The University of Northern Colorado football team is scheduled to play five of its six home games this fall under the new lights at Nottingham Field in Greeley.

The kickoff times for the Bears’ nine Big Sky Conference games were finalized this week, completing the 12-game schedule starting in late August.

The Big Sky on Monday announced kickoff times and broadcast information for the 2026 season. All of UNC’s six home games will be shown on ESPN+ as part of the university’s membership in the Big Sky.

UNC hosts Big Sky opponent Weber State in the season opener at 7p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. This will be the first-ever night game at Nottingham.

“We don’t put them in not to use them,” said John Kietzmann, a UNC senior associate athletic director. “The fans have been asking for that for quite some time. Fans, students, players. Who doesn’t love playing under the lights?”

Players face with each other during a Northern Colorado Bears football spring game at Nottingham Field in Greeley on Saturday, May 2, 2026. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)

The Bears will play four Big Sky games at home and five on the road. Kickoff times for the other three conference home games are as follows. All game times listed are Mountain Time Zone.

6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Utah Tech

Utah Tech is one of two new Big Sky members this year, increasing the conference to 13 schools in football. This is game is part of the university’s homecoming weekend.

6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Cal Poly

Cal Poly and UNC did not play last year.

Noon Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. Montana State

This is final home game of the regular season. The defending Big Sky champion Bobcats are also the defending Football Championship Subdivision national champions. Montana State beat UNC 55-7 at Nottingham last year in one of the Bears’ worst games of the season.

Kietzmann said the noon start for the Montana State game allows for the “best weather possible” for November. Start times and broadcast outlets could change during the season, depending team records or interest in certain match ups.

The UNC Athletic Department proposed the $1.6 million privately funded lights project earlier this year. Kietzmann said a lot of preparation work for the lights has been completed. The poles are scheduled to be delivered by July 27 at the latest. This is around the time the football team begins its preseason training camp.

UNC is contracting the project to Musco Sports Lighting in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

“Our intent is to essentially, when the poles arrive, give Musco access to the stadium and stay out of the way,” Kietzmann added.

UNC plays four of its first five games at home. The exception is Saturday, Sept. 12 at the University of Wyoming. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start in Laramie.

After the season opener against Weber State, UNC hosts two nonconference games in September.

6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5 vs. the University of South Dakota

The teams played in Vermillion last year, and the Coyotes won 24-17 in overtime.

6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. Northeastern State

The RiverHakws are a Division II program located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

The 6 p.m. start times are consistent with those in other sports: men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and wrestling. Kietzmann said the start time hits a “sweet spot” for a majority of Bears sports.

“It allows people on a Saturday to go and participate in youth or family activities,” he said. “They can come to the game at night and enjoy refreshments, concessions, tailgate and still be home by 10 p.m.”

The schedule is road heavy in October and November. The Bears play three of four games on the road in October and two of three in November.

Fans watch from the stands during a Northern Colorado Bears football spring game at Nottingham Field in Greeley on Saturday, May 2, 2026. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)

UNC’s Big Sky road schedule follows:

at Montana, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 in Missoula

The Grizzlies’ new head coach is Bobby Kennedy, a first-time head coach who went to high school in Boulder and was a back-up quarterback at UNC in the late 1980s. Montana and UNC did not meet in 2025.

at Eastern Washington, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 in Cheney, Washington

UNC makes its second trip to Cheney in two years. Two UNC quarterbacks combined for five interceptions in a 27-7 loss last year.

at UC Davis, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 in Davis, California

The Aggies beat UNC 27-16 in Greeley last year.

at Southern Utah, 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 in Cedar City, Utah

Southern Utah joins Utah Tech as the other new Big Sky member this year. SUU returns to the conference after a four-year absence. Southern Utah was a member from 2012-22.

UNC head coach Ed Lamb was the head coach at Southern Utah from 2008-15 in his only other head coaching job. Lamb won a Big Sky title with the Thunderbirds in his final season. Bears assistant coaches, Justin Walterscheid (offensive coordinator), Aaron Fernandez (assistant head coach and defensive line coach) and Ilaisa Tuiaki (linebackers) all have deep ties to Southern Utah. All three played there as college players. Walterscheid and Fernandez were also on Lamb’s staff and joined Lamb when he was hired at UNC.

at Northern Arizona, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 in Flagstaff, Arizona

UNC also returns to Flagstaff for the second time in two years. The Lumberjacks beat UNC 49-10 last year in another tough, late-season result.

Single-game and season tickets are available for purchase. For more information, go to tickets.unco.edu/Online.