boise State (not really historical but there was a lot of juice there), or Wyoming (I don’t consider them a rival but a ton of history, our third most played opponent outside Utah and Utah State). Honestly if we just alternated those three teams I’d be happy with that. I guess in fairness though Colorado State is a “historic rival” but I have no interest in playing them on the road at all.
@BYUfan,
I do Not want BYU to schedule like our Arrogant CFP Rulers, The Supreme SEC-B18GTen Pharaohs.
More power to U if u live within reasonable driving distance of LES Home Games.
I live outside the Mtn., Central Time Zones within which B16G12 BYU orbits.
I go to the rare OOC away Game involving the Cougs & support BYU in varying their away schedule.
All of my memorable BYU fan experiences have been @ their OOC away matches versus WA Huskies, OR Ducks & OR State Beavers.