First-Year McCullough Unveils Gardner-Webb 12-Game Slate Including Two FBS Tests

First-year head coach Kris McCullough and Gardner-Webb announced a 12-game 2026 slate that leans on a tough nonconference stretch to prepare the Runnin' Bulldogs for seven conference games and a compact home schedule. The release, made Jan. 20, sets an early tone with three straight road openings and two FBS opponents that elevate the program's profile and competitive baseline.

Gardner-Webb opens Aug. 29 at Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn., before traveling Sept. 5 to Wofford and Sept. 12 to Liberty. The home opener arrives Sept. 19 against North Carolina Central, a rubber match with the series tied 1-1. Sept. 26 brings another significant road test at Marshall, making Liberty and Marshall the two FBS opponents on the nonconference slate. Conference play begins Oct. 3 at Charleston Southern in the BBQ Bowl rivalry. The schedule continues with Oct. 10 vs. Eastern Illinois, Oct. 17 at UT Martin, Oct. 31 at Southeast Missouri State, Nov. 7 vs. Lindenwood, Nov. 14 at Western Illinois, and the season finale Nov. 21 at home vs. Tennessee State. The schedule features four home games and a concentrated stretch of late-season conference contests that will determine postseason positioning.

The slate arrives off a 2025 season in which Gardner-Webb went 7-5 overall and 5-3 in OVC/Big South play, providing McCullough a foundation of recent success to build on. The mix of high-profile road tests and conference rivalry games signals a program aiming to accelerate development, both on the field and in recruiting. Playing FBS programs like Liberty and Marshall offers exposure and likely financial guarantees that help fund operations, while also giving players experience against faster, deeper rosters.

From a roster and schematic standpoint, McCullough’s team will face early conditioning and depth challenges with three straight road games and two FBS matchups before settling into conference rhythm. Those tests should clarify depth charts and special teams reliability, and give coaches a clear evaluation window before the OVC-Big South gauntlet. The BBQ Bowl game at Charleston Southern will be an early conference measuring stick and a cultural highlight for fans invested in regional rivalries.

For the broader FCS landscape, Gardner-Webb’s schedule reflects a common strategic balance: seek the benefits of FBS matchups while structuring conference play to maximize competitiveness and postseason opportunity. For Runnin’ Bulldogs supporters, the nonconference gauntlet offers a preview of how quickly McCullough’s program can ascend, and the four home dates make each turf opportunity crucial for revenue and fan engagement.

The immediate next milestone is the Aug. 29 opener at Austin Peay; how the Bulldogs respond to early adversity will shape expectations for a season that blends ambition, exposure, and tangible tests of McCullough’s first-year vision.