MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University football program has officially released its 11-game schedule for the 2026 season.
 
For the second straight season, the NSIC will feature a 10-game league schedule with North and South Divisions. Each of the 14 football-playing schools will play six games within their division, four versus the other division and have the option to play a non-conference opponent.
 
The Mustangs, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Scott Underwood, will have six home games at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
 
SMSU opens the season on Thursday, Aug. 27, hosting Valley City State. It will be the third meeting between the teams with SMSU winning at Valley City State in 1983 and at the Metrodome in Minneapolis in 1988.
 
SMSU will have its first road and conference game of the season on Sept. 5 at Bemidji State before returning home on Sept. 12 taking on Northern State for the annual Ag Bowl. SMSU is 6-12 all-time in Ag Bowl games.  
 
Following a road game versus Minot State on Sept. 19, SMSU will return for two straight home games, taking on Wayne State on Sept. 26 and Minnesota Duluth for the annual Homecoming game on Oct. 3.
 
SMSU will play at the University of Sioux Falls on Oct. 10 and following an open week on Oct. 17, the Mustangs will travel to Sioux Falls once again playing at Augustana on Oct. 24.
 
SMSU will close the month of October with a home game with Minnesota State on Oct. 31 before closing the road portion of its schedule at Concordia-St. Paul on Nov. 7.
 
SMSU's final home and regular season game will be on Nov. 14 versus Winona State.
 
SMSU is not scheduled to play conference members UMary, MSU Moorhead or Jamestown.
 
The Mustangs started spring practice on Tuesday, March 24, and will be allowed 15 practice per NCAA regulations. SMSU is scheduled to host Dakota State in a controlled scrimmage on Wednesday, April 22, starting at 4:30 p.m.
 
2026 Opponent Notes:
 
Valley City State: SMSU leads the all-time series 2-0 … SMSU won 20-6 at Valley City State in 1983 … SMSU earned a 29-19 victory at the Metrodome in Minneapolis during the 1988 season. 
 
Bemidji State: BSU leads the all-time series 28-21-1 … BSU has won 19 of the last 20 meetings since 1998 … SMSU's lone victory in that span occurred on Sept. 12, 2015, in Marshall … BSU won the last meeting, 33-0, in Bemidji on Sept. 14, 2024 … BSU leads 15-8-1 all-time in games played in Bemidji, with SMSU's last victory coming in 1997.
 
Northern State: NSU leads the all-time series 27-11-2 … NSU won last season in Aberdeen, S.D., 55-23 and has won four straight and seven of the last nine since 2011 … SMSU trails the series 8-9-1 all-time in Marshall, including losing the last meeting on Oct. 14, 2023 … SMSU is 6-12 all-time in Ag Bowl games.
 
Minot State: SMSU leads the all-time series 9-2 … MSU snapped SMSU's seven-game winning streak in the series with a victory in Marshall during the 2024 season … SMSU leads 6-1 since MSU joined the NSIC in 2012 … SMSU is 5-0 all-time in games played in Minot, N.D.
 
Wayne State: WSC leads the all-time series 28-8 … WSC has won the previous nine games, including last season, 51-6, in Wayne, Neb. … WSC leads the series 17-3 since the 2005 season with SMSU's last victory coming on Oct. 10, 2015, in Wayne, Neb. … SMSU is 4-14 all-time at home versus WSC.
 
Minnesota Duluth: UMD leads the all-time series 31-7-1 … UMD has won 13 of the last 14 meetings with SMSU's lone victory during that span occurring on Sept. 1, 2016, in Marshall … UMD earned a 63-28 victory last season in Duluth … SMSU is 5-12 all-time in games played in Marshall.
 
Sioux Falls: USF leads the all-time series 13-4 … USF won last season 35-14 in Marshall … SMSU's victory in 2023 snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series since USF joined the NSIC in 2012 … SMSU is 2-7 all-time in games played at USF with SMSU's last victory coming on Oct. 20, 1979.
 
Augustana: AU leads the all-time series 25-3 … AU has won the last 10 games in the series, including 57-29 seasons ago in Sioux Falls, S.D. … SMSU won the first two games in 1990 and 1991, but has won just once (2013) in the last 25 games … SMSU is 1-12 all-time at home with the lone victory coming in 1990.
 
Minnesota State: MSU leads the all-time series 22-0 … MSU won last season's game in Mankato, 42-7 … MSU has scored 30 or more points in each of the 16 games since joining the NSIC in 2008 … SMSU is 0-9 all-time in Marshall.
 
Concordia-St. Paul: CSP leads the all-time series 15-12 … CSP won last season, 19-14, in Marshall … this will be SMSU's first game in St. Paul since 2021 … SMSU's win in the 2022 home opener was the first-ever victory at SMSU for head coach Scott Underwood … SMSU leads 5-4 all-time in games played at CSP.
 
Winona State: WSU leads the all-time series 34-20 … WSU has won the previous eight games, including the 30-6, last season in Winona … WSU has won eight of the nine 'Battle for the Sledge' games since the trophy game was started in 2015 … SMSU is 8-20 all-time at home and have lost the last four games in Marshall … SMSU's last win in the series came in 2015.