The Big Sky Conference has announced its 2026 football schedule, laying out a slate that blends early afternoon kickoffs, prime‑time night games and a handful of broadcast experiments.
Kickoff Times and Broadcast Highlights
Eastern Washington will open its season at Northern Arizona on August 29 at 2 p.m., and most of its early home contests are slated for a 4 p.m. start. The team’s lone night game arrives on October 3 at UC Davis, where the matchup will begin at 7:30 p.m. ESPN+ will carry ten of the Eagles’ games, with one additional contest moving to the Big10 Network.
Idaho’s schedule features a series of night games early in the year, including trips to Cal Poly and Utah in August and September. Later in the season the Vandals’ home games are expected to begin either at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., though kickoff times for matchups against Lamar and Abilene Christian remain undecided. The conference confirmed that both Eastern Washington and Idaho will not host home games on the same weekend, preserving distinct television windows.
Broadcast Partners and Final Slate
The Big Sky’s agreement with ESPN+ guarantees extensive coverage, while a single game will also appear on the Big10 Network. The conference’s full schedule ensures that the conference’s television partners can plan programming without overlapping regional commitments.