MANKATO, Minn. --- The 2026 Minnesota State football schedule will feature 11 games, including five at Blakeslee Stadium.

For the third straight season, the Mavericks will utilize week 0 as Minnesota State heads to Grand Junction, Colo., on August 27 to take on the Colorado Mesa Mavericks for the first time in program history. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (CST) at Stocker Stadium.

MSU opens NSIC action on week 1 as the Mavericks head north to Bismarck, N.D., for the first time since the 2017 season on September 5 to take on the UMary Marauders at 6:00 p.m. MSU owns an 8-0 all-time record against UMary, including a 49-21 win at Blakeslee Stadium in their most recent outing during the 2024 season.

Weeks two and three will see the Mavericks open their home schedule at Blakeslee Stadium as the Mavericks host Bemidji State on Sept. 12 at 6:00 p.m. and Northern State on Sept. 19 at 1:00 p.m. This will be the first time MSU has faced BSU and NSU since the 2024 season. The Mavericks bested the Wolves 24-14 on the road in their most recent outing on Nov. 2, 2024, before defeating the Beavers 27-23 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 7, 2024.

The Mavericks close out the month of September on the road as they take on the Sioux Falls Cougars at 1:00 p.m. on Sept. 26. Last season, MSU defeated the Cougars 38-12 in their Homecoming Game at Blakeslee Stadium.

Minnesota State opens the month of October with its annual Homecoming Game as it hosts Concordia-St. Paul in a 2:00 p.m. game on Oct. 3. MSU owns a 56-34-2 record at Homecoming, including a 3-0 record against the Golden Bears.

Week six will see the Mavericks head back on the road as they take on the Winona State Warriors on Oct. 10 at 2:00 p.m. MSU has won its last three outings against the Warriors, including a 47-21 win at Blakeslee Stadium last season.

MSU will be idle on week seven before returning home for Family Weekend on Oct. 24 as it hosts the Wayne State Wildcats at 1:00 p.m. Last season, the Wildcats defeated the Mavericks 35-20 in Wayne, Neb.

Minnesota State closes out the month of October on the road as it travels to Marshall, Minn., on Halloween to take on the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs at 12:00 p.m. MSU bested the Mustangs 48-7 at Blakeslee Stadium last season.

The Mavericks wrap up their regular season home schedule on Nov. 7 as they host the Augustana Vikings at 12:00 p.m. MSU has won its last two meetings against AU, including a 45-21 win in Sioux Falls last season.

MSU concludes its regular season schedule on the road on Nov. 14 as it takes on MSU Moorhead in a noon kickoff. The Dragons defeated the Mavericks 31-23 in their regular season finale at Blakeslee Stadium last season. 

The first round of the NCAA Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 21. The NCAA Division II Championship game will be held at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, on Dec. 19.
 

Week	Date	Opponent	Location	Time
0	Aug. 27	at Colorado Mesa	Grand Junction, Colo.	7:00 p.m. CT
1	Sept. 5	at University of Mary*	Bismarck, N.D.	6:00 p.m. CT
2	Sept. 12	Bemidji State*	Mankato, Minn.	6:00 p.m. CT
3	Sept. 19	Northern State*	Mankato, Minn.	1:00 p.m. CT
4	Sept. 26	at Sioux Falls*	Sioux Falls, S.D.	1:00 p.m. CT
5	Oct. 3	Concordia-St. Paul*#	Mankato, Minn.	2:00 p.m. CT
6	Oct. 10	at Winona State*	Winona, Minn.	2:00 p.m. CT
7	Oct. 17	Idle
8	Oct. 24	Wayne State*	Mankato, Minn.	1:00 p.m. CT
9	Oct. 31	at Southwest Minnesota State*	Marshall, Minn.	12:00 p.m. CT
10	Nov. 7	Augustana*	Mankato, Minn.	12:00 p.m. CT
11	Nov. 14	at MSU Moorhead*	Moorhead, Minn.	12:00 p.m. CT
12	Nov. 21	NCAA Playoffs	TBA	TBA

BOLD indicates home game
* indicates NSIC game
# indicates Homecoming game