ECU Unveils 2026 Football Schedule Dates
February 26, 2026 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Seven contests against bowl qualifiers in 2025 including a CFP first round and Rose Bowl participant highlights East Carolina's 2026 football schedule according to a release of the league composite schedule Thursday afternoon by the American Conference.
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For the third time in the last four years, East Carolina will open the season at a power conference program when it travels to Alabama (Sept. 5). The two programs only meeting was in 1998 with the Tide narrowly walking away with a victory in Birmingham, Ala. (23-22). The Pirates home opener is slated for Sept. 11 when they welcome in Appalachian State.
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ECU will travel to Old Dominion (Sept. 19) for the third time in the last four contests since 2019. The Pirates, who have won all five games in the series, earned a 20-14 road victory in 2024. The Pirates will close out their non-conference schedule at home against N.C. Central (Sept. 26) where they claimed the lone victory in the series, 52-7, back in 2014.
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Following an open week, the Pirates 13th campaign in The American will officially begin when they host Rice (Oct. 10). ECU will play consecutive Thursday night road games at UAB (Oct. 15) and Memphis (Oct. 22) before hosting Temple on Oct. 31. The Pirates lone Friday game, at this moment, will be against South Florida (Nov. 6) at home followed by back-to-back road contests at Charlotte (Nov. 14) and Army (Nov. 21). For the second-straight season, ECU will close out the regular season schedule at home against Florida Atlantic (Nov. 27 or 28).
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ECU game day designations and color games will be announced once finalized, while broadcast determinations will be made once completed by the league office and the networks.
Season tickets will officially go on sale Monday, March 2 at 10 a.m. with a priority deadline to order of April 1. Purchases may be made via ECU's Online Ticket Center or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.
The Pirates will open spring drills March 18 and conclude work with the annual Purple-Gold Spring Game inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on April 18.
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2026 SCHEDULE NOTABLES
COMPOSITE RECORDS
ECU's 2026 opponents posted a combined 77-76 (.503) record in 2025. The Pirates' four non-conference foes were 24-29 (.453), while the eight American squads tallied a collective 53-47 (.530) mark. Five programs had eight or more wins – Alabama (11), Old Dominion (10), South Florida (9), N.C. Central (8) and Memphis (8).
SEVEN BOWL TEAMS
For the second consecutive season, ECU's schedule features contests against seven teams which participated in bowl games a year ago. In addition to Alabama (CFP first round and Rose Bowl), Appalachian State (JLab Birmingham Bowl), Army (Wasabi Bowl), Memphis (Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl), Old Dominion (StaffDNA Cure Bowl), Rice (Lockhead Martin Armed Forces Bowl) and South Florida (StaffDNA Cure Bowl) each made FBS postseason appearances last December and January. Of the Pirates' six home games, five will be against 2025 bowl qualifiers, while two of six road contests will be against postseason teams.
IN THE FINAL POLLS
Alabama is the lone ECU opponent in 2026 that finished ranked in the two major polls (Associated Press, AFCA Coaches) to end the 2026 season coming in at No. 9. Old Dominion received votes in both polls, while Army garnered on vote in the AFCA poll along with East Carolina.
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NON-SATURDAY ACTION
ECU will have three non-Saturday contests in 2026. For the seventh-straight campaign (and eighth in the last nine years), ECU will play at least one weeknight contest. The Pirates will have consecutive road Thursday night contests playing at UAB (Oct. 15) and at Memphis (Oct. 22), while hosting South Florida on Friday, Nov. 6. The Pirates regular season finale inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium against Florida Atlantic will be played either Nov. 27 (Friday) or Nov. 28 (Saturday). ECU is 40-50-1 (.451) all-time on non-Saturday games (17-24-1/home, 19-20/road, 4-6/neutral) after posting a 2-2 record in 2025.
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AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The American Conference will conduct its championship game on December 5th and will be played on the home field of the highest-seeded team (by order of its regular season finish).
KICKOFF TIMES & TELEVISION PICKS
Kickoff times and television selections for the first three weeks of the season and most non-Saturday games will likely be announced around June 1st, while the remainder will be through the traditional 12-day/6-day process.
2026 ECU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 5 – at Alabama
Sept. 12 – APPALACHIAN STATE
Sept. 19 – at Old Dominion
Sept. 26 – N.C. CENTRAL
Oct. 3 – OPEN
Oct. 10 – RICE*
Oct. 15 – at UAB* (Thursday)
Oct. 22 – at Memphis* (Thursday)
Oct. 31 – TEMPLE*
Nov. 6 – SOUTH FLORIDA* (Friday)
Nov. 14 – at Charlotte*
Nov. 21 – at Army*
Nov. 27/28 – FLORIDA ATLANTIC*
Dec. 5 – American Championship Game (highest-seed campus site)
Home games in ALL CAPS; *American Conference game; Dates are subject to change pending finalization of television scheduling.
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For the third time in the last four years, East Carolina will open the season at a power conference program when it travels to Alabama (Sept. 5). The two programs only meeting was in 1998 with the Tide narrowly walking away with a victory in Birmingham, Ala. (23-22). The Pirates home opener is slated for Sept. 11 when they welcome in Appalachian State.
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ECU will travel to Old Dominion (Sept. 19) for the third time in the last four contests since 2019. The Pirates, who have won all five games in the series, earned a 20-14 road victory in 2024. The Pirates will close out their non-conference schedule at home against N.C. Central (Sept. 26) where they claimed the lone victory in the series, 52-7, back in 2014.
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Following an open week, the Pirates 13th campaign in The American will officially begin when they host Rice (Oct. 10). ECU will play consecutive Thursday night road games at UAB (Oct. 15) and Memphis (Oct. 22) before hosting Temple on Oct. 31. The Pirates lone Friday game, at this moment, will be against South Florida (Nov. 6) at home followed by back-to-back road contests at Charlotte (Nov. 14) and Army (Nov. 21). For the second-straight season, ECU will close out the regular season schedule at home against Florida Atlantic (Nov. 27 or 28).
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ECU game day designations and color games will be announced once finalized, while broadcast determinations will be made once completed by the league office and the networks.
Season tickets will officially go on sale Monday, March 2 at 10 a.m. with a priority deadline to order of April 1. Purchases may be made via ECU's Online Ticket Center or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.
The Pirates will open spring drills March 18 and conclude work with the annual Purple-Gold Spring Game inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on April 18.
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2026 SCHEDULE NOTABLES
COMPOSITE RECORDS
ECU's 2026 opponents posted a combined 77-76 (.503) record in 2025. The Pirates' four non-conference foes were 24-29 (.453), while the eight American squads tallied a collective 53-47 (.530) mark. Five programs had eight or more wins – Alabama (11), Old Dominion (10), South Florida (9), N.C. Central (8) and Memphis (8).
SEVEN BOWL TEAMS
For the second consecutive season, ECU's schedule features contests against seven teams which participated in bowl games a year ago. In addition to Alabama (CFP first round and Rose Bowl), Appalachian State (JLab Birmingham Bowl), Army (Wasabi Bowl), Memphis (Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl), Old Dominion (StaffDNA Cure Bowl), Rice (Lockhead Martin Armed Forces Bowl) and South Florida (StaffDNA Cure Bowl) each made FBS postseason appearances last December and January. Of the Pirates' six home games, five will be against 2025 bowl qualifiers, while two of six road contests will be against postseason teams.
IN THE FINAL POLLS
Alabama is the lone ECU opponent in 2026 that finished ranked in the two major polls (Associated Press, AFCA Coaches) to end the 2026 season coming in at No. 9. Old Dominion received votes in both polls, while Army garnered on vote in the AFCA poll along with East Carolina.
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NON-SATURDAY ACTION
ECU will have three non-Saturday contests in 2026. For the seventh-straight campaign (and eighth in the last nine years), ECU will play at least one weeknight contest. The Pirates will have consecutive road Thursday night contests playing at UAB (Oct. 15) and at Memphis (Oct. 22), while hosting South Florida on Friday, Nov. 6. The Pirates regular season finale inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium against Florida Atlantic will be played either Nov. 27 (Friday) or Nov. 28 (Saturday). ECU is 40-50-1 (.451) all-time on non-Saturday games (17-24-1/home, 19-20/road, 4-6/neutral) after posting a 2-2 record in 2025.
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AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The American Conference will conduct its championship game on December 5th and will be played on the home field of the highest-seeded team (by order of its regular season finish).
KICKOFF TIMES & TELEVISION PICKS
Kickoff times and television selections for the first three weeks of the season and most non-Saturday games will likely be announced around June 1st, while the remainder will be through the traditional 12-day/6-day process.
2026 ECU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 5 – at Alabama
Sept. 12 – APPALACHIAN STATE
Sept. 19 – at Old Dominion
Sept. 26 – N.C. CENTRAL
Oct. 3 – OPEN
Oct. 10 – RICE*
Oct. 15 – at UAB* (Thursday)
Oct. 22 – at Memphis* (Thursday)
Oct. 31 – TEMPLE*
Nov. 6 – SOUTH FLORIDA* (Friday)
Nov. 14 – at Charlotte*
Nov. 21 – at Army*
Nov. 27/28 – FLORIDA ATLANTIC*
Dec. 5 – American Championship Game (highest-seed campus site)
Home games in ALL CAPS; *American Conference game; Dates are subject to change pending finalization of television scheduling.
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