The Samford Bulldogs have released their 2026 football schedule, a 12‑game slate featuring five home contests and a neutral‑site season opener.
Samford begins the 2026 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 29, with a matchup against North Alabama at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, Ala. The game was announced earlier this week and will mark the first contest of the John Grass era.
“We are excited about the opportunity to open the 2026 season and the John Grass era at this great venue in Huntsville,” Samford Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Martin Newton said. “Taking on a quality in‑state opponent at a neutral site is a great way to kick off the season, and we are thankful to the city of Huntsville and the Huntsville Sports Commission for this opportunity. We look forward to a great experience at Joe Davis Stadium on August 29.”
The Bulldogs open their home schedule one week later, hosting Southern Illinois at Pete Hanna Stadium on Sept. 5.
Samford’s remaining non‑conference games keep the Bulldogs in-state, with road trips to UAB on Oct. 3 and Auburn on Nov. 21.
Southern Conference (SoCon) play begins on Sept. 12 at Tennessee Tech. Additional SoCon road games include Chattanooga (Oct. 10), Furman (Oct. 24), and ETSU (Nov. 7).
Four league opponents will visit Homewood in 2026: VMI (Sept. 26), Mercer (Oct. 17), Wofford (Oct. 31), and Western Carolina (Nov. 14).
Below is Samford’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 Samford Football Schedule
08/29 – North Alabama (in Huntsville)
09/05 – Southern Illinois
09/12 – at Tennessee Tech*
09/19 – OFF
09/26 – VMI*
10/03 – at UAB
10/10 – at Chattanooga*
10/17 – Mercer*
10/24 – at Furman*
10/31 – Wofford*
11/07 – at ETSU*
11/14 – Western Carolina*
11/21 – at Auburn
* SoCon contest.
Samford is looking to rebound from a difficult 2025 season in which it finished 1-11 overall and 1-7 in SoCon play, leading to the dismissal of head coach Chris Hatcher. Grass, who spent the past four seasons as an analyst at Clemson, now takes over the program as it begins a new chapter.
