ACU Adds Sixth Home Game, Will Host New UAC Member West Florida
4/2/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
The Abilene Christian football team will play the West Florida Argonauts on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, giving ACU six home games for the 2026 season. Kickoff has been set for 7 p.m.
West Florida will join the United Athletic Conference as a football-only member, and the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference in all other sports, beginning Fall 2026, as announced Thursday morning at a ceremony on the UWF campus in Pensacola, Fla.
With the addition of the matchup in Abilene, ACU's 2026 football schedule is now complete with six home and six road games. It is the third time in the program's Division I history the Wildcats will play six regular season home (2019 and 2021), and the first time with all six coming against FCS opponents.
Football season ticket prices will remain the same as previously announced, giving ACU fans more value with six home games.
New season ticket packages are on sale now with options beginning at $90.
ACU will now play three straight games at Wildcat Stadium for the first time: Sept. 26 vs. Mercer, Oct. 3 vs. West Florida, and Oct. 10 vs. Central Arkansas. The Wildcats last played three home games in a row when they opened the 2013 season, their first at the FCS level, against Concordia (Ala.), McMurry and New Mexico Highlands at Shotwell Stadium.
The game on Oct. 3 will mark the first meeting between ACU and West Florida. The Argonauts started playing football in 2016, and have become a Division II powerhouse. UWF won the 2019 national championship, was the runnerup in 2017, and most recently finished 10-2 in 2025.
During its three-year NCAA reclassification process, UWF athletics teams will compete at the Division I level but will not be eligible for NCAA postseason tournaments. However, they will be eligible to compete for ASUN and UAC conference championships. Full NCAA postseason eligibility will begin once the transition process is complete in 2029.
ACU 2026 Football Schedule
West Florida will join the United Athletic Conference as a football-only member, and the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference in all other sports, beginning Fall 2026, as announced Thursday morning at a ceremony on the UWF campus in Pensacola, Fla.
With the addition of the matchup in Abilene, ACU's 2026 football schedule is now complete with six home and six road games. It is the third time in the program's Division I history the Wildcats will play six regular season home (2019 and 2021), and the first time with all six coming against FCS opponents.
Football season ticket prices will remain the same as previously announced, giving ACU fans more value with six home games.
New season ticket packages are on sale now with options beginning at $90.
ACU will now play three straight games at Wildcat Stadium for the first time: Sept. 26 vs. Mercer, Oct. 3 vs. West Florida, and Oct. 10 vs. Central Arkansas. The Wildcats last played three home games in a row when they opened the 2013 season, their first at the FCS level, against Concordia (Ala.), McMurry and New Mexico Highlands at Shotwell Stadium.
The game on Oct. 3 will mark the first meeting between ACU and West Florida. The Argonauts started playing football in 2016, and have become a Division II powerhouse. UWF won the 2019 national championship, was the runnerup in 2017, and most recently finished 10-2 in 2025.
During its three-year NCAA reclassification process, UWF athletics teams will compete at the Division I level but will not be eligible for NCAA postseason tournaments. However, they will be eligible to compete for ASUN and UAC conference championships. Full NCAA postseason eligibility will begin once the transition process is complete in 2029.
ACU 2026 Football Schedule
| Aug. 29 | TBA | at Lamar | Beaumont, TX |
| Sept. 5 | TBA | at Texas Tech | Lubbock, TX |
| Sept. 12 | 7 p.m. | vs. Stephen F. Austin | Wildcat Stadium |
| Sept. 19 | TBA | at Idaho | Moscow, ID |
| Sept. 26 | 7 p.m. | vs. Mercer | Wildcat Stadium |
| Oct. 3 | 7 p.m. | vs. West Florida* | Wildcat Stadium |
| Oct. 10 | 7 p.m. | vs. Central Arkansas* | Wildcat Stadium |
| Oct. 17 | 6 p.m. | at North Alabama* | Florence, AL |
| Oct. 24 | Open | ||
| Oct. 31 | 3 p.m. | vs. West Georgia* | Wildcat Stadium |
| Nov. 7 | TBA | at Tarleton State* | Stephenville, TX |
| Nov. 14 | TBA | at Austin Peay* | Clarksville, TN |
| Nov. 21 | 1 p.m. | vs. Eastern Kentucky* | Wildcat Stadium |
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