Football | 2/19/2026 4:00:00 PM

February 18, 2026-The 2026 Emporia State football schedule was released today and the Hornets will open with a pair of road games before playing six of their final nine on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.
 
The Hornets will take their first trip to Minot, North Dakota to open the season on Saturday, August 29.  Emporia State defeated the Beavers 27-7 last season in Welch Stadium.  The Hornets have won seven straight season openers and are 15-3 under Coach Garin Higgins overall in season openers.   
 
Emporia State will stay on the road for their second game as they travel to Pittsburg State for the seventh most played rivalry in NCAA Division II. Emporia State defeated the Gorillas 24-21 in their last trip to the Jungle in 2024.  At least one of these teams has advanced to the post season in 14 of the last 15 seasons with the Hornets going to the playoffs three times with five bowl games while the Gorillas have six playoff appearances and three bowls.
 
The home opener will be the first ever meeting between Emporia State and Michigan Tech on the gridiron. The Hornets have won five straight home openers. Emporia State is 14-4 in home openers under Coach Higgins.  The Huskies were 7-4 last season with a 4-3 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference. It is the first time the Hornets have taken on a team from the GLIAC.
 
Emporia State will play host to Neb.-Kearney in their MIAA home opener on September 19. It will be just the second contest in Welch Stadium between the Hornets and Lopers in five years.  The last time the two met in Emporia, ESU came away with a 39-17 win on Homecoming 2023.
 
After a bye week, Emporia State will wrap up a three game home stand against Missouri Western on October 3. The Hornets rolled to a 50-14 win in St, Joseph last year after the previous two games with the Griffons were decided by three points each.
 
The Hornets will hit the road for the first time in a month when they travel to Missouri Southern. Emporia State has won 13 straight in the series and have not lost to the Lions in Joplin since 2009.
 
Emporia State returns to Welch Stadium on October 17 to take on Central Oklahoma. It will be the first time the Bronchos have come to Emporia since 2023 as three of the last four games between the two have been in Edmond.  The home team has won six straight in this series since a 35-28 Emporia State victory in 2018.
 
Homecoming will be on October 24 against Central Missouri. Last year true freshman Jamison Sarver led the Hornets to a 31-27 come from behind victory in Warrensburg to give Coach Higgins his school record 117th win at Emporia State. Over the last 12 years the two teams have combined to average over 75 points with each team scoring at least 27 points in every one of those 12 games. They have both been in the top three of the MIAA in passing offense in 11 of the last 13 seasons.
 
Emporia State will travel to Maryville, Mo. for the ninth time in their last 13 meetings for a Halloween game at Northwest Missouri.  They have split their last two meetings at Bearcat Stadium with the Northwest winning 14-9 in 2024 after Emporia State posted a 33-13 win in Maryville in 2023.
 
The final home game will be the 121^st edition of the Turnpike Tussle on November 7. The Hornets lead the series with the Ichabods 61-53-6. ESU has won five in a row and 11 of the last 13 Turnpike Tussles, including last year's 45-17 victory in Topeka that saw the awarding of the first Turnpike Tussle Trophy.
 
Emporia State will wrap up the regular season with a trip west to Fort Hays State on November 14. The Hornets have won four of the last seven in the series and have a 56-40-2 advantage all-time against the Tigers.


 
Spring practices for the Hornets start on March 24 and will conclude with the Spring Showcase on April 24.  Season ticket information will be available during spring ball along with selected game day promotions. 
 
August 29 at Minot State
September 5 at Pitt State
September 12 Michigan Tech 
September 19 Neb.-Kearney
September 26 Bye Week
October 3 Missouri Western
October 10 at Missouri Southern
October 17 Central Oklahoma
October 24 Central Missouri  
October 31 at Northwest Missouri
November 7 Washburn
November 14 at Fort Hays State