Four-Time National Champion Ferris State Unveils Challenging 2026 Football Slate

Big Rapids, Mich. - Defending NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State University, which has captured four of the last five D2 national titles, has unveiled another challenging slate as the 2026 football schedule was announced on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs will again hit the field for 11 games over the course of 12 weeks this coming fall, highlighted by six home outings at Top Taggart Field and three matchups to start the year against returning NCAA Division II Playoff opponents from last fall. Ferris State's slate features a season-opening week zero road trip to fellow D2 power Pittsburg State (Kan.), the home opener against 2025 playoff qualifier Bentley (Mass.), a cross-country trip to returning playoff foe Central Washington, the annual homecoming contest and a challenging Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) slate that includes a visit to rival Grand Valley State for the Anchor-Bone Classic in Allendale.

"We've prided ourselves on facing some of the nation's top competition each year and this fall will be no different," said FSU head coach Tony Annese. "When you've won four of the last five Division II National Championships, you're going to get everyone's best shot and that means we'll have to be well-prepared and ready to be at our best each week. We're looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity in front of us this coming year."

The Bulldogs, who have reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs a nation-leading 11 consecutive years and won 30 consecutive games to date, will kickoff the campaign on the road Thursday, Aug. 27, against Pittsburg State in Kansas. The Gorillas handed FSU its most recent setback to start the 2024 season at PSU before FSU reeled off 14 consecutive wins to claim the 2024 crown. Last fall, the Bulldogs topped the Gorillas in the season opener in Big Rapids en route to a historic 16-0 campaign. Pitt State has reached the NCAA D2 Playoffs each of the past four years.

The following week, Ferris State will play its home opener at Top Taggart Field with a special Friday night tilt to start Labor Day weekend against Bentley (Mass.) on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. (ET). The Falcons posted a 7-4 overall record last fall and earned a trip to the D2 Playoffs from the Northeast 10 Conference before falling to eventual national semifinalist Kutztown (Pa.) in the opening round.

After the home opener, the Bulldogs will make the long trek to the Northwest, facing Central Washington in Ellensburg on Sept. 12. CWU went 10-2 overall a year ago and also made a trip to the D2 Playoffs before falling to Western Colorado in the first round. The Wildcats have made three consecutive trips to the playoffs and reached the postseason four times in the past five years. They also made an appearance in the D2 top five nationally in the AFCA Coaches Poll to close out the 2025 regular season. Ferris State traveled to Central Washington in 2019 and recorded a 62-28 win in the NCAA Division II Showcase National Game of the Week and recorded a season-opening 36-20 home win in 2022 in Big Rapids.

The Bulldogs will be idle on Sept. 19 following the trip to Central Washington, but will return to the field for the annual homecoming game on Sept. 26 versus Kentucky Christian in Big Rapids. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. (ET). The Knights are an NAIA member and compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. They are coming off the best offensive season in program history, averaging more than 35 points per game a year ago with one of the nation's most explosive passing attacks at their level.

Ferris State, which is the two-time defending GLIAC Champion, will start conference play on the road on Oct. 3 as FSU travels across the Mackinac Bridge to take on Northern Michigan inside the Superior Dome in Marquette.

The trip to NMU will be followed by a grueling stretch in October against four league opponents that battled the Bulldogs as close as anyone during last fall's championship campaign. The Bulldogs will entertain Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 10 in Big Rapids for a 1 p.m. (ET) league encounter, which comes on the heels of last year's thrilling double-overtime Bulldog comeback win against the Cardinals in University Center.

The Anchor-Bone Classic will take the place the following week on Oct. 17 when Ferris State heads to Allendale to square off against Grand Valley State. The Lakers beat FSU at Lubbers Stadium twice in 2023 before the Bulldogs turned the tables with a regular-season road win at GVSU in 2024 followed by a 38-31 victory last season in Big Rapids.

The slate won't get any easier for FSU after the Anchor-Bone Classic as Ferris State returns to Big Rapids for back-to-back home matchups against tough league foes in Michigan Tech and Davenport on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, respectively. MTU finished the 2025 season with a 7-4 overall record and both teams went 4-3 in league play, tying for fourth place overall in a competitive conference race. Both games will start at 1 p.m. (ET) and the matchup versus DU will represent the third installment of the Calder City Classic with the Bulldogs holding a 2-0 mark in the West Michigan rivalry trophy series.

Ferris State will play its final road game on Nov. 7 against Wayne State in Detroit and then close out the regular season back at home versus Roosevelt on Nov. 14 in Big Rapids.

The NCAA Division II Playoffs will begin the following week on Nov. 21 with the national championship game back in McKinney, Texas, on Dec. 19. This year will represent the second year in which Super Region Three will include schools from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) joining the GLIAC in the regional alignment.

Stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional information on the 2026 campaign, including start times for all remaining road contests and ticket details coming soon.

Below is the composite 2026 schedule:

Aug. 27 - at Pittsburg State
Sept. 4 - Bentley (Mass.), 6 pm
Sept. 12 - at Central Washington
Sept. 19 - Bye Week
Sept. 26 - Kentucky Christian (Homecoming), 3 pm
Oct. 3 - at Northern Michigan*
Oct. 10 - Saginaw Valley State*, 1 pm
Oct. 17 - at Grand Valley State*
Oct. 24 - Michigan Tech*, 1 pm
Oct. 31 - Davenport*, 1 pm
Nov. 7 - at Wayne State*
Nov. 14 - Roosevelt*, 1 pm 

Nov. 21 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (First Round)
Nov. 28 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Second Round)
Dec. 5 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Quarterfinals)
Dec. 12 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Semifinals)
Dec. 19 - NCAA Division II Playoffs (Championship - McKinney, Texas)

Home games in Bold

*Denotes GLIAC game
All times Eastern
Schedule subject to change