Davidson football fans will have plenty of chances to enjoy games at Field 76 this season. The Wildcats announced their full 2026 football schedule this week, and Davidson will play eight home games, including five in a row to start the season.
The 2026 campaign kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 27 when Concord visits. The Mountain Lions compete at the Division II level. The teams have never met in football.
Elon comes to town the following Saturday, Sept. 5. The Wildcats and Phoenix have a lengthy football history – dating back to the 1920s – though there have only been a handful of games in the 2000s. Elon won 55-7 on its home turf a year ago.
Davidson hosts Dickinson College, a Division III school, on Sept. 12. The Red Devils hail from Pennsylvania and compiled a 5-6 record last season., playing in the Centennial Conference.
Our board is set.
The 2026 Schedule is HERE!
🗓️ – https://t.co/8S4uwgfvxa#GoCats pic.twitter.com/VLmOWoo2XZ — Davidson Football (@DavidsonFB) April 23, 2026
The homestand concludes with a date against VMI from the Southern Conference on Sept. 19 and then the first Pioneer Football League game against Drake on Sept. 26. Drake won the 2025 PFL championship, finishing 7-1 in league play and 8-4 overall.
Davidson’s first road trip will be its longest, crossing the country to face long-time Pioneer rival San Diego on Oct. 3. After a game at upstart Presbyterian (6-2, 10-2 in 2025) on Oct. 10 and a home game against Morehead State the following Saturday, the Wildcats finally will get a bye week.
The other two road games also will take the Wildcats long-distance – at St. Thomas (MN) on Oct. 31 and at Dayton (OH) on Nov. 14. Stetson (Nov. 7) and Marist (Nov. 21) round out the home schedule.
Davidson is coming off a 2-10 season in 2025 in head coach Saj Thakkar’s debut. The Wildcats scored one of the biggest FCS upsets in our state last November, knocking off No. 23-ranked Presbyterian by a 14-13 score to retain the 1919 Cup.
The ‘Cats have announced multiple assistant coaching changes in the off-season, including new defensive coordinator Woody Blevins, new defensive tackles coach Cullen McCarty and new associate director of football development Corey Bass.
The 2026 season will mark the Wildcats’ third in the new Davidson College Stadium, a modern 5,000-seat venue that replaced Richardson Stadium. The facility is affectionately known as Field 76 in honor of former coach and player David Fagg (Class of ‘58) who wore jersey number 76.
What it means
Davidson’s schedule structure could play a key role in how the 2026 season unfolds. The Wildcats will have an extended opportunity to settle in early with five straight home games, a stretch that includes a mix of non-conference opponents and the start of Pioneer Football League play.
For a program coming off a two-win season, that early homestand offers a chance to build confidence and establish rhythm before a back half that features multiple long road trips against talented competition.
Davidson 2026 Football Schedule
Aug. 27 – CONCORD
Sept. 5 – ELON
Sept. 12 – DICKINSON COLLEGE
Sept. 19 – VMI
Sept. 26 – DRAKE*
Oct. 3 – at San Diego*
Oct. 10 – at Presbyterian*
Oct. 17 – MOREHEAD STATE*
Oct. 24 – BYE
Oct. 31 – at St. Thomas*
Nov. 7 – STETSON*
Nov. 14 – at Dayton*
Nov. 21 – MARIST*
* denotes Pioneer Football League game
Follow Davidson College football throughout the year at NC Football News.
👉 View the Wildcats’ 2026 schedule page, which includes updated kickoff times and TV/streaming information – as well as 2025 results and future non-conference opponent information.
👉 View 2026 schedules for all seven of North Carolina’s FCS teams in one location.
