TicketsCINCINNATI – Historic Nippert Stadium will welcome Texas Tech, Utah and Colorado for the first time ever, while the Cincinnati football team will open conference play at home against Kansas State on Sept. 26, as the Big 12 announced the 2026 schedule on Wednesday.
The Bearcats host four conference games and will travel to five road contests.
Cincinnati’s one bye is the weekend of Oct. 10.
UC leaves the Queen City only once before Oct. 17 and plays three of its final four games on the road.
The Bearcats versus Red Raiders matchup on Oct. 24 will mark the 100th Homecoming game in UC history.
Cincinnati will kick off the fall by hosting Boston College on Sept. 5 at Nippert Stadium before welcoming Western Carolina on Sept. 12 and facing Miami (Ohio) in the return of the “Battle for the Victory Bell” on Sept. 19. More information on the UC-Miami neutral site game, including ticket information, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Cincinnati opens the Big 12 schedule by hosting Kansas State at Nippert Stadium for the first time since 1995 before hitting the road to face Arizona on Oct. 3 in Tucson for the first time.
After traveling to West Virginia on Oct. 17, the Bearcats welcome the reigning Big 12 champions, the Red Raiders, and the Utes in consecutive weeks.
November features trips to Houston on Nov. 7 and Iowa State on Nov. 14 before Colorado comes to Nippert Stadium for the first time on Nov. 21. Cincinnati closes the regular season on Nov. 28 at BYU.
2026 OPPONENT CAPSULES
Boston College (Sept. 5)
Series Record: Series is tied 4-4
Last Meeting: 2020 (UC won 38-6 in the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl)
Western Carolina (Sept. 12)
Series Record: UC leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2005 (UC won 7-3)
Miami [Ohio] (Sept. 19)
Series Record: UC leads 61-60-7
Last Meeting: 2024 (UC won 27-16)
Neutral Site Game
Kansas State (Sept. 26)
Series Record: UC leads 4-3
Last Meeting: 2024 (UC lost 41-15)
First meeting in Nippert Stadium since 1995
at Arizona (Oct. 3)
Series Record: Arizona leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2025 (Arizona won 30-24)
First meeting in Casino Del Sol Stadium
at West Virginia (Oct. 17)
Series Record: West Virginia leads 18-3-1
Last Meeting: 2024 (WVU won 31-24)
Texas Tech (Oct. 24)
Series Record: Texas Tech leads 1-0-1
Last Meeting: 2024 (Texas Tech won 44-41)
First meeting in Nippert Stadium
100th Homecoming Game
Utah (Oct. 31)
Series Record: Utah leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2025 (Utah won 45-14)
First meeting in Nippert Stadium
at Houston (Nov. 7)
Series Record: Series is tied 15-15
Last Meeting: 2024 (UC won 34-0)
at Iowa State (Nov. 14)
Series Record: ISU leads 2-1
Last Meeting: 2025 (UC won 38-30)
Colorado (Nov. 21)
Series Record: CU leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 2024 (CU won 34-23)
First meeting in Nippert Stadium
at BYU (Nov. 28)
Series Record: BYU leads 4-0
Last Meeting: 2025 (BYU won 26-14)
Big 12 Football Championship (Friday, Dec. 4)
at AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas