The Sun Belt Conference and ESPN unveiled the 2026 football schedule on Wednesday, confirming kickoff times and network assignments for the opening weeks and every mid‑week contest.
The agreement extends a 15‑year streak in which every Sun Belt home game has appeared on an ESPN platform or a linear partner, reinforcing the league’s expanding national footprint.
Key Broadcast Slots
Saturday, September 5 will feature four linear games on TNT, ESPNU, FS1 and ESPNU, while September 12 brings five broadcasts across ESPNU, The CW, ACC Network and the Big Ten Network.
The following weekend, September 19, will again showcase five linear telecasts, including CBS Sports Network, ESPNU and The CW.
A marquee mid‑week matchup between Liberty and Coastal Carolina will serve as ESPN’s flagship game, and the championship will be played on Friday, December 4, at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Commissioner Keith Gill praised the momentum built after a breakthrough 2025 season that delivered the conference’s first College Football Playoff berth and led non‑autonomy bowls for four straight years.
Overall, the Sun Belt holds a .548 bowl winning percentage in the Playoff era, trailing only the Big Ten and SEC, and will look to capitalize on a record that featured multiple 10‑win teams such as James Madison and Old Dominion.