Gridiron Saturday: The Centennial State’s Ultimate September 26 College Football Slate

As the September breeze sweeps down from the Rockies, college football fans across the Centennial State get one of the most comprehensive and compelling fall slates. From high-stakes FBS conference clashes and regional road tests to storied, generation-spanning small-college rivalries, Saturday, September 26, 2026, offers a complete cross-section of gridiron drama. THE BLITZ

Here is your in-depth preview of every college football team calling Colorado home as they take to the field near and far.    CENTENNIAL STATE LEADERS / COMBINED 10-SCHOOL STATISTICS / American Football Coaches Association Polls – FBS / FCS / Division II

Featured FBS Showdowns: Big XII Openers

Colorado (2-1) at Baylor (2-1)

• Time/TV: 10 a.m. | ESPN2, KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM

• The Storyline: The Buffaloes hit the road for a critical early-season Big XII Conference opener, as CU looks to rebound from its 41-7 setback at Northwestern, where seven drives by the visitors ended with four turnovers and three failed fourth-down conversions.
• CU leads the series 10-7 after the Buffs scored a 38-31 overtime win over Baylor in Boulder on September 21, 2024.  RECAP
• After losing 17-16 to Auburn in Atlanta on September 5, the Bears have beaten Prairie View A&M (44-3 on September 12) and Louisiana Tech (36-19 on September 19) in Waco.

Air Force (1-1) at Nevada (1-2)

• Time/TV: 8:30 p.m. | FS1, KVOR AM 740

• The Storyline: After a weekend off, the Falcons return to Mountain West Conference play under the lights at Mackay Stadium in Reno.  It is the league opener for the Wolfpack while Air Force is 0-1 after losing at home to North Dakota State 38-32 on September 12.
• Air Force will look for its seventh win in nine games against Nevada after the Falcons used their ground game to post a 22-19 win over the Pack on November 23, 2024, in Reno.  READ MORE
• After splitting its first two games at home by defeating Western Kentucky 49-14 on September 5 and losing to defending Football Championship Subdivision Montana State 20-7 on September 12, Nevada dropped a 27-20 decision on September 19 at Middle Tennessee State after leading 20-17 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Colorado State (2-1) at UT San Antonio (2-1)

• Time/TV: 10 a.m. | ESPNU, Rams Radio Network

• The Storyline: Under new head coach Jim Mora, the Rams face their first road test of the season, packing their bags for the Lone Star State to meet UT San Antonio.
• Both schools enter Saturday’s game after playing the previous week against the nation’s elite, with Colorado State dropping a 41-23 decision to 11th-ranked BYU at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins and UTSA falling 30-6 to top-ranked Texas at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.
• UTSA opened the season by defeating Texas Rio Grande Valley 45-16 in the Alamodome and Texas State 31-26 in San Marcos. The Rams will meet Texas State in San Marcos on October 15.
• CSU leads the series 2-1, with the Roadrunners escaping Fort Collins with a 17-16 victory last season on September 21.  The Rams tied it at 17-17 with 29 seconds left, but removed the successful extra point when UTSA was penalized for offside and elected to go for the go-ahead points, failing on a pass play.  READ MORE

FCS Spotlight: Big Sky Battle in Greeley

Utah Tech (0-4) at Northern Colorado (1-3)

• Time/TV: 6 p.m. MT | ESPN+

• The Storyline: Northern Colorado returns to Big Sky Conference play by hosting league newcomer Utah Tech, which had previously played in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (2016-2020), like the Bears (1909-1972).
• UNC won its first game of the season with a 10-point rally in the final minute of regulation to force overtime as the Bears defeated 19th-ranked NCAA Division II Northeastern State of Oklahoma 23-17 in overtime in Greeley on Saturday.
• Utah Tech’s four setbacks have been to ranked teams in the FBS (at BYU 63-7 on September 5), FCS (Montana State 54-0 at home on August 29, 35-14 at Montana on September 12, and 35-23 at home to Northern Arizona on September 19).
• This is the first meeting between the two schools as UNC seeks its first Big Sky win after losing 30-29 to Weber State on August 29 as the Bears missed an extra point in the closing minute that would have forced overtime.

RMAC Wars: Band Day, Milestones, and Championship Clout

Colorado Mesa (2-2) at CSU Pueblo (4-0)

• Time/TV: 2:00 p.m. MT | RMAC Network, Rev89.5

• The Storyline: It is Band Day at the ThunderBowl as CSU Pueblo welcomes Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Colorado Mesa. This is the second of three games this season in the fictional U.S. Highway 50 Cup series that features the Pack, Mavericks and Western Colorado. READ MORE
• The ThunderWolves will chase their 28th straight RMAC win after opening the league slate with wins over Colorado Mines (45-17 on September 12 in Pueblo) and Chadron State (33-6 on September 19 in northwest Nebraska).
• Colorado Mesa opened RMAC play with a 30-24 overtime win at Chadron State (September 12) before falling 31-17 to Western Colorado in Grand Junction (September 19) as the Mountaineers rallied from a 10-7 deficit to lead 31-10 after three periods.
• After Mesa posted a 12-5-4 record over Pueblo when the two schools were junior colleges (1939-1962), the ThunderWolves hold a 19-6-1 record against the Mavericks in 4-year games. CSU Pueblo has won the last eight meetings, including a 31-14 victory over the Mavericks in Grand Junction on September 20.  READ MORE

Adams State (0-4) at Western Colorado (4-0)

• Time/TV: 6 p.m. | RMAC Network

• The Storyline: Happy Homecoming in Gunnison! This marks the 79th edition of the Colorado Classic between the Mountaineers and Grizzlies, Colorado’s second-longest continuous rivalry.
• The Mountaineers opened RMAC play with a 30-9 win over Chadron State at Gunnison (September 12) before traveling to Grand Junction to down Colorado Mesa 31-17 in the first of three games in the fictional U.S. Highway 50 Cup.
• Adams State has now lost 32 straight games since posting a 21-14 win at New Mexico Highlands on September 30, 2023.  READ MORE  The Grizzlies had dropped RMAC games at Black Hills State 44-8 (September 12) and 45-15 at home to South Dakota Mines (September 19)
• Western Colorado leads the series 44-34 after posting a 45-6 win at Adams State last September 20 for its fifth straight win over the Grizzlies.  READ MORE

Colorado Mines (1-2-1) at Chadron State (1-3)

• Time/TV: 1:00 p.m. MT | RMAC Network

• The Storyline: The Orediggers load up for a grueling five-hour road trek north to Nebraska to face Chadron State.
• Colorado Mines won its first game of the season last week by posting a 34-3 win over Fort Lewis in Golden.  The Orediggers scored first in Pueblo, but fell 45-17 on September 12 to the CSUP ThunderWolves.
• Offensive woes have hindered the Eagles as Chadron State is averaging 14.0 points and 262.8 yards per game on offense after losing 30-9 at Western Colorado (September 12) and at home to CSU Pueblo 33-6 (September 19).
• Chadron State leads the series 24-23 after posting a 34-28 win at Golden on September 20, 2025.  Mines had won the previous 11 games (11/16/2013 – 9/21/2024).  READ MORE

Fort Lewis (2-1) at Black Hills State (3-1)

• Time/TV: 1:00 p.m. MT | RMAC Network

• The Storyline: Prepare for ultimate dedication: the Skyhawks face the conference’s longest road trip, logging a daunting 760-mile, 13-hour bus journey north to Spearfish, South Dakota, to battle Black Hills State.
• Without their starting quarterback, Jacob Morris, Fort Lewis dropped a 34-3 decision at Colorado Mines (September 19) after posting a 31-28 overtime win in Durango over New Mexico Highlands (September 12).
• Black Hills State opened RMAC play with a 44-8 win over Adams State at home (September 12) before traveling over 700 miles in a 10-hour bus trip to drop a 44-36 decision at New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas.
• The Yellowjackets lead the series 10-3 after posting a 25-19 win at Fort Lewis in Durango last season (September 20) for their sixth straight victory over the Skyhawks.  READ MORE

Saturday, October 3 Schedule

• Navy at Air Force, 10 a.m., CBS
• CSU Pueblo at Adams State, 12 p.m., RMACNet
• Black Hills St. at Colorado Mines, 12 p.m., RMACNet
• South Dakota Mines at Fort Lewis, 12 p.m., RMACNet
• Northern Colorado at Montana, 2 p.m., ESPN+
• Oregon State at Colorado State, 4 p.m., USA
• Chadron State at Colorado Mesa, 6 p.m., RMACNet
• Western Colorado at Highlands, 6 p.m., RMACNet
• Texas Tech at Colorado, TBA

American Football Coaches Association Polls – FBS / FCS / Division II

STATISTICS – CENTENNIAL STATE LEADERS / COMBINED 10-SCHOOL STATISTICS

FBS

• Air Force (1-1)
• Colorado (2-1)
• Colorado State (2-1)

FCS

•   Northern Colorado (1-3)

DIVISION II

•  Adams State (0-4)
• Colorado Mesa (2-2)
• Colorado Mines (1-2-1)
• CSU Pueblo (4-0)
• Fort Lewis (2-1)
• Western Colorado (4-0)