Franklin & Marshall College revealed its 2026 football slate this week, a ten‑game schedule that blends a familiar non‑conference lineup with a fresh set of challenges.
The season will open on Friday, September 4, when the Diplomats travel to Lebanon Valley for a season‑opening showdown that marks the twelfth straight year the two schools have met to kick off the campaign.
Beyond the traditional rivals, the non‑conference slate includes road trips to Westminster (Pa.) and Catholic University, while the home portion wraps up with a series of marquee matchups against Gettysburg, Dickinson, Ursinus and Carnegie Mellon.
Conference play begins on October 3 when the Diplomats host Gettysburg, the first of several back‑to‑back home games at Shadek Stadium that will test the team’s depth.
Conference Play and Title Aspirations
A highlight of the schedule is the rematch with Johns Hopkins, the 2025 Centennial Conference Championship opponent, set to be played under the lights at Homewood Field, offering a chance to repeat the dramatic two‑point conversion that secured the outright title last season.
The Diplomats enter the new year riding a 21‑game winning streak against the Green Terror and a 10‑1 record in the historic series with Westminster, underscoring the program’s recent dominance.
Head coach Michael Phelan, the reigning Centennial Conference Coach of the Year, returns for his second season, bringing continuity to a staff that helped the team to a 9‑2 record and an NCAA Tournament berth last year.
With eight postseason appearances in the past nine seasons, the squad aims to extend its streak of winning campaigns and to defend the conference title that has become a hallmark of Franklin & Marshall football.