Week 0 is here, and the 2026 Division II football season is officially underway. The opening week features several major nonconference matchups, including a pair of games between nationally ranked teams and a number of DII programs taking on FCS opponents.
Keep an eye on these early matchups: No. 1 Ferris State at No. 5 Pittsburg State, No. 2 Minnesota State at No. 7 Colorado Mesa, No. 3 Grand Valley State at Charleston, No. 6 CSU Pueblo against No. 16 Central Missouri, and No. 8 Northwest Missouri State at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
The opening week also features several intriguing regional matchups, including Minnesota Duluth at Slippery Rock, Western Colorado at West Texas A&M, Augustana at Missouri Western, Virginia Union at Lenoir-Rhyne and Western Oregon at Colorado School of Mines.
The weekend wraps up Sunday with one of the most unique Week 0 games on the schedule. West Alabama takes on Tuskegee in the Red Tails Classic at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, with the game airing nationally on ESPN2.
Here's the full rundown of the top Week 0 games, including every matchup involving a Division II team.
Thursday, August 27
- Kentucky Wesleyan at Kentucky Christian (6 pm ET)
- Barton at Virginia State (6 pm ET)
- Bluefield State at Tusculum (6 pm ET)
- Chowan at West Virginia State (6 pm ET)
- McKendree at Saginaw Valley State (6 pm ET)
- Minnesota Duluth at Slippery Rock (6 pm ET)
- Wayne State (NE) at Nebraska-Kearney (7 pm ET)
- Quincy at Concordia-St. Paul (7 pm ET)
- Southwest Minnesota State vs. Valley City State (7 pm ET)
- Northern State vs. Chadron State (7 pm ET)
- Bemidji State vs. Michigan Tech (7 pm ET)
- MSU Moorhead vs. Northern Michigan (7 pm ET)
- Winona State at St. Thomas (7 pm ET)
- Augustana at Missouri Western (7 pm ET)
- Sioux Falls vs. Black Hills State (7 pm ET)
- Minnesota State at No. 7 Colorado Mesa (8 pm ET)
- Emporia State at Minot State (8 pm ET)
- Central Oklahoma vs. Texas Wesleyan (8 pm ET)
- Southwest Baptist vs. William Woods (8 pm ET)
- No. 1 Ferris State at No. 5 Pittsburg State (9 pm ET)
- No. 16 Central Missouri at No. 6 CSU Pueblo (8 pm ET)
- Fort Hays State at Angelo State (8 pm ET)
- Eastern New Mexico at New Mexico Highlands (9 pm ET)
- No. 3 Grand Valley State at Charleston (6 pm ET)
- Glenville State at Elon (8 pm ET)
- Concord at Davidson (7 pm ET)
- UVA Wise at Presbyterian (7 pm ET)
- Wingate at UNC Pembroke (6 pm ET)
- Ohio Dominican at Morehead State (6 pm ET)
- Tiffin at Carson-Newman (8 pm ET)
- West Virginia Wesleyan vs. Post (6 pm ET)
- Thomas More at Wheeling (6 pm ET)
- Walsh at West Liberty (7 pm ET)
- Western Colorado at West Texas A&M (9 pm ET)
- Valdosta State vs. Emory & Henry (8 pm ET)
Friday, August 28
- Virginia Union at Lenoir-Rhyne (6 pm ET, FloSports)
- Delta State at Northeastern State (7 pm ET)
Virginia Union and Lenoir-Rhyne headline Friday night in what should be one of the weekend's best DII matchups. The Panthers finished 9-3 last season and have made four consecutive Division II playoff appearances, while Lenoir-Rhyne is looking to get back into the postseason picture after missing the playoffs in 2025.
Northeastern State and Delta State will also meet Friday night in Tahlequah. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time and marks the RiverHawks' home opener.
Saturday, August 29
Saturday's DII schedule features several games against FCS opponents, with Morehouse traveling to Little Rock to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the inaugural Natural State Kickoff Classic. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be played at War Memorial Stadium.
The biggest DII-versus-DII matchup of the day comes in the Lone Star State, where No. 8 Northwest Missouri Statetravels to Texas A&M-Kingsville. Meanwhile, No. 22 Western Oregon opens against No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, and UT Permian Basin makes the short trip to face FCS newcomer UT Rio Grande Valley.
- Gannon at Davenport (Noon ET)
- Jamestown at Upper Iowa (Noon ET)
- Delta State at Northeastern State (Noon ET)
- Fort Valley State at Elizabeth City State (1 pm ET)
- Allen at Livingstone (1 pm ET)
- Johnson C. Smith at Benedict (1 pm ET)
- Shaw at Fayetteville State (1 pm ET)
- Catawba at Ferrum (1 pm ET)
- Lincoln (MO) vs. Central Methodist (1 pm ET)
- Missouri S&T vs. Westgate Christian (2 pm ET)
- William Jewell vs. Fort Lewis (2 pm ET)
- Florida Memorial at Edward Waters (3 pm ET)
- Central State vs. Kentucky State (3 pm ET)
- Morehouse vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3 pm ET)
- Albany State at Florida A&M (3 pm ET)
- Clark Atlanta at Grambling State (3 pm ET)
- Miles at Alcorn State (3 pm ET)
- Shorter vs. Andrew College (TBA)
- Missouri Southern at Midwestern State (8 pm ET)
- No. 8 Northwest Missouri State at Texas A&M-Kingsville (8 pm ET)
- No. 22 Western Oregon at No. 10 Colorado School of Mines (8 pm ET)
- No. 18 UT Permian Basin at UT Rio Grande Valley (8 pm ET)
- Sul Ross State vs. Wayland Baptist (8 pm ET)
- No. 20 Gannon at Davenport (Noon ET)
- Winston-Salem State at Norfolk State (6 pm ET)
- Morgan State at North Carolina A&T (6 pm ET)
- Virginia-Lynchburg at Hampton (6 pm ET)
- Savannah State at South Carolina State (6 pm ET)
Sunday, August 30
The 2026 DII season closes its opening weekend with the Red Tails Classic, as West Alabama faces Tuskegee at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
- West Alabama vs. Tuskegee (8 pm ET, ESPN2)
Rankings reflect the preseason Division II rankings used for this article. Check back throughout the week for game previews and predictions.
