Bethune-Cookman announces 2026 schedule, opens at UCF, hosts Florida A&M

Bethune‑Cookman unveiled a 12‑game 2026 slate that pairs a high-profile FBS opener at UCF with a return of the Florida Classic at Daytona Beach, a schedule that balances exposure, revenue opportunities, and a full SWAC gauntlet. The Wildcats will begin with an open date on August 29 before traveling to Orlando for the Thursday night kickoff on September 3.

The Sept. 3 trip to UCF doubles as a statement game. FBSchedules called it a "high-profile nonconference opener at UCF on Sept. 3," noting it is the first meeting between the programs since Bethune‑Cookman’s move into the SWAC. UCF brings added theatricality to the matchup: the Knights enter with an 11‑game Thursday‑night winning streak and will host the game in the Bounce House. UCF leads the series 12‑5, framing the contest as both a regional rivalry and a measuring stick for coach Raymond Woodie Jr.'s program.

Bethune‑Cookman’s nonconference home slate features three games at Daytona Stadium, beginning with the Sept. 12 home opener against Stetson and a Sept. 19 Homecoming date with Virginia‑Lynchburg. Nonconference play concludes Sept. 26 with South Carolina State in Daytona Stadium, the second leg of a home-and-home that began in Orangeburg last season. FBSchedules described the SC State meeting as "the second of a home-and-home series that began last season in Orangeburg," underlining the scheduling emphasis on familiar regional opponents and revenue-friendly return dates.

Conference play starts Oct. 3 at home against Alabama State and then shifts to a demanding SWAC road sequence that includes trips to Alabama A&M, Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas‑Pine Bluff, and Southern. Home dates against Jackson State and Grambling State precede the Nov. 21 Florida Classic vs Florida A&M, listed as the Florida Blue Florida Classic on the Bethune‑Cookman athletics page, which will close the regular season.

The schedule arrives with program momentum. Bethune‑Cookman finished 2025 at 6‑6 overall and 5‑3 in SWAC play. Raymond Woodie Jr. enters his fourth season with a 22‑11 record at the school, positioning the Wildcats as a stable, ascending FCS program that can leverage marquee nonconference dates for recruiting and financial lift. As FBSchedules put it, "Bethune‑Cookman’s 12‑game 2026 slate was published and includes a high‑profile nonconference opener at UCF on Sept. 3."

For fans and boosters, the calendar offers a clear arc: spring evaluation on April 17 with the Spring Game, a midweek national window in Orlando that could deliver TV exposure, and a traditional rivalry capper in the Florida Classic. The mix of home revenue dates, a headline FBS opponent, and a full SWAC schedule sets expectations for competitive growth and regional relevance as Bethune‑Cookman looks to convert recent progress into postseason traction.