The UAB Blazers have added the Illinois Fighting Illini and Samford Bulldogs to their future football schedules, according to official announcements from all three schools Thursday.
UAB will open the 2026 season on the road against Illinois at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill., on Saturday, Sept. 5. The game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
The Blazers were previously scheduled to open the 2026 season at home on Thursday, Sept. 3 against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, but that game will no longer be played.
UAB has also added two home games against the Samford Bulldogs of the Southern Conference (SoCon), with the first matchup set for next season at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The Blazers will host the Bulldogs again on Sept. 25, 2027, which replaces a previously scheduled home tilt against the Florida A&M Rattlers that season.
In their only previous meeting on the gridiron, Samford defeated UAB 49-3 on Oct. 31, 1992 when the Blazers were a Division III program.
With today’s announcement, both UAB and Illinois have completed their non-conference schedules for the 2026 season. Following the opener at Illinois, UAB is scheduled to host the ULM Warhawks on Sept. 12, visit the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns on Sept. 19, and then close out with Samford at home on Oct. 3.
UAB’s American Conference opponents next season include Charlotte, East Carolina, Navy, and UTSA at home, and Memphis, North Texas, South Florida, and Temple on the road.
All three of Illinois’ non-conference contests next season will be played at home in Champaign. After facing UAB, Illinois will entertain the Duke Blue Devils on Sept. 12 and the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sept. 19.
In Big Ten action in 2026, Illinois will host Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, and Purdue and travel to Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, and UCLA.
UPDATE (NOV. 19, 2025)
According to the copy of the contract obtained from the University of Illinois, the Fighting Illini will pay the UAB Blazers a $1.125 million guarantee for the game in 2026.
Football Schedules
I want to see Big Ten have one weekend during 2026 regular season when all teams are playing for example:
Rutgers at Northwestern
Oregon at Illinois
Michigan State at Michigan
USC at Penn State
Minnesota at Purdue
Ohio State at Iowa
Maryland at Nebraska
Indiana at Washington
Wisconsin at UCLA
P.S. I am being very creative about it.
Man, what a schedule. Indiana at Washington? So much history behind that matchup!
Then you get Maryland and Nebraska, too? On the same weekend?
Throw in Northwestern and Rutgers and Minnesota and Purdue and you’ve got a schedule that tens of college football fans would get excited over!
I mean, seriously, could you come up with a worse schedule of games? Do you even watch college football?
SEC! SEC! SEC! I am doing it to be creative & have fun with it however I really want Big Ten do another select weekend when all teams are playing during conference play, so fans do not have to wait till thanksgiving weekend & pardon me for using favorites although Northwestern-Illinois & Michigan-Ohio State are my co-favorites for Big Ten on Thanksgiving weekend.
Yes, I do watch college football for love, pride & enjoyment of sport.
There is not a single college football fan alive wishing all the Big Ten teams would play on the same weekend.
Not one.
Your idea is dumb.
SEC, all his ideas are dumb but he is worth reading this page because he just comes up with dumber and dumber stuff. Come on, don’t you want to see that great rivalry of Northwestern vs Rutgers? Wonder what networks he was each game on those are always good reads.
Illininoles97 This is a mock time & network Big Ten Football schedule.
Friday evening
Indiana at Washington 8:00PM, FOX
Saturday
Oregon at Illinois Noon, FOX
Rutgers at Illinois Noon, Peacock
Maryland at Nebraska Noon, BTN
Michigan State at Michigan 3:30PM, CBS
USC at Penn State 3:30PM, FS1
Wisconsin at UCLA 4:00PM, BTN
Ohio State at Iowa 7:30PM, NBC
Minnesota at Purdue 7:30PM, BTN
Correction Rutgers at Northwestern Noon, Peacock
Dropping HBCU games is an interesting situation for a Birmingham college. Alabana A&M’s administration tried to purchase the former Birmingham Southern campus and lost that bid to local Miles College, but in the process raised a lot of questions about their move as a state school competing against UAB, another state school, and where that money was coming from….
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FAMU would have been a good draw, but their fans would have maybe outnumbered UAB’s too. Samford won’t have much of an expense to drive across few miles up to Protective…
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As for B10 scheduling, I’m sure UAB is fine being handed a check. Was there a cancellation fee for any of those three HBCU games?