Tennessee Tech Football Begins SoCon Era with Release of 2026 Schedule
Tennessee Tech announces 2026 Football Schedule, its first as members of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech releases the 2026 Football Schedule, its first as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
After 76 years in the Ohio Valley Conference, Tennessee Tech football will join the Southern Conference in 2026, marking the beginning of a new era, which starts with the release of the football schedule. The Golden Eagles were ranked as high as No. 5 in the 2025 FCS Top 25 and look to build on the momentum of a historical 11-win season during the 2026 campaign.
Tickets will go on sale soon. Visit TTUSports.com for more information. Kick-off times will be announced later. Follow the Golden Eagles on social media for future updates.
Head Coach Bobby Wilder on the 2026 schedule. "It's an exciting time for Tennessee Tech football! We are fired up about the release of our 2026 schedule. Can't wait to kick off the season in an upgraded Tucker Stadium with a Top 25 matchup against Monmouth."
Wilder continued. "Followed by a matchup with our newest rival, 97 miles to the south at Chattanooga. We are excited for the opportunity to finish the season at Mississippi State out of the Southeastern Conference. We are embracing the challenge of our first season in our new home - the Southern Conference!"
Wilder concluded. "Our goal will be to Aim Higher in 2026 and surpass our school record 11 wins in 2025. It's a great time to be a Golden Eagle!"
The Golden Eagles will open a new campaign at a renovated Tucker Stadium in front of its new west sideline against the Monmouth Hawks, an NCAA Playoff Qualifier out of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), on Aug. 29. It will be a ribbon-cutting event with the renovation of the west sideline seeing its first action.
Tech travels to Chattanooga for a non-conference game against a SoCon foe on Saturday, Sept. 5, to complete the second end of a home-and-home after defeating the Mocs 45-17 in 2025. Chattanooga went 5-7 overall and 4-4 in conference a year ago to finish fifth in the Golden Eagles' new conference.
TTU returns home for its first SoCon game against Samford on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Golden Eagles have played 26 games all-time against the Bulldogs, dating back to 1934 when it was Howard College. TTU is 12-14 against Samford in series history.
The Golden Eagles' only BYE week of the regular season falls on Saturday, Sept. 19, following three weeks of regular season action like 2025.
Tech dives deeper into SoCon play with road games at Wofford (9/26) and Western Carolina (10/3) before returning to Tucker Stadium against Furman on Saturday, Oct. 10. It marks the fifth matchup all-time against Wofford and 15th clash against Western Carolina in program history.
TTU hosts two straight home games, first with Furman on Saturday, Oct. 10, and second a non-conference game against a former OVC foe Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 17. This will be the fifth contest in series history against Furman and the first since 2023. It'll mark the 77th matchup with Eastern Kentucky, going back to 1937.
The Golden Eagles hit the road for two straight on Saturday, Oct. 24, at The Citadel and Saturday, Oct. 31, at East Tennessee State. Tech and The Citadel faceoff for just the second time, and East Tennessee State for the 33rd time.
Back-to-back home games begin the final month of the season, hosting VMI on Saturday, Nov. 7, and Mercer for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 24. Tech faces VMI for the second time and Mercer for the third. The Golden Eagles close conference play against the defending SoCon Champions – Mercer.
The regular season concludes at SEC powerhouse Mississippi State for the first time in program history. It's the second straight year that the Golden Eagles face an SEC foe in one of its final two games.
| 2026 Tennessee Tech Football Schedule | |||
| DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME |
| Saturday | August 29 | MONMOUTH | TBD |
| Saturday | September. 5 | at Chattanooga | TBD |
| Saturday | September 12 | SAMFORD* | TBD |
| Saturday | September 19 | BYE | BYE |
| Saturday | September 26 | at Wofford* | TBD |
| Saturday | October 3 | at Western Carolina* | TBD |
| Saturday | October 10 | FURMAN* | TBD |
| Saturday | October 17 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | TBD |
| Saturday | October 24 | at Citadel* | TBD |
| Saturday | October 31 | at East Tennessee State* | TBD |
| Saturday | November 7 | VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE* | TBD |
| Saturday | November 14 | MERCER* | TBD |
| Saturday | November 21 | at Mississippi State | TBD |
| Saturday | November 28 | FCS Playoffs – 1st Round | TBD |
| Home Games: BOLD | |||
| Road Games: Lowercase | |||
